Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the A-REITs, Healthcare and Consumer Staples sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.08%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Steadfast F (AX:SDF), which rose 8.07% or 0.180 points to trade at 2.410 at the close. Meanwhile, Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) added 5.20% or 0.033 points to end at 0.657 and IPH Ltd (AX:IPH) was up 4.85% or 0.250 points to 5.400 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL), which fell 17.76% or 0.950 points to trade at 4.400 at the close. M Pharma Fp (AX:MYX) declined 4.14% or 0.055 points to end at 1.275 and Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA) was down 3.10% or 0.105 points to 3.285.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 542 to 494 and 347 ended unchanged.
Shares in Steadfast F (AX:SDF) rose to all time highs; gaining 8.07% or 0.180 to 2.410. Shares in Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL) fell to 52-week lows; falling 17.76% or 0.950 to 4.400. Shares in Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) rose to 3-years highs; rising 5.20% or 0.033 to 0.657.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.72% to 13.186 a new 1-month high.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.08% or 0.95 to $1197.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.13% or 0.07 to hit $52.18 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to trade at $55.10 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.24% to 0.7459, while AUD/JPY fell 0.35% to 85.56.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.17% at 101.53.