Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Energy, Telecoms Services and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.79%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Programmed Maintenance Services Ltd (AX:PRG), which rose 12.39% or 0.145 points to trade at 1.315 at the close. Meanwhile, Mesoblast Ltd (AX:MSB) added 9.06% or 0.125 points to end at 1.505 and Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) was up 8.64% or 0.490 points to 6.160 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM), which fell 13.40% or 1.040 points to trade at 6.720 at the close. Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) declined 9.91% or 0.055 points to end at 0.500 and Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL) was down 7.84% or 14.050 points to 165.230.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 503 to 431 and 244 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.31% to 21.995.
Gold for April delivery was up 0.02% or 0.20 to $1226.50 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April fell 0.55% or 0.18 to hit $32.75 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 0.58% or 0.20 to trade at $34.08 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.54% to 0.7118, while AUD/JPY fell 0.68% to 80.52.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.02% at 96.82.