Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Energy, Resources and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 2.20%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Northern Star Resources Ltd (AX:NST), which rose 5.19% or 0.140 points to trade at 2.840 at the close. Meanwhile, Bega Cheese Ltd (AX:BGA) added 5.03% or 0.380 points to end at 7.930 and Regis Resources Ltd (AX:RRL) was up 3.45% or 0.080 points to 2.400 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (AX:LNG), which fell 11.61% or 0.090 points to trade at 0.685 at the close. Whitehaven Coal Ltd (AX:WHC) declined 10.45% or 0.070 points to end at 0.600 and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (AX:KAR) was down 7.65% or 0.135 points to 1.630.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 655 to 347 and 138 ended unchanged.
Shares in Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (AX:LNG) fell to 52-week lows; losing 11.61% or 0.090 to 0.685. Shares in Bega Cheese Ltd (AX:BGA) rose to all time highs; up 5.03% or 0.380 to 7.930. Shares in Whitehaven Coal Ltd (AX:WHC) fell to all time lows; down 10.45% or 0.070 to 0.600.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 13.77% to 21.841.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.70% or 7.60 to $1099.50 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 3.75% or 1.27 to hit $32.70 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 4.18% or 1.44 to trade at $32.90 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.36% to 0.7046, while AUD/JPY fell 0.77% to 83.14.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.20% at 99.08.