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

After the Sydney closing, the gain was 1.2% to reach a 3-months-high.

Perenti Global Ltd. (ASX:) was among the top performers during the session. They rose 8.54%, or 0.070 point to trade at 0.8990 at the closing. Meanwhile, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX 🙂 gained 7.09%, or 0.210 points, to close at 3.170. Kogan.com Ltd. (ASX 🙂 was up 7.7% or 0.58 to 8.78 in late trading.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd., (ASX:) fell 2.2% or 0.060 to trade at 2.670 by the end of the session. Afterpay Touch Group Ltd.(ASX:), fell 1.81% (or 1.57) to finish at 85.08. Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd. was down 1.35% (or 0.04) to 2.92.

The Sydney Stock Exchange saw rising stocks surpass declining stocks by 994 to 443, and 369 respectively, which ended the same.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd shares rose to new heights (ASX:), gaining 7.9%, or 0.210 to 3.1770.

The , which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 4.23% to 11.256.

The February delivery of Gold Futures was lower by 0.32%, or 5.75, to $1805.15 per troy ounce. Other commodities traded included Crude oil, which rose 0.18 or 0.24 to reach $76.16/barrel, and March Brent oil, which rose 0.32 or 0.25, to trade at $89.92 a barrel.

The AUD/USD fell 0.02% at 0.7226 while the AUD/JPY rose by 0.05% at 83.02.

US Dollar Index Futures were up 0.2% at 96.220