Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 0.50%

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At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.50%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC), which rose 6.77% or 0.180 points to trade at 2.840 at the close. Meanwhile, Alumina Ltd (ASX:AWC) added 6.68% or 0.125 points to end at 1.995 and Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) was up 6.31% or 2.40 points to 40.44 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Bluescope Steel Ltd (ASX:BSL), which fell 3.00% or 0.740 points to trade at 23.920 at the close. Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX:RMS) declined 2.97% or 0.045 points to end at 1.470 and Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX:APT) was down 2.77% or 3.72 points to 130.71.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 870 to 531 and 363 ended unchanged.

Shares in Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 6.77% or 0.180 to 2.840. Shares in Alumina Ltd (ASX:AWC) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 6.68% or 0.125 to 1.995. Shares in Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) rose to 52-week highs; up 6.31% or 2.40 to 40.44.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.82% to 10.358 a new 3-months low.

Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.14% or 2.60 to $1814.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October fell 0.23% or 0.16 to hit $69.83 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract fell 0.07% or 0.05 to trade at $72.98 a barrel.

AUD/USD was up 0.37% to 0.7426, while AUD/JPY rose 0.49% to 81.72.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.01% at 92.233.