Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Tuesday, as losses in the Energy, Resources and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.14%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Cabcharge Australia Ltd (AX:CAB), which rose 4.32% or 0.120 points to trade at 2.900 at the close. Meanwhile, Spotless Fp (AX:SPO) added 3.26% or 0.030 points to end at 0.950 and Altium Ltd (AX:ALU) was up 3.14% or 0.140 points to 4.600 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT), which fell 10.47% or 0.045 points to trade at 0.385 at the close. Santos Ltd (AX:STO) declined 8.10% or 0.260 points to end at 2.950 and Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (AX:LNG) was down 7.46% or 0.050 points to 0.620.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 588 to 418 and 185 ended unchanged.
Shares in Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) fell to 5-year lows; falling 10.47% or 0.045 to 0.385. Shares in Santos Ltd (AX:STO) fell to 5-year lows; losing 8.10% or 0.260 to 2.950. Shares in Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (AX:LNG) fell to 52-week lows; down 7.46% or 0.050 to 0.620.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.25% to 23.974 a new 3-months high.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.18% or 2.00 to $1094.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 2.69% or 0.84 to hit $30.57 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 2.09% or 0.66 to trade at $30.93 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.50% to 0.6962, while AUD/JPY fell 0.89% to 81.66.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.19% at 98.73.