Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Utilities, A-REITs and Telecoms Services sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.87% to hit a new 6-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA), which rose 5.80% or 0.160 points to trade at 2.920 at the close. Meanwhile, A2 Milk Company Ltd (AX:A2M) added 4.99% or 0.300 points to end at 6.310 and Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) was up 4.11% or 0.150 points to 3.800 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (AX:SXL), which fell 4.37% or 0.050 points to trade at 1.095 at the close. oOh!Media Ltd (AX:OML) declined 4.15% or 0.180 points to end at 4.160 and Aconex Ltd (AX:ACX) was down 4.01% or 0.160 points to 3.830.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 636 to 519 and 329 ended unchanged.
Shares in Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (AX:SXL) fell to 52-week lows; falling 4.37% or 0.050 to 1.095. Shares in A2 Milk Company Ltd (AX:A2M) rose to all time highs; up 4.99% or 0.300 to 6.310.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 7.76% to 11.755.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.40% or 5.04 to $1279.64 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November fell 0.65% or 0.33 to hit $50.09 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract fell 0.50% or 0.28 to trade at $55.72 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.37% to 0.7864, while AUD/JPY rose 0.07% to 88.48.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.24% at 93.20.