Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Consumer Staples, Consumer Discretionary and Energy sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.53% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Resolute Mining Ltd (AX:RSG), which rose 5.16% or 0.088 points to trade at 1.782 at the close. Meanwhile, Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR) added 5.08% or 0.060 points to end at 1.240 and Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) was up 2.41% or 0.100 points to 4.250 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ardent Leisure Group (AX:AAD), which fell 22.48% or 0.580 points to trade at 2.000 at the close. Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL) declined 6.44% or 7.180 points to end at 104.260 and Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd (AX:CWY) was down 6.33% or 0.078 points to 1.147.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 731 to 341 and 305 ended unchanged.
Shares in Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL) fell to 52-week lows; losing 6.44% or 7.180 to 104.260.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 12.30% to 14.686.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.17% or 2.15 to $1275.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 1.36% or 0.68 to hit $49.28 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract fell 1.22% or 0.62 to trade at $50.17 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.55% to 0.7688, while AUD/JPY rose 0.63% to 80.19.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.07% at 98.76.