CANBERRA: Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Financials, Materials and Metals & Mining sectors led shares lower. At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.88%. The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Isentia Group Ltd (AX:ISD), which rose 13.36% or 0.195 points to trade at 1.655 at the close. Meanwhile, Orocobre Ltd (AX:ORE) added 6.80% or 0.215 points to end at 3.375 and Nine Ent Fpo (AX:NEC) was up 5.56% or 0.070 points to 1.330 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were Vocus Fpo (AX:VOC), which fell 25.97% or 0.870 points to trade at 2.480 at the close. Pact Group Holdings Ltd (AX:PGH) declined 10.09% or 0.745 points to end at 6.635 and G8 Education Ltd (AX:GEM) was down 7.77% or 0.290 points to 3.440. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 666 to 457 and 366 ended unchanged. Shares in Vocus Fpo (AX:VOC) fell to 3-years lows; down 25.97% or 0.870 to 2.480. Shares in Nine Ent Fpo (AX:NEC) rose to 52-week highs; up 5.56% or 0.070 to 1.330.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 4.13% to 11.882. Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.02% or 0.19 to $1256.81 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 0.78% or 0.37 to hit $48.03 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 0.93% or 0.47 to trade at $50.93 a barrel. AUD/USD was down 0.45% to 0.7501, while AUD/JPY fell 0.32% to 84.11. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.11% at 98.89.
