Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Energy, Utilities and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.71%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Altium Ltd (AX:ALU), which rose 2.92% or 0.590 points to trade at 20.820 at the close. Meanwhile, Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR) added 2.47% or 0.040 points to end at 1.660 and Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA) was up 2.35% or 0.130 points to 5.660 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Orocobre Ltd (AX:ORE), which fell 6.12% or 0.400 points to trade at 6.140 at the close. Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia Ltd (AX:GMA) declined 5.95% or 0.150 points to end at 2.370 and Myer Holdings Ltd (AX:MYR) was down 5.56% or 0.025 points to 0.425.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 805 to 485 and 354 ended unchanged.
Shares in Altium Ltd (AX:ALU) rose to 5-year highs; rising 2.92% or 0.590 to 20.820. Shares in Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia Ltd (AX:GMA) fell to 52-week lows; down 5.95% or 0.150 to 2.370. Shares in Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.35% or 0.130 to 5.660. Shares in Myer Holdings Ltd (AX:MYR) fell to all time lows; down 5.56% or 0.025 to 0.425.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.04% to 13.847.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.20% or 2.70 to $1315.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 0.05% or 0.03 to hit $61.67 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract fell 0.11% or 0.07 to trade at $64.66 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.40% to 0.7730, while AUD/JPY fell 0.30% to 82.56.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.06% at 90.66.