Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Consumer Discretionary, Financials and A-REITs sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.07%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS), which rose 9.82% or 0.270 points to trade at 3.020 at the close. Meanwhile, Syrah Resources Ltd (AX:SYR) added 7.58% or 0.310 points to end at 4.400 and Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA) was up 3.07% or 0.160 points to 5.380 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were G8 Education Ltd (AX:GEM), which fell 23.08% or 1.020 points to trade at 3.400 at the close. Mineral Resources Ltd (AX:MIN) declined 3.99% or 0.780 points to end at 18.770 and Orocobre Ltd (AX:ORE) was down 2.98% or 0.190 points to 6.180.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 672 to 587 and 349 ended unchanged.
Shares in Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 9.82% or 0.270 to 3.020. Shares in Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA) rose to all time highs; rising 3.07% or 0.160 to 5.380.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.67% to 12.069.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.41% or 5.20 to $1277.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 0.70% or 0.41 to hit $57.95 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 0.50% or 0.32 to trade at $63.41 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.18% to 0.7599, while AUD/JPY rose 0.37% to 85.73.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.30% at 93.09.