Title: Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 0.36%

Jun 08, 2022 03:45AM ET

By: AnalysisWatch

Australian stocks rose after the close of Wednesday's trading as shares in the energy, utilities and commodities sectors rose.

At the close of trading in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 index was up 0.36%.

Within the S&P/ASX 200, Atlas Arteria was the best performer, rising 16.20%, or 1.15 points, to close at 8.25 points. Meanwhile, Boral Ltd. rose 14.69% or 0.42 points to 3.28 points and Woodside Energy Ltd (ASX: WDS) rose 5.62% or 1.85 points to close trading at 34.74 points.

Bendigo And Adelaide Bank Ltd was the worst performer, falling 7.19% or 0.76 points to end trading at 9.81 points. Perenti Global Ltd (ASX:PRN) fell 6.54% or 0.05 points to end trading at 0.71 points and Westpac Banking Corp fell 6.11% or 1.43 points to end trading at 21.98 points.

On the Sydney Stock Exchange, declining stocks outnumbered rising ones, with 769 over 660 and 402 ending unchanged.

Shares in Atlas Arteria (ASX:ALX) climbed to a 52-week high; they gained 16.20 per cent, or 1.15 points, to 8.25 points. Woodside Energy Ltd (ASX:WDS) shares climbed to a 52-week high; they rose 5.62% or 1.85 points to 34.74 points.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX index, which measures the implied volatility of options on the S&P/ASX 200, fell 2.99% to 15.60 points.

Gold futures for August delivery rose 0.02%, or 0.45%, to $1,852.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in the commodities market, crude oil for July delivery rose 0.77%, or 0.92%, to $120.33 a barrel, while the August Brent crude oil contract rose 0.59%, or 0.71%, to $121.28 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged at 0.28% or 0.72, while AUD/JPY rose 0.37% to 96.18.

US dollar index futures rose 0.25% to 102.58.