Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the IT, Energy and Healthcare sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 2.74% to hit a new 3-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM), which rose 6.27% or 0.220 points to trade at 3.730 at the close. Meanwhile, Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN) added 6.27% or 0.170 points to end at 2.880 and Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR) was up 3.08% or 0.060 points to 2.010 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT), which fell 11.05% or 1.710 points to trade at 13.760 at the close. Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC) declined 10.46% or 1.920 points to end at 16.430 and Appen Ltd (AX:APX) was down 10.29% or 1.290 points to 11.250.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 1175 to 167 and 253 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 53.37% to 21.785 a new 6-months high.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.23% or 2.70 to $1196.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November fell 1.41% or 1.03 to hit $72.14 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract fell 1.49% or 1.24 to trade at $81.85 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.37% to 0.7075, while AUD/JPY rose 0.10% to 79.35.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.24% at 94.99.