Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Energy, Resources and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.30%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (ASX:SAR), which rose 10.86% or 0.440 points to trade at 4.490 at the close. Meanwhile, Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG) added 10.71% or 0.180 points to end at 1.860 and Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) was up 7.19% or 2.460 points to 36.660 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG), which fell 6.51% or 0.530 points to trade at 7.610 at the close. Graincorp Ltd (ASX:GNC) declined 5.36% or 0.460 points to end at 8.130 and Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) was down 5.24% or 0.110 points to 1.990.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 669 to 549 and 340 ended unchanged.
Shares in Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (ASX:SAR) rose to all time highs; gaining 10.86% or 0.440 to 4.490. Shares in Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG) rose to 52-week highs; rising 10.71% or 0.180 to 1.860. Shares in Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) rose to 5-year highs; rising 7.19% or 2.460 to 36.660.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 6.45% to 12.771 a new 1-month high.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.99% or 14.25 to $1446.65 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 1.71% or 0.92 to hit $54.87 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 2.10% or 1.27 to trade at $61.77 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.25% to 0.6816, while AUD/JPY fell 0.06% to 72.92.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.03% at 98.113.