Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Metals & Mining, Resources and Energy sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.70%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Isentia Group Ltd (AX:ISD), which rose 4.22% or 0.070 points to trade at 1.730 at the close. Meanwhile, Telstra Corporation Ltd. (AX:TLS) added 4.02% or 0.170 points to end at 4.400 and Macquarie Group Ltd (AX:MQG) was up 3.38% or 3.105 points to 95.025 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL), which fell 7.01% or 0.830 points to trade at 11.010 at the close. Whitehaven Coal Ltd (AX:WHC) declined 6.50% or 0.180 points to end at 2.590 and Super Retail Group Ltd (AX:SUL) was down 6.32% or 0.605 points to 8.965.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 673 to 444 and 354 ended unchanged.
Shares in Macquarie Group Ltd (AX:MQG) rose to all time highs; gaining 3.38% or 3.105 to 95.025.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.42% to 12.253.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.49% or 6.03 to $1234.63 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June fell 2.59% or 1.18 to hit $44.34 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 2.29% or 1.11 to trade at $47.27 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.47% to 0.7374, while AUD/JPY fell 0.67% to 82.78.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 98.64.