Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Metals & Mining, Materials and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.55%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Altium Ltd (ASX:ALU), which rose 4.34% or 1.30 points to trade at 31.25 at the close. Meanwhile, Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) added 4.22% or 1.54 points to end at 38.04 and Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) was up 3.79% or 0.080 points to 2.190 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP), which fell 6.86% or 3.090 points to trade at 41.940 at the close. United Malt Group Ltd (ASX:UMG) declined 6.14% or 0.27 points to end at 4.13 and Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL) was down 3.63% or 0.090 points to 2.390.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 714 to 655 and 401 ended unchanged.
Shares in Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.22% or 1.54 to 38.04.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.90% to 10.769.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.06% or 1.05 to $1817.05 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to hit $68.59 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 0.04% or 0.03 to trade at $71.62 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.26% to 0.7383, while AUD/JPY rose 0.30% to 81.25.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.02% at 92.427.