Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Utilities, Financials and Energy sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.64% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Recall Hold (AX:REC), which rose 7.20% or 0.540 points to trade at 8.040 at the close. Meanwhile, IPH Ltd (AX:IPH) added 5.21% or 0.340 points to end at 6.870 and Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) was up 2.47% or 0.070 points to 2.900 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Incitec Pivot Ltd (AX:IPL), which fell 5.64% or 0.180 points to trade at 3.010 at the close. Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA) declined 5.09% or 0.110 points to end at 2.050 and Programmed Maintenance Services Ltd (AX:PRG) was down 4.73% or 0.070 points to 1.410.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 544 to 343 and 299 ended unchanged.
Shares in Recall Hold (AX:REC) rose to 52-week highs; up 7.20% or 0.540 to 8.040.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 7.88% to 17.614.
Gold for June delivery was down 0.13% or 1.60 to $1234.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May fell 1.23% or 0.47 to hit $37.87 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract fell 1.02% or 0.41 to trade at $39.92 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.03% to 0.7660, while AUD/JPY fell 0.31% to 85.95.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.03% at 94.62.