Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Financials, Telecoms Services and Consumer Staples sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.29%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Australian Pharma Industries Ltd (AX:API), which rose 7.38% or 0.100 points to trade at 1.455 at the close. Meanwhile, Credit Corp Group Ltd (AX:CCP) added 6.73% or 1.175 points to end at 18.635 and Northern Star Resources Ltd (AX:NST) was up 5.50% or 0.360 points to 6.900 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (AX:TWE), which fell 3.42% or 0.630 points to trade at 17.790 at the close. Ramsay Health Care Ltd (AX:RHC) declined 2.96% or 1.660 points to end at 54.450 and Vocus Group Ltd (AX:VOC) was down 2.67% or 0.065 points to 2.365.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 716 to 602 and 401 ended unchanged.
Shares in Ramsay Health Care Ltd (AX:RHC) fell to 3-years lows; losing 2.96% or 1.660 to 54.450.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.61% to 12.121.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.31% or 4.00 to $1266.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 0.36% or 0.25 to hit $68.33 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 1.78% or 1.34 to trade at $73.98 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.36% to 0.7419, while AUD/JPY fell 0.77% to 81.21.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.10% at 94.28.