Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Energy, Resources and Materials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.70% to hit a new 6-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST), which rose 6.60% or 0.125 points to trade at 2.020 at the close. Meanwhile, G8 Education Ltd (ASX:GEM) added 6.41% or 0.200 points to end at 3.320 and Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) was up 6.29% or 0.670 points to 11.320 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Origin Energy Ltd (ASX:ORG), which fell 13.04% or 1.290 points to trade at 8.600 at the close. APN News & Media Ltd (ASX:APN) declined 12.88% or 0.085 points to end at 0.575 and Senex Energy Ltd (ASX:SXY) was down 12.50% or 0.020 points to 0.140.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 593 to 403 and 149 ended unchanged.
Shares in Origin Energy Ltd (ASX:ORG) fell to 5-year lows; losing 13.04% or 1.290 to 8.600. Shares in APN News & Media Ltd (ASX:APN) fell to 52-week lows; down 12.88% or 0.085 to 0.575. Shares in Senex Energy Ltd (ASX:SXY) fell to 3-years lows; falling 12.50% or 0.020 to 0.140.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 8.98% to 19.684.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.92% or 10.40 to $1138.30 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October fell 0.74% or 0.30 to hit $40.97 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.61% or 0.29 to trade at $46.87 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.48% to 0.7312, while AUD/JPY fell 0.32% to 90.68.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.03% at 96.40.