Australia stocks down

Australian stocks fell 1.4 percent to close at a 5-week low on Monday, with index heavyweights such as BHP Billiton , retailers and top banks posting substantial losses as instability in oil-producing nations turned investors risk-averse. Falls in share values well beyond 1 percent were widespread, with Commonwealth Bank down 1.8 percent at a 6-week low of A$51.69, BHP Billiton down 2 percent and Rio Tinto down 1.6 percent.
US crude rose to a 2-1/2-year high on Monday on concerns about a growing risk of civil war in Libya, while investors kept a close eye on top exporter Saudi Arabia. "There's no way we could avoid today's falls given the uncertainty in global markets," said Jian Wei, Senior Dealer at City Index Australia.
"It looks like the Libyan situation is getting worse. If it is not resolved soon we may see more anxiety among investors," he said. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index fell 66.4 points to 4,797.9, according to the latest available data, its lowest close in 5 weeks and tentatively breaching chart support at 4,800.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index rose 0.4 percent to 3,430.1. Higher energy costs threaten to lower spending by consumers, which in turn would lower factory orders and could also fuel inflation, particularly in energy-hungry developing nations such as China, investors said.
Coles supermarkets owner Wesfarmers lost 2 percent to A$32.97 while rival Woolworths ended down 1.4 percent at A$26.99 as the oil-supply threat looms over the outlook for retail spending. New Zealand freight company Mainfreight Ltd rallied 5.8 percent to A$8.59 after it bought Netherlands-based Wim Bosman Group for 110 million euros ($153 million), to broaden its operations into Europe.