Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Energy, Gold and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.45% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were G8 Education Ltd (AX:GEM), which rose 4.69% or 0.160 points to trade at 3.570 at the close. Meanwhile, Cardno Ltd (AX:CDD) added 3.04% or 0.090 points to end at 3.050 and Breville Group Ltd (AX:BRG) was up 2.51% or 0.160 points to 6.530 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM), which fell 9.79% or 0.760 points to trade at 7.000 at the close. Drillsearch Energy Ltd (AX:DLS) declined 8.28% or 0.065 points to end at 0.720 and Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) was down 7.81% or 0.050 points to 0.590.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 637 to 339 and 139 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM) fell to 5-year lows; falling 9.79% or 0.760 to 7.000.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 9.23% to 21.178.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.18% or 1.90 to $1082.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 0.26% or 0.11 to hit $41.64 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 0.41% or 0.18 to trade at $45.35 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.04% to 0.7129, while AUD/JPY rose 0.09% to 87.44.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.21% at 98.78.