Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the IT, Financials and Energy sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.71% to hit a new 6-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST), which rose 6.90% or 0.910 points to trade at 14.100 at the close. Meanwhile, Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL) added 6.60% or 0.250 points to end at 4.040 and Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (ASX:SAR) was up 5.93% or 0.23 points to 4.11 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Corporate Travel Managment Ltd (ASX:CTD), which fell 9.25% or 1.25 points to trade at 12.27 at the close. Webjet Ltd (ASX:WEB) declined 8.76% or 0.82 points to end at 8.54 and Computershare Ltd. (ASX:CPU) was down 8.32% or 1.25 points to 13.77.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 850 to 362 and 288 ended unchanged.
Shares in Corporate Travel Managment Ltd (ASX:CTD) fell to 3-years lows; losing 9.25% or 1.25 to 12.27. Shares in Webjet Ltd (ASX:WEB) fell to 3-years lows; falling 8.76% or 0.82 to 8.54. Shares in Computershare Ltd. (ASX:CPU) fell to 52-week lows; losing 8.32% or 1.25 to 13.77.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.00% to 23.644.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.08% or 1.25 to $1643.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 1.27% or 0.60 to hit $47.78 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 1.20% or 0.62 to trade at $52.48 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.22% to 0.6596, while AUD/JPY rose 0.53% to 70.89.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.16% at 97.273.