Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the A-REITs, Utilities and Gold sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.22%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Fairfax Media Ltd (AX:FXJ), which rose 3.32% or 0.035 points to trade at 1.090 at the close. Meanwhile, Tassal Group Ltd (AX:TGR) added 2.69% or 0.110 points to end at 4.200 and Macquarie Atlas Roads Group (AX:MQA) was up 2.62% or 0.150 points to 5.870 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA), which fell 4.93% or 0.150 points to trade at 2.890 at the close. HT&E Ltd (AX:HT1) declined 3.81% or 0.070 points to end at 1.765 and Reliance Worldwide Corporation (Aust) Pty Ltd (AX:RWC) was down 3.69% or 0.140 points to 3.650.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 631 to 542 and 346 ended unchanged.
Shares in HT&E Ltd (AX:HT1) fell to 52-week lows; losing 3.81% or 0.070 to 1.765.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.37% to 11.330.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.19% or 2.38 to $1278.12 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.41% or 0.21 to hit $52.05 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.16% or 0.09 to trade at $57.84 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.19% to 0.7834, while AUD/JPY rose 0.38% to 89.07.
The US Dollar Index Futures was unchanged 0.00% at 93.57.