Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the , and sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Sydney, the gained 1.00%.

The best performers of the session on the were News Corp B DRC (ASX:), which rose 8.42% or 2.53 points to trade at 32.56 at the close. Whitehaven Coal Ltd. (ASX) gained 7.24%, or 0.210 point to trade at 3.110. Corporate Travel Management Ltd. (ASX) increased 6.56% or 1.46 to trade at 23.71.

The worst performers of the session were Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX:), which fell 2.39% or 0.13 points to trade at 5.30 at the close. Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX:) declined 2.33% or 0.040 points to end at 1.680 and Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX:) was down 1.41% or 0.020 points to 1.395.

The Sydney Stock Exchange saw rising stocks surpass declining ones by 988 to 4,19, and 359 ended the same.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd. shares (ASX:), rose to 52 week highs, rising by 7.24% (0.210 to 3.110). Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX) shares rose to 52 week highs, rising by 6.56% (1.46 to 23.71).

The , which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 9.93% to 12.205.

The December delivery of Gold Futures was lower by 0.67%, or 11.95, to $1766.85 per troy ounce. In commodities trading, crude oil rose 0.13 percent to $72.36 per barrel. The November Brent oil contract increased 0.20 or 0.15 to $76.34 per barrel.

The AUD/USD rose 0.2% to 0.7262, and the AUD/JPY rose 0.4% to 79.87.

US Dollar Index Futures fell 0.2% to 93.263.