Title: Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 1.21%

Mar 14, 2022 03:45AM ET

By: AnalysisWatch

Australian stocks rose after the closing bell on Monday thanks to gains in the finance, health care, and consumer goods sectors.

At the close of trading in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 index was 1.21% higher.

Elders Ltd. was among the best-performing companies within the S&P/ASX 200 index, rising 11.01%, or 1.32 points, to settle at 13.32 at the close of trading. Meanwhile, Pendal Group Ltd. rose 6.56%, or 0.28 points, to close at 4.55, while Resolute Mining Ltd. added 6.25%, or 0.02 points, to close at 0.34 at the close of trading.

Westgold Resources Ltd was the worst performer, falling 12.70% or 0.31 points to settle at 2.13 points at the close of trading. Nickel Mines Ltd fell 4.17%, or 0.05 points, to 1.15 points, and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd dropped 4.04%, or 0.15 points, to 3.56 points.

On the Sydney Stock Exchange, rising stocks outnumbered declining ones by 701 to 698, and 368 ended unchanged.

Shares in Elders Ltd climbed to a five-year high, rising 11.01%, or 1.32 points, to 13.32 points.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX index, which measures implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, fell 3.85% to 19.22 points.

Gold futures for April delivery fell 0.30%, or $6.05, to $1,978.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, the crude oil contract for April delivery fell 3.39%, or $3.71, to $105.62 per barrel, while the May Brent crude oil contract fell 3.20%, or $3.61, to $109.06 per barrel.

The AUD/USD currency pair was steady at 0.64% to 0.72, while AUD/JPY fell 0.26% to 85.28.

The US dollar index futures fell 0.12% to 99.06.