Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Telecoms Services, Utilities and Consumer Staples sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.06%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Vocus Group Ltd (ASX:VOC), which rose 16.97% or 0.660 points to trade at 4.550 at the close. Meanwhile, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) added 4.58% or 1.150 points to end at 26.240 and TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX:TPM) was up 4.16% or 0.260 points to 6.510 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Seven West Media Ltd (ASX:SWM), which fell 5.61% or 0.030 points to trade at 0.505 at the close. Elders Ltd (ASX:ELD) declined 4.77% or 0.310 points to end at 6.190 and Emeco Holdings Ltd (ASX:EHL) was down 4.53% or 0.090 points to 1.895.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 617 to 583 and 377 ended unchanged.
Shares in Vocus Group Ltd (ASX:VOC) rose to 52-week highs; rising 16.97% or 0.660 to 4.550. Shares in Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) rose to all time highs; rising 4.58% or 1.150 to 26.240.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 1.59% to 13.715.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.07% or 0.85 to $1285.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 0.73% or 0.43 to hit $58.38 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to trade at $67.47 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.13% to 0.6932, while AUD/JPY rose 0.54% to 75.92.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.01% at 97.490.