Title: Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 0.05%

Apr 20, 2022 03:45AM ET

By: AnalysisWatch

Australian shares rose after the close on Wednesday as gains in healthcare, consumer staples, and consumer cyclical sectors led stocks higher.

At the close of trading in Sydney, the S & P/ASX 200 was up 0.05%, hitting a new 3-month high.

The best performers in the S & P/ASX 200 were Ramsay Health Care Ltd., which rose 24.24%, or 15.61 points, to close at 80.00. Meanwhile, Pro Medicus Ltd gained 5.20 per cent, or 2.55 points, to close at 51.61, while United Malt Group Ltd gained 4.48 per cent, or 0.18 points, to 4.20 in late trading.

The worst performer was Hub24 Ltd, which fell 6.47%, or 1.68 points, to close at 24.28. Regis Resources Ltd fell 6.20% or 0.15 points to 2.27, while Gold Road Resources Ltd fell 4.06% or 0.07 points to 1.65.

On the Sydney Stock Exchange, falling shares outweighed rising ones by 771 to 669, and 386 ended unchanged.

Ramsay Health Care Ltd shares rose 24.24%, or 15.61 to 80.00, to a 52-week high.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, increased 0.59% to 13.07.

Gold futures for June delivery fell 0.72%, or 14.05, to $1,944.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, crude oil for June delivery rose 1.44%, or 1.47, to $103.52 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 1.40%, or 1.50, to $108.75 a barrel.

AUD/USD increased by 0.75 percent to 0.74 percent, while AUD/JPY increased by 0.47 percent to 95.44.

Futures on the US dollar index fell 0.25% to 100.71.