Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Gold, Utilities and Industrials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.83% to hit a new 6-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were G8 Education Ltd (AX:GEM), which rose 4.91% or 0.185 points to trade at 3.955 at the close. Meanwhile, Tassal Group Ltd (AX:TGR) added 2.34% or 0.090 points to end at 3.940 and Santos Ltd (AX:STO) was up 2.30% or 0.090 points to 4.010 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Syrah Resources Ltd (AX:SYR), which fell 6.75% or 0.254 points to trade at 3.510 at the close. Resolute Mining Ltd (AX:RSG) declined 5.65% or 0.065 points to end at 1.085 and Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) was down 5.82% or 0.160 points to 2.590.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 722 to 413 and 360 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 12.93% to 13.494.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 1.09% or 14.34 to $1302.06 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November fell 0.14% or 0.07 to hit $50.62 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract fell 0.23% or 0.13 to trade at $56.16 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.73% to 0.7972, while AUD/JPY fell 0.57% to 89.61.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.11% at 92.32.