Australia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Telecoms Services, Financials and Consumer Discretionary sectors led shares lower.

At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.02%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS), which rose 11.31% or 0.16 points to trade at 1.52 at the close. Meanwhile, Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC) added 8.29% or 0.47 points to end at 6.07 and Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) was up 7.81% or 22.27 points to 307.47 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were G8 Education Ltd (ASX:GEM), which fell 7.44% or 0.08 points to trade at 1.00 at the close. Rea Group Ltd (ASX:REA) declined 3.46% or 8.31 points to end at 231.76 and Healius Ltd (ASX:HLS) was down 3.38% or 0.03 points to 0.71.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 648 to 459 and 420 ended unchanged.

Shares in G8 Education Ltd (ASX:GEM) fell to 52-week lows; down 7.44% or 0.08 to 1.00. Shares in Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) rose to all time highs; up 7.81% or 22.27 to 307.47. Shares in Healius Ltd (ASX:HLS) fell to all time lows; losing 3.38% or 0.03 to 0.71.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.07% to 11.18.

Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.35% or 11.67 to $3,371.37 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 0.61% or 0.41 to hit $67.04 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 0.61% or 0.42 to trade at $68.69 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged 0.14% to 0.66, while AUD/JPY unchanged 0.00% to 94.57.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 96.46.