Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Metals & Mining, Materials and Resources sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.54% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Sirtex Medical Ltd (AX:SRX), which rose 13.93% or 2.180 points to trade at 17.830 at the close. Meanwhile, Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC) added 3.55% or 0.490 points to end at 14.280 and A2 Milk Company Ltd (AX:A2M) was up 2.43% or 0.180 points to 7.600 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Pilbara Minerals Ltd (AX:PLS), which fell 5.33% or 0.060 points to trade at 1.065 at the close. Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR) declined 5.28% or 0.090 points to end at 1.615 and Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) was down 4.46% or 0.190 points to 4.070.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 770 to 529 and 361 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 8.16% to 12.507 a new 1-month high.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.14% or 1.90 to $1335.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.14% or 0.09 to hit $63.64 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.13% or 0.09 to trade at $69.06 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.15% to 0.7949, while AUD/JPY rose 0.23% to 88.14.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.19% at 90.40.