Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Consumer Discretionary, Energy and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.02%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM), which rose 4.72% or 0.025 points to trade at 0.555 at the close. Meanwhile, Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (AX:NEC) added 4.59% or 0.07 points to end at 1.48 and Costa Group Holdings Ltd (AX:CGC) was up 4.53% or 0.210 points to 4.850 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL), which fell 5.34% or 0.650 points to trade at 11.530 at the close. Automotive Group Holdings Ltd (AX:AHG) declined 3.72% or 0.055 points to end at 1.425 and Whitehaven Coal Ltd (AX:WHC) was down 3.59% or 0.160 points to 4.300.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 538 to 504 and 354 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 4.37% to 15.507.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.19% or 2.45 to $1291.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 1.14% or 0.59 to hit $51.00 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 1.09% or 0.66 to trade at $59.82 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.41% to 0.7186, while AUD/JPY fell 0.63% to 77.68.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.12% at 95.155.