Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Financials, A-REITs and Healthcare sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.40% to hit a new 6-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Medibank Private Ltd (ASX:MPL), which rose 13.43% or 0.270 points to trade at 2.280 at the close. Meanwhile, UGL Ltd (ASX:UGL) added 12.27% or 0.200 points to end at 1.830 and Sims Metal Management Ltd (ASX:SGM) was up 11.19% or 1.050 points to 10.430 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Transfield Services Ltd (ASX:TSE), which fell 9.22% or 0.100 points to trade at 0.985 at the close. Arrium Ltd (ASX:ARI) declined 8.70% or 0.010 points to end at 0.105 and Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX:MFG) was down 5.95% or 1.180 points to 18.650.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 649 to 362 and 157 ended unchanged.
Shares in Transfield Services Ltd (ASX:TSE) fell to 52-week lows; losing 9.22% or 0.100 to 0.985. Shares in Arrium Ltd (ASX:ARI) fell to all time lows; losing 8.70% or 0.010 to 0.105.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 6.49% to 20.962 a new 1-month high.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.43% or 5.00 to $1158.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October fell 1.00% or 0.41 to hit $40.91 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.75% or 0.35 to trade at $46.27 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.47% to 0.7302, while AUD/JPY fell 0.87% to 89.76.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.31% at 95.47.