Australia stocks lower at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 down 0.42%

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At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.42%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL), which rose 4.74% or 0.10 points to trade at 2.21 at the close. Meanwhile, Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG) added 4.55% or 0.02 points to end at 0.35 and Elders Ltd (ASX:ELD) was up 2.85% or 0.38 points to 13.73 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS), which fell 5.84% or 0.18 points to trade at 2.90 at the close. Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) declined 5.71% or 0.08 points to end at 1.32 and Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) was down 4.72% or 0.59 points to 11.92.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 981 to 470 and 377 ended unchanged.

Shares in Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) fell to 52-week lows; falling 5.71% or 0.08 to 1.32.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.17% to 12.94.

Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.42% or 8.20 to $1,956.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 2.58% or 2.43 to hit $96.72 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 2.46% or 2.42 to trade at $100.90 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged 0.13% to 0.74, while AUD/JPY rose 0.32% to 93.25.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.23% at 100.15.