Australia’s stock market closed lower on Thursday, driven by significant declines in the Gold, Metals & Mining, and Resources sectors. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell by 0.49% to close in Sydney.
Among the session’s best performers, Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX) led the gains with a rise of 3.49%, or 4.04 points, closing at 119.93. Collins Foods Ltd (ASX) saw an increase of 2.98%, or 0.27 points, finishing at 9.32, while Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX) was up 2.97%, or 0.14 points, ending the day at 4.85.
Conversely, Mesoblast Ltd (ASX) was the session’s worst performer, plummeting 9.35%, or 0.12 points, to close at 1.12. Regis Resources Ltd (ASX) declined by 6.25%, or 0.12 points, to end at 1.80, and Omni Bridgeway Ltd (ASX) fell by 4.84%, or 0.05 points, closing at 0.89.
The Sydney Stock Exchange saw more declining stocks than advancing ones, with 736 stocks falling, 400 advancing, and 452 ending unchanged. Notably, shares in Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX) reached an all-time high, rising by 3.49% or 4.04 points to 119.93.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, decreased by 3.42% to 11.60.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for August delivery dropped by 0.62%, or 14.65, to $2,349.45 per troy ounce. Crude oil for July delivery fell by 0.29%, or 0.23, to $79.00 per barrel, while the August Brent oil contract decreased by 0.32%, or 0.27, to trade at $83.16 per barrel.
In the currency market, AUD/USD remained relatively stable, changing by 0.18% to 0.66, while AUD/JPY fell by 0.67% to 103.50. The US Dollar Index Futures increased slightly, up by 0.02% to 105.06.