Investing.com – Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Energy, Resources and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.26% to hit a new 52-week low.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Credit Corp Group Ltd (AX:CCP), which rose 4.31% or 0.410 points to trade at 9.920 at the close. Meanwhile, Altium Ltd (AX:ALU) added 3.39% or 0.150 points to end at 4.570 and Gateway Lifestyle Group (AX:GTY) was up 2.94% or 0.080 points to 2.800 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT), which fell 11.25% or 0.045 points to trade at 0.355 at the close. Slater & Gordon Ltd (AX:SGH) declined 9.60% or 0.060 points to end at 0.565 and Origin Energy Ltd (AX:ORG) was down 9.42% or 0.360 points to 3.460.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 603 to 382 and 141 ended unchanged.
Shares in Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) fell to 5-year lows; losing 11.25% or 0.045 to 0.355. Shares in Slater & Gordon Ltd (AX:SGH) fell to all time lows; falling 9.60% or 0.060 to 0.565. Shares in Origin Energy Ltd (AX:ORG) fell to 5-year lows; losing 9.42% or 0.360 to 3.460.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.00% to 24.201.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.28% or 3.00 to $1092.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 2.91% or 0.86 to hit $28.71 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 2.24% or 0.65 to trade at $28.18 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.75% to 0.6856, while AUD/JPY fell 1.57% to 79.99.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.33% at 98.84.