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At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.31% to hit a new 6-months high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Challenger Ltd (ASX:CGF), which rose 9.81% or 0.67 points to trade at 7.50 at the close. Meanwhile, Brambles Ltd (ASX:BXB) added 7.98% or 0.80 points to end at 10.82 and Lend Lease Group (ASX:LLC) was up 5.05% or 0.58 points to 12.06 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1), which fell 21.55% or 2.75 points to trade at 10.01 at the close. Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) declined 4.82% or 0.22 points to end at 4.34 and Alumina Ltd (ASX:AWC) was down 4.10% or 0.08 points to 1.87.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 716 to 711 and 422 ended unchanged.
Shares in Challenger Ltd (ASX:CGF) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 9.81% or 0.67 to 7.50. Shares in Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) fell to 52-week lows; falling 21.55% or 2.75 to 10.01.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.29% to 13.11.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.12% or 2.25 to $1,953.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 1.97% or 2.01 to hit $104.20 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 2.06% or 2.20 to trade at $109.00 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.01% to 0.74, while AUD/JPY rose 0.12% to 95.33.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.51% at 99.90.
