Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Resources, Energy and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.58%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM), which rose 8.33% or 0.065 points to trade at 0.845 at the close. Meanwhile, APN News & Media Ltd (AX:APN) added 6.06% or 0.030 points to end at 0.525 and Cardno Ltd (AX:CDD) was up 5.59% or 0.095 points to 1.795 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Slater & Gordon Ltd (AX:SGH), which fell 6.32% or 0.080 points to trade at 1.185 at the close. Greencross Ltd (AX:GXL) declined 6.12% or 0.350 points to end at 5.370 and Worleyparsons Ltd (AX:WOR) was down 6.09% or 0.350 points to 5.400.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 516 to 437 and 136 ended unchanged.
Shares in Worleyparsons Ltd (AX:WOR) fell to 5-year lows; down 6.09% or 0.350 to 5.400.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 4.81% to 17.634.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.16% or 1.70 to $1052.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 1.29% or 0.52 to hit $40.45 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 0.70% or 0.30 to trade at $43.10 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.10% to 0.7317, while AUD/JPY rose 0.27% to 90.33.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.14% at 100.19.