Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Gold, IT and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.52% to hit a new 3-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Iron Mountain Inc (AX:INM), which rose 3.88% or 1.60 points to trade at 42.80 at the close. Meanwhile, APN Outdoor Group Ltd (AX:APO) added 3.11% or 0.140 points to end at 4.640 and Super Retail Group Ltd (AX:SUL) was up 2.10% or 0.140 points to 6.800 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Retail Food Group Ltd (AX:RFG), which fell 9.27% or 0.095 points to trade at 0.930 at the close. Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL) declined 8.15% or 1.760 points to end at 19.840 and Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC) was down 6.82% or 0.690 points to 9.420.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 677 to 518 and 362 ended unchanged.
Shares in Retail Food Group Ltd (AX:RFG) fell to 5-year lows; down 9.27% or 0.095 to 0.930.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.35% to 16.608 a new 1-month high.
Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.22% or 2.90 to $1327.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 0.40% or 0.26 to hit $64.64 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 0.23% or 0.16 to trade at $68.92 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.14% to 0.7673, while AUD/JPY fell 0.15% to 81.73.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.17% at 89.61.