The share market has been weighed down by weaker commodity prices and a stronger Australian dollar.
The market recovered some of its earlier losses in afternoon trade, but still finished in the red following weak offshore leads, Australian Stock Report head of research Geoff Saffer said.
“This was initially due to fears about a trade war and sanctions escalating between Russia and the globe, but we have seen the market bounce back strongly,” Mr Saffer said.
“Energy stocks were the only sector of the market to finish in positive territory.”
A fall in commodity prices and a strong Australian dollar had a negative impact on some of the market’s largest stocks.
Dips in copper and gold prices hurt the resources stocks.
Mining giant BHP Billiton dropped 57 cents to $35.98, Rio Tinto lost 49 cents to $63.18 and Fortescue Metals shed seven cents to $5.26.
Gold miner Newcrest was 33 cents weaker at $9.68.
Companies with operations overseas also fared poorly, such as Crown, down 30 cents to $16.58, Carsales lost 41 cents to $10.73 and Brambles dropped 12 cents lower at $9.34.
The four major banks were relatively unchanged.
After the announcement that Lachlan Murdoch will join News Corp and 21st Century Fox as non-executive chairman, News Corporation shares lost 43 cents to $17.86.
Shares in Network Ten, where Mr Murdoch has retired as non-executive chairman to take up his new role at News Corporation and 21st Century Fox, gained half a cent to 27 cents.
KEY FACTS
* At the close on Thursday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 26.7 points, or 0.5 per cent, at 5,350.1.
* The broader All Ordinaries index was down 27.5 points, or 0.51 per cent, at 5,359.7.
* The June share price index futures contract was 25 points lower at 5,345, with 26,572 contracts traded.
* National turnover was 1.7 billion securities worth $4.5 billion.