Investing.com – Australia equities were lower at the close on Friday, as losses in the , and sectors propelled shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the decline was 0.42%.
The best performers of the session were St Barbara Ltd (ASX: ), which rose 12.00% or 0.03 points to trade at 0.28 at the close. Meanwhile, Sims Metal Management Ltd (ASX:) added 6.18% or 0.78 points in late trade to 13.40 and Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX:) was up 5.25% or 0.27 points to trade at 13.40 5.41.
The worst performers of the session were Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: ), which fell 3.01% or 0.04 points to trade at 1.29 at the close. Downer Edi Ltd (ASX:) declined 2.27% or 0.12 points to end at 5.17 and Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX:) declined 2.26% or 0.06 points to 2.59.
Declining stocks outnumbered advancing stocks on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 531 to 488, with 463 ending unchanged.
which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, rose 4.27% to 11.17.
Gold futures for February delivery rose 0.27% or 7.17 to $2,697.97 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.55% or 0.41 to $74.33 a barrel, while the March Brent crude contract rose 0.53% or 0.41 to 77, 33 dollars per barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.11% at 0.62, while AUD/JPY rose 0.14% to 98.12.
US dollar index futures rose 0.11% to 109.12.
