Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Financials, Utilities and IT sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.35%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Seven Group Holdings Ltd (AX:SVW), which rose 7.65% or 0.510 points to trade at 7.180 at the close. Meanwhile, Genworth Fp (AX:GMA) added 6.90% or 0.200 points to end at 3.100 and St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) was up 5.86% or 0.180 points to 3.250 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM), which fell 10.06% or 0.085 points to trade at 0.760 at the close. Mantra Group Ltd (AX:MTR) declined 6.07% or 0.210 points to end at 3.250 and Select Harvests Ltd (AX:SHV) was down 5.98% or 0.450 points to 7.070.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 720 to 388 and 331 ended unchanged.
Shares in Seven Group Holdings Ltd (AX:SVW) rose to 52-week highs; up 7.65% or 0.510 to 7.180.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 9.05% to 16.240.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.58% or 7.95 to $1364.65 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 4.07% or 1.61 to hit $41.12 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 3.85% or 1.61 to trade at $43.41 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.34% to 0.7585, while AUD/JPY unchanged 0.00% to 76.78.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.52% at 95.51.