Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Metals & Mining, Materials and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.49%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Eclipx Group Ltd (AX:ECX), which rose 11.58% or 0.220 points to trade at 2.120 at the close. Meanwhile, NIB Holdings (AX:NHF) added 9.74% or 0.555 points to end at 6.255 and Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (AX:DHG) was up 3.92% or 0.125 points to 3.315 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nufarm Ltd (AX:NUF), which fell 13.00% or 0.980 points to trade at 6.560 at the close. News Corp B DRC (AX:NWS) declined 10.38% or 2.180 points to end at 18.820 and Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM) was down 8.42% or 1.360 points to 14.800.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 733 to 477 and 373 ended unchanged.
Shares in Nufarm Ltd (AX:NUF) fell to 52-week lows; losing 13.00% or 0.980 to 6.560.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 18.52% to 11.602.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.25% or 3.00 to $1216.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 0.10% or 0.07 to hit $67.56 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.26% or 0.19 to trade at $72.62 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.25% to 0.7278, while AUD/JPY fell 0.86% to 80.25.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.08% at 96.27.