Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Financials, Utilities and Consumer Discretionary sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 2.30% to hit a new 3-months low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Sundance Energy Australia Ltd (ASX:SEA), which rose 7.32% or 0.045 points to trade at 0.660 at the close. Meanwhile, AWE Ltd (ASX:AWE) added 7.17% or 0.105 points to end at 1.570 and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) was up 6.76% or 0.070 points to 1.105 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Rea Group Ltd (ASX:REA), which fell 10.32% or 4.960 points to trade at 43.120 at the close. Greencross Ltd (ASX:GXL) declined 7.87% or 0.560 points to end at 6.560 and Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (ASX:LNG) was down 6.82% or 0.320 points to 4.370.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 642 to 356 and 186 ended unchanged.
Shares in Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) rose to 52-week highs; rising 6.76% or 0.070 to 1.105.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 14.58% to 19.284 a new 52-week high.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.16% or 1.90 to $1195.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 1.80% or 1.08 to hit $61.48 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 1.40% or 0.94 to trade at $68.47 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.40% to 0.7974, while AUD/JPY rose 0.28% to 95.45.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.50% at 94.79.