Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Financials, Energy and Utilities sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.74% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN), which rose 10.61% or 0.095 points to trade at 0.990 at the close. Meanwhile, Arrium Ltd (ASX:ARI) added 6.90% or 0.010 points to end at 0.155 and Bradken Ltd (ASX:BKN) was up 3.29% or 0.070 points to 2.200 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were AWE Ltd (ASX:AWE), which fell 5.02% or 0.070 points to trade at 1.325 at the close. STW Communications Group Ltd (ASX:SGN) declined 4.33% or 0.028 points to end at 0.608 and Sirtex Medical Ltd (ASX:SRX) was down 3.66% or 0.870 points to 22.930.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 491 to 469 and 179 ended unchanged.
Shares in STW Communications Group Ltd (ASX:SGN) fell to 5-year lows; falling 4.33% or 0.028 to 0.608.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.62% to 15.458.
Gold for June delivery was down 0.07% or 0.90 to $1202.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June fell 1.42% or 0.81 to hit $55.80 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract fell 1.14% or 0.71 to trade at $61.48 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.70% to 0.7764, while AUD/JPY rose 0.66% to 92.88.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.01% at 98.22.