Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Financials, Gold and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.86% to hit a new 3-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Orica Ltd (AX:ORI), which rose 8.21% or 1.280 points to trade at 16.880 at the close. Meanwhile, CYBG PLC (AX:CYB) added 7.09% or 0.300 points to end at 4.530 and A2 Milk Company Ltd (AX:A2M) was up 5.51% or 0.095 points to 1.820 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were M Pharma Fp (AX:MYX), which fell 14.66% or 0.250 points to trade at 1.455 at the close. Flight Centre Ltd (AX:FLT) declined 8.19% or 2.700 points to end at 30.250 and Genworth Fp (AX:GMA) was down 7.62% or 0.230 points to 2.790.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 641 to 372 and 334 ended unchanged.
Shares in Orica Ltd (AX:ORI) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 8.21% or 1.280 to 16.880.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 9.46% to 20.707 a new 3-months high.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.23% or 3.05 to $1300.25 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.36% or 0.16 to hit $44.82 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 0.37% or 0.17 to trade at $46.52 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.04% to 0.7679, while AUD/JPY rose 0.14% to 79.22.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.10% at 97.29.