Australia stocks close lower with ASX 200 down 1.70% on losses in tech and healthcare

From Investing.com: 2024-12-19 00:35:03

Australia stocks closed lower, with losses in the technology and healthcare sectors. The ASX 200 dropped 1.70%, hitting a new 1-month low. Mesoblast Ltd surged 54.04%, while Megaport Ltd fell 10.56%. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones 832 to 285.

Mesoblast Ltd shares hit 3-year highs, rising 54.04%. The VIX, measuring volatility, increased by 20.76% to 11.81, a 1-month high. Gold futures dropped 1.19% to $2,621.80, and oil prices fell.

Currency exchange rates remained stable, with AUD/USD unchanged at 0.62 and AUD/JPY rising to 96.63. The US Dollar Index Futures increased by 0.07% to 107.82.



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