Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Metals & Mining, Consumer Discretionary and Materials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.61%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL), which rose 3.88% or 0.12 points to trade at 3.21 at the close. Meanwhile, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) added 3.42% or 0.28 points to end at 8.47 and Zip Co Ltd (ASX:ZIP) was up 3.17% or 0.10 points to 3.25 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX:ILU), which fell 6.26% or 0.31 points to trade at 4.64 at the close. Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) declined 4.15% or 0.10 points to end at 2.31 and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) was down 3.82% or 0.23 points to 5.67.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 623 to 406 and 394 ended unchanged.
Shares in Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL) rose to 3-years highs; up 3.88% or 0.12 to 3.21. Shares in Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX:ILU) fell to 3-years lows; down 6.26% or 0.31 to 4.64.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.80% to 10.40.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.37% or 10.24 to $2,760.66 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 0.34% or 0.26 to hit $75.18 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.35% or 0.28 to trade at $78.72 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.02% to 0.63, while AUD/JPY rose 0.07% to 98.28.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.14% at 108.11.
