Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Consumer Discretionary, IT and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.04%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV), which rose 17.95% or 5.25 points to trade at 34.49 at the close. Meanwhile, Atlas Arteria (ASX:ALX) added 6.83% or 0.43 points to end at 6.73 and Blackmores Ltd (ASX:BKL) was up 6.42% or 5.91 points to 98.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS), which fell 6.55% or 0.145 points to trade at 2.070 at the close. Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) declined 6.08% or 0.66 points to end at 10.20 and Nextdc Ltd (ASX:NXT) was down 5.42% or 0.73 points to 12.75.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 691 to 687 and 387 ended unchanged.
Shares in Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) rose to 52-week highs; up 17.95% or 5.25 to 34.49. Shares in Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) fell to 52-week lows; down 6.08% or 0.66 to 10.20. Shares in Blackmores Ltd (ASX:BKL) rose to 52-week highs; up 6.42% or 5.91 to 98.00.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.63% to 11.060.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.42% or 7.60 to $1802.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October rose 1.93% or 1.30 to hit $68.72 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 1.68% or 1.18 to trade at $71.36 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.26% to 0.7253, while AUD/JPY rose 0.30% to 79.86.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.08% at 93.007.