Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Monday, as losses in the Financials, Utilities and IT sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.77% to hit a new 1-month low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were ALS Ltd (AX:ALQ), which rose 4.47% or 0.295 points to trade at 6.895 at the close. Meanwhile, Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) added 2.68% or 0.080 points to end at 3.060 and Sydney Airport Holdings Ltd (AX:SYD) was up 2.48% or 0.180 points to 7.440 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Aconex Ltd (AX:ACX), which fell 5.80% or 0.260 points to trade at 4.220 at the close. Bega Cheese Ltd (AX:BGA) declined 3.86% or 0.240 points to end at 5.970 and Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) was down 3.79% or 0.025 points to 0.635.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 661 to 405 and 388 ended unchanged.
Shares in ALS Ltd (AX:ALQ) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.47% or 0.295 to 6.895.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 7.42% to 13.182.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.12% or 1.56 to $1266.54 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 0.18% or 0.09 to hit $49.71 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract fell 0.17% or 0.09 to trade at $52.42 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.21% to 0.7431, while AUD/JPY fell 0.27% to 82.69.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 97.36.