Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Utilities, Healthcare and A-REITs sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.12%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Flight Centre Ltd (AX:FLT), which rose 10.67% or 4.265 points to trade at 44.225 at the close. Meanwhile, Syrah Resources Ltd (AX:SYR) added 7.83% or 0.220 points to end at 3.030 and Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) was up 6.40% or 0.110 points to 1.830 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sonic Healthcare Ltd (AX:SHL), which fell 3.75% or 0.910 points to trade at 23.370 at the close. Mayne Pharma Group Ltd (AX:MYX) declined 2.42% or 0.025 points to end at 1.010 and Infigen Energy (AX:IFN) was down 2.33% or 0.018 points to 0.733.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 559 to 541 and 336 ended unchanged.
Shares in Flight Centre Ltd (AX:FLT) rose to 52-week highs; rising 10.67% or 4.265 to 44.225.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.36% to 13.661.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.57% or 7.00 to $1226.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 0.19% or 0.09 to hit $46.98 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 0.12% or 0.06 to trade at $49.55 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.20% to 0.7619, while AUD/JPY rose 0.09% to 86.24.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.04% at 95.95.