Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Consumer Discretionary, Energy and Consumer Staples sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.71%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV), which rose 60.20% or 16.910 points to trade at 45.000 at the close. Meanwhile, Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd (ASX:CWY) added 6.25% or 0.120 points to end at 2.040 and Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) was up 4.99% or 1.480 points to 31.120 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Flight Centre Ltd (ASX:FLT), which fell 11.72% or 5.530 points to trade at 41.670 at the close. Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN) declined 5.15% or 0.700 points to end at 12.880 and Orocobre Ltd (ASX:ORE) was down 4.37% or 0.110 points to 2.410.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 638 to 408 and 342 ended unchanged.
Shares in Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) rose to all time highs; up 60.20% or 16.910 to 45.000.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.56% to 15.427.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.58% or 8.65 to $1512.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November fell 0.34% or 0.18 to hit $52.45 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract fell 0.26% or 0.15 to trade at $58.09 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.07% to 0.6733, while AUD/JPY rose 0.14% to 72.14.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.02% at 98.843.