Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Healthcare, Utilities and Financials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.52%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (AX:TWE), which rose 11.73% or 1.120 points to trade at 10.670 at the close. Meanwhile, Iress Ltd (AX:IRE) added 9.37% or 1.000 points to end at 11.670 and Worleyparsons Ltd (AX:WOR) was up 8.60% or 0.680 points to 8.590 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Primary Health Care Ltd (AX:PRY), which fell 5.25% or 0.220 points to trade at 3.970 at the close. AMP Ltd (AX:AMP) declined 5.01% or 0.290 points to end at 5.500 and Select Harvests Ltd (AX:SHV) was down 4.88% or 0.335 points to 6.525.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 557 to 494 and 354 ended unchanged.
Shares in Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (AX:TWE) rose to all time highs; gaining 11.73% or 1.120 to 10.670. Shares in Worleyparsons Ltd (AX:WOR) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 8.60% or 0.680 to 8.590.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.28% to 11.941.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.37% or 4.95 to $1358.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 0.28% or 0.13 to hit $46.81 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.30% or 0.15 to trade at $49.70 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.71% to 0.7710, while AUD/JPY rose 0.29% to 76.99.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.21% at 94.49.