Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.95%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX:HVN), which rose 6.65% or 0.230 points to trade at 3.690 at the close. Meanwhile, Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX:ILU) added 5.05% or 0.310 points to end at 6.450 and Mount Gibson Iron Ltd (ASX:MGX) was up 4.26% or 0.010 points to 0.245 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were OZ Minerals Ltd (ASX:OZL), which fell 11.68% or 0.430 points to trade at 3.250 at the close. Arrium Ltd (ASX:ARI) declined 11.11% or 0.030 points to end at 0.240 and Panaust Ltd (ASX:PNA) was down 9.69% or 0.140 points to 1.305.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 346 to 204 and 40 ended unchanged.
Shares in Panaust Ltd (ASX:PNA) fell to 3-year lows; down 9.69% or 0.140 to 1.305.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 4.60% to 15.943.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.53% or 6.50 to $1227.90 a troy ounce.
Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in February fell 1.19% or 0.55 to hit $45.34 a barrel, while the March Brent Oil contract fell 1.76% or 0.84 to trade at $47.26 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.89% to 0.8093, while AUD/JPY fell 1.56% to 94.78.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.11% at 92.33.