The Australian share market has closed slightly lower, avoiding any major fallout from hefty falls by Chinese stocks.

China’s benchmark Shanghai index staged somewhat of a comeback on Tuesday after losses of more than eight per cent during the previous session.

“Today’s trading has been heavily aligned with the recovery we saw on the Chinese market after yesterday’s big fall,” said Patersons Securities economist Tony Farnham said.

Locally, losses by the big miners and financial stocks were somewhat offset by a good day for the energy and healthcare sectors, Mr Farnham said.

“We’ve recovered quite a bit of this morning’s lows,” he said.

“It’s been a topsy-turvy day but it will be seen as a reasonable finish on the ASX as almost all the major commodities fell and US and European markets traded lower overnight.”

Among the winners was biopharmaceutical company CSL, which gained $1.52 to $96.17 after a clinical trial showed promising results for its latest treatment for haemophilia.

Origin Energy rose 30 cents to $11.45 after the company announced its $24.7 billion liquefied natural gas project in Queensland was closer to a start date.

In the mining sector, BHP Billiton fell 15 cents to $25.37, Rio Tinto added nine cents at $51.28 and Fortescue Metals Group rose four cents to $1.75.

Banking stocks were mixed, with Commonwealth Bank up 26 cents at $86.35 and ANZ rose 11 cents to $32.22.

NAB fell five cents at $33.86 and Westpac slid 15 cents to $34.21.

KEY FACTS

* On Tuesday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 5.2 points, or 0.09 per cent, at 5,584.7.

* The broader All Ordinaries index was down 8.2 points, or 0.15 per cent, at 5,571.

* The September share price index futures contract was five points lower at 5,532 at 1615 AEST, with 34,126 contracts traded.

* National turnover was 2.1 billion securities worth $5.6 billion.