Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Gold, Australian Real Estate Investment Trust and Utilities sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.31%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were AWE Ltd (ASX:AWE), which rose 4.92% or 0.060 points to trade at 1.280 at the close. Meanwhile, Mermaid Marine Australia Ltd (ASX:MRM) added 2.45% or 0.020 points to end at 0.835 and Steadfast F (ASX:SDF) was up 1.62% or 0.03 points to 1.57 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL), which fell 10.00% or 0.140 points to trade at 1.260 at the close. Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX:SXL) declined 9.68% or 0.105 points to end at 0.980 and Bradken Ltd (ASX:BKN) was down 9.50% or 0.210 points to 2.000.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 392 to 129 and 29 ended unchanged.
Shares in Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL) fell to 3-year lows; down 10.00% or 0.140 to 1.260. Shares in Bradken Ltd (ASX:BKN) fell to 5-year lows; falling 9.50% or 0.210 to 2.000.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 10.52% to 15.080.
Gold for April delivery was up 0.47% or 5.50 to $1169.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in April fell 0.38% or 0.19 to hit $49.42 a barrel, while the April Brent Oil contract fell 0.76% or 0.46 to trade at $59.36 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.38% to 0.7693, while AUD/JPY fell 0.25% to 93.00.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.02% at 97.72.