Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the IT, Financials and Utilities sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.99% to hit a new 6-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA), which rose 3.73% or 0.140 points to trade at 3.890 at the close. Meanwhile, Santos Ltd (AX:STO) added 2.90% or 0.200 points to end at 7.090 and Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM) was up 2.81% or 0.330 points to 12.080 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT), which fell 6.64% or 0.980 points to trade at 13.770 at the close. Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (AX:DHG) declined 4.69% or 0.130 points to end at 2.640 and Rea Group Ltd (AX:REA) was down 4.17% or 3.150 points to 72.350.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 759 to 443 and 348 ended unchanged.
Shares in Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (AX:DHG) fell to all time lows; losing 4.69% or 0.130 to 2.640.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.77% to 20.213.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.29% or 3.60 to $1225.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 0.81% or 0.58 to hit $71.92 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 1.06% or 0.85 to trade at $81.28 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.10% to 0.7107, while AUD/JPY fell 0.31% to 79.56.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 94.97.