Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Tuesday, as losses in the Energy, Healthcare and Telecoms Services sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.63%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were AWE Ltd (AX:AWE), which rose 3.85% or 0.020 points to trade at 0.540 at the close. Meanwhile, Ten Network Holdings Ltd (AX:TEN) added 3.03% or 0.005 points to end at 0.165 and Breville Group Ltd (AX:BRG) was up 2.96% or 0.210 points to 7.300 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM), which fell 6.94% or 0.500 points to trade at 6.700 at the close. Transpacific Industries Group Ltd (AX:TPI) declined 6.92% or 0.055 points to end at 0.740 and Spotless Fp (AX:SPO) was down 6.85% or 0.075 points to 1.020.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 659 to 357 and 139 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 8.22% to 18.937.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.29% or 3.10 to $1078.30 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.29% or 0.10 to hit $36.87 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 0.32% or 0.12 to trade at $37.26 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.21% to 0.7205, while AUD/JPY rose 0.23% to 86.08.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.03% at 98.97.