Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Utilities, Resources and Energy sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.54%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Woolworths Ltd (ASX:WOW), which rose 3.83% or 1.010 points to trade at 27.390 at the close. Meanwhile, Flight Centre Ltd (ASX:FLT) added 3.32% or 1.130 points to end at 35.200 and Ozforex Grp (ASX:OFX) was up 2.75% or 0.060 points to 2.240 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bradken Ltd (ASX:BKN), which fell 11.34% or 0.195 points to trade at 1.525 at the close. Pacific Brands Ltd (ASX:PBG) declined 7.25% or 0.025 points to end at 0.320 and Worleyparsons Ltd (ASX:WOR) was down 7.17% or 0.780 points to 10.100.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 647 to 399 and 207 ended unchanged.
Shares in Bradken Ltd (ASX:BKN) fell to 5-year lows; down 11.34% or 0.195 to 1.525. Shares in Pacific Brands Ltd (ASX:PBG) fell to 5-year lows; losing 7.25% or 0.025 to 0.320.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 9.03% to 17.318.
Gold for August delivery was up 0.03% or 0.30 to $1172.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 0.12% or 0.07 to hit $59.63 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 0.32% or 0.20 to trade at $63.40 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.50% to 0.7702, while AUD/JPY fell 0.61% to 95.07.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.06% at 95.42.