Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Gold, Consumer Staples and Energy sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.94% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Austal Ltd (AX:ASB), which rose 11.54% or 0.135 points to trade at 1.305 at the close. Meanwhile, Mesoblast Ltd (AX:MSB) added 8.57% or 0.120 points to end at 1.520 and Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (AX:CCL) was up 5.67% or 0.520 points to 9.690 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE), which fell 17.68% or 0.870 points to trade at 4.050 at the close. Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN) declined 9.43% or 0.225 points to end at 2.160 and Japara Fpo (AX:JHC) was down 5.88% or 0.140 points to 2.240.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 723 to 399 and 298 ended unchanged.
Shares in Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) fell to all time lows; falling 17.68% or 0.870 to 4.050. Shares in Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (AX:CCL) rose to 52-week highs; rising 5.67% or 0.520 to 9.690.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 1.75% to 13.303.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.32% or 4.25 to $1321.65 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October fell 1.39% or 0.66 to hit $46.98 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract fell 1.24% or 0.62 to trade at $49.53 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.17% to 0.7551, while AUD/JPY rose 0.35% to 77.25.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.02% at 95.46.