Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Utilities, Consumer Discretionary and Financials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.47%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were IPH Ltd (ASX:IPH), which rose 4.64% or 0.370 points to trade at 8.340 at the close. Meanwhile, St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) added 3.93% or 0.140 points to end at 3.700 and Orica Ltd (ASX:ORI) was up 3.74% or 0.790 points to 21.890 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Adelaide Brighton Ltd (ASX:ABC), which fell 18.06% or 0.780 points to trade at 3.540 at the close. CYBG PLC (ASX:CYB) declined 13.41% or 0.480 points to end at 3.100 and Boral Ltd. (ASX:BLD) was down 8.02% or 0.450 points to 5.160.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 719 to 529 and 348 ended unchanged.
Shares in IPH Ltd (ASX:IPH) rose to 3-years highs; rising 4.64% or 0.370 to 8.340. Shares in CYBG PLC (ASX:CYB) fell to all time lows; falling 13.41% or 0.480 to 3.100. Shares in Orica Ltd (ASX:ORI) rose to 3-years highs; up 3.74% or 0.790 to 21.890.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 6.44% to 12.325.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.21% or 3.05 to $1432.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.69% or 0.40 to hit $58.45 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 0.79% or 0.51 to trade at $65.14 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.39% to 0.6897, while AUD/JPY rose 0.32% to 74.85.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.04% at 97.773.
