Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Healthcare, Energy and IT sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.41% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY), which rose 9.13% or 0.220 points to trade at 2.630 at the close. Meanwhile, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (AX:PLS) added 7.80% or 0.055 points to end at 0.760 and Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AX:SIG) was up 6.07% or 0.033 points to 0.568 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT), which fell 6.06% or 0.970 points to trade at 15.030 at the close. Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (AX:SXL) declined 4.06% or 0.055 points to end at 1.300 and Nextdc Ltd (AX:NXT) was down 3.69% or 0.230 points to 6.000.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 703 to 496 and 363 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.00% to 14.070.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.13% or 1.60 to $1205.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October rose 0.10% or 0.07 to hit $67.84 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract fell 0.03% or 0.02 to trade at $76.48 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.63% to 0.7153, while AUD/JPY fell 0.75% to 79.12.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.01% at 94.98.