Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Gold, Utilities and Healthcare sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.18%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT), which rose 7.54% or 0.150 points to trade at 2.140 at the close. Meanwhile, Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA) added 6.87% or 0.270 points to end at 4.200 and Nanosonics Ltd (AX:NAN) was up 5.71% or 0.185 points to 3.425 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN), which fell 2.58% or 0.070 points to trade at 2.640 at the close. Invocare Ltd (AX:IVC) declined 2.41% or 0.300 points to end at 12.130 and Cromwell Property Group (AX:CMW) was down 2.28% or 0.025 points to 1.070.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 574 to 563 and 367 ended unchanged.
Shares in Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 7.54% or 0.150 to 2.140.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.31% to 11.182.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.08% or 1.00 to $1200.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 1.10% or 0.79 to hit $72.36 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.90% or 0.73 to trade at $81.52 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.34% to 0.7232, while AUD/JPY fell 0.44% to 81.45.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.28% at 94.14.