Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Tuesday, as losses in the IT, Utilities and Energy sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.19%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were IPH Ltd (ASX:IPH), which rose 2.13% or 0.190 points to trade at 9.130 at the close. Meanwhile, Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX:FBU) added 2.12% or 0.110 points to end at 5.290 and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) was up 2.11% or 0.250 points to 12.080 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Hub24 Ltd (ASX:HUB), which fell 5.29% or 0.630 points to trade at 11.280 at the close. Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) declined 5.19% or 0.020 points to end at 0.365 and Technology One Ltd (ASX:TNE) was down 4.69% or 0.430 points to 8.730.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 653 to 527 and 371 ended unchanged.
Shares in Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX:FBU) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 2.12% or 0.110 to 5.290. Shares in Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.11% or 0.250 to 12.080.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.72% to 12.124.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.43% or 6.65 to $1566.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 0.72% or 0.42 to hit $58.16 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.95% or 0.62 to trade at $64.58 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.16% to 0.6861, while AUD/JPY fell 0.40% to 75.42.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.02% at 97.340.