Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Gold, IT and Metals&Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.15%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Ingenia Communities Group (ASX:INA), which rose 4.59% or 0.18 points to trade at 4.10 at the close. Meanwhile, Monadelphous Group Ltd (ASX:MND) added 2.58% or 0.33 points to end at 13.12 and Flight Centre Ltd (ASX:FLT) was up 2.26% or 0.49 points to 22.14 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN), which fell 7.48% or 5.67 points to trade at 70.11 at the close. Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) declined 5.28% or 1.46 points to end at 26.19 and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) was down 4.51% or 0.23 points to 4.87.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 661 to 562 and 436 ended unchanged.
Shares in Flight Centre Ltd (ASX:FLT) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 2.26% or 0.49 to 22.14.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.09% to 10.76.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.10% or 2.05 to $1,968.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 1.10% or 0.83 to hit $76.48 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 1.04% or 0.83 to trade at $80.47 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.19% to 0.68, while AUD/JPY rose 0.51% to 95.45.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.06% at 100.66.