Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Metals & Mining, Materials and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.93%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM), which rose 10.78% or 0.118 points to trade at 1.208 at the close. Meanwhile, Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) added 3.98% or 0.080 points to end at 2.090 and Corp Trav F (AX:CTD) was up 2.81% or 0.410 points to 15.020 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (AX:LNG), which fell 21.40% or 0.230 points to trade at 0.845 at the close. Sandfire Resources NL (AX:SFR) declined 6.54% or 0.380 points to end at 5.430 and Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL) was down 6.17% or 9.180 points to 139.680.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 582 to 444 and 332 ended unchanged.
Shares in Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM) rose to 52-week highs; rising 10.78% or 0.118 to 1.208. Shares in Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) rose to 52-week highs; up 3.98% or 0.080 to 2.090.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.06% to 16.204.
Gold for August delivery was down 0.36% or 4.60 to $1268.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 0.79% or 0.40 to hit $50.16 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract fell 0.67% or 0.35 to trade at $51.60 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.19% to 0.7416, while AUD/JPY fell 0.23% to 79.40.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.09% at 94.18.