Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Energy, Resources and Financials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.26%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR), which rose 4.86% or 0.140 points to trade at 3.020 at the close. Meanwhile, Costa Group Holdings Ltd (AX:CGC) added 4.26% or 0.220 points to end at 5.380 and Bapcor Ltd (AX:BAP) was up 4.21% or 0.250 points to 6.190 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Challenger Ltd (AX:CGF), which fell 17.23% or 1.590 points to trade at 7.640 at the close. Ioof Holdings Ltd (AX:IFL) declined 8.20% or 0.470 points to end at 5.260 and Northern Star Resources Ltd (AX:NST) was down 5.65% or 0.520 points to 8.680.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 629 to 442 and 335 ended unchanged.
Shares in Challenger Ltd (AX:CGF) fell to 52-week lows; falling 17.23% or 1.590 to 7.640.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 5.11% to 13.789.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.01% or 0.15 to $1283.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 0.25% or 0.13 to hit $53.14 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.33% or 0.20 to trade at $61.70 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.22% to 0.7137, while AUD/JPY rose 0.45% to 78.24.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.01% at 95.965.