Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Metals & Mining, Resources and Materials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.53%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Drillsearch Energy Ltd (ASX:DLS), which rose 8.50% or 0.085 points to trade at 1.085 at the close. Meanwhile, Horizon Oil Ltd (ASX:HZN) added 7.69% or 0.010 points to end at 0.140 and Sirtex Medical Ltd (ASX:SRX) was up 4.16% or 1.500 points to 37.580 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ardent Leisure Group (ASX:AAD), which fell 19.14% or 0.465 points to trade at 1.965 at the close. Beadell Resources Ltd (ASX:BDR) declined 5.77% or 0.015 points to end at 0.245 and Sundance Energy Australia Ltd (ASX:SEA) was down 5.56% or 0.030 points to 0.510.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 361 to 214 and 45 ended unchanged.
Shares in Ardent Leisure Group (ASX:AAD) fell to 52-week lows; falling 19.14% or 0.465 to 1.965. Shares in Sirtex Medical Ltd (ASX:SRX) rose to all time highs; rising 4.16% or 1.500 to 37.580.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.68% to 14.994.
Gold for April delivery was up 0.22% or 2.60 to $1162.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in April rose 1.29% or 0.62 to hit $48.91 a barrel, while the April Brent Oil contract rose 0.19% or 0.10 to trade at $56.80 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.26% to 0.7604, while AUD/JPY fell 0.11% to 92.25.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.09% at 98.70.