Australia Stocks Close Lower; S&P/ASX 200 Down 0.95%

Australian stocks experienced a decline following the market close on Tuesday, primarily due to losses in several sectors.

At the end of the trading day in Sydney, the index dropped by 0.95%.

Among the day’s top performers was Appen Ltd, which saw an increase of 11.73%, equivalent to 0.23 points, ending the session at 2.19. Rea Group Ltd also performed well, up by 4.50% or 9.05 points, closing at 210.05. Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd rose by 3.78%, gaining 0.53 points to reach 14.55.

Conversely, the worst-performing stocks included St Barbara Ltd, which fell by 4.86% or 0.02 points, closing at 0.34. Tabcorp Holdings Ltd dropped 4.46% or 0.02 points to finish at 0.48, while Qantas Airways Ltd decreased by 4.18% or 0.31 points, concluding the day at 7.11.

On the Sydney Stock Exchange, declining stocks outnumbered those that advanced, with 642 stocks falling compared to 469 that rose, while 439 remained unchanged.

Appen Ltd’s shares reached 52-week highs, marking a notable rise of 11.73% to 2.19.

The index reflecting the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options increased by 3.56%, reaching 12.24.

In commodities, Gold Futures for December delivery rose by 0.25% or 6.65, reaching $2,666.05 per troy ounce. Crude oil for November delivery saw a slight increase of 0.09% or 0.06, hitting $68.23 a barrel, while December Brent oil rose by 0.07% or 0.05, trading at $71.75 a barrel.

In foreign exchange, the AUD/USD remained largely unchanged, at 0.69, while AUD/JPY rose by 0.71%, reaching 100.02. The US Dollar Index Futures saw a slight increase of 0.03%, standing at 100.55.