Australia stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Energy, Financials and Consumer Staples sectors led shares lower.

At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.73%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Corporate Travel Managment Ltd (ASX:CTD), which rose 10.27% or 1.54 points to trade at 16.54 at the close. Meanwhile, Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX:FBU) added 7.42% or 0.21 points to end at 3.04 and Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) was up 6.16% or 17.24 points to 297.14 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN), which fell 20.72% or 6.32 points to trade at 24.18 at the close. National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) declined 8.12% or 3.21 points to end at 36.30 and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) was down 4.76% or 0.10 points to 2.00.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 577 to 511 and 472 ended unchanged.

Shares in Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN) fell to 3-years lows; falling 20.72% or 6.32 to 24.18. Shares in Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) rose to all time highs; rising 6.16% or 17.24 to 297.14. Shares in Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) fell to 3-years lows; down 4.76% or 0.10 to 2.00.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.90% to 11.05.

Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.03% or 0.78 to $2,948.22 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 0.25% or 0.18 to hit $72.01 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 0.24% or 0.18 to trade at $76.02 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged 0.17% to 0.64, while AUD/JPY rose 0.07% to 96.63.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.08% at 106.87.