It was a wild and ultimately negative Tuesday session for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and most ASX shares today.

After kicking the trading week off with a bang yesterday, the ASX 200 initially spiked 0.4% higher this morning. However, investors proceeded to get cold feet over the rest of the session, with the index finally closing 0.014% lower at 8,541.1 points.

This nervous Tuesday session for ASX investors follows a far more optimistic start to the American trading week up on Wall Street last night.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a strong day, rising 0.63%. 

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared similarly, gaining 0.47%.

Let's return to the local markets now and examine what was happening in the various ASX sectors today.

Winners and losers

Despite the market's loss, we still had quite a few sectors that managed to rise in value. But first, the losers.

Leading today's red sectors were industrial stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) gave up an early lead to tank 0.6% by the closing bell.

Communications shares had a day to forget too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) diving 0.26%.

Mining stocks had a rough trot as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) saw its value dip 0.16%.

Energy shares and healthcare stocks came next, as you'll see by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ)'s 0.11% drop.

Financial shares were right behind that. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) slid 0.1% lower by the closing bell.

That's it for the losers, though. Turning to the winners, it was gold stocks that shone brightest, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) soaring by 1.09%.

Utilities shares stood out as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) ended up galloping 0.92% higher.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) had a day to remember too, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ)'s 0.79% spike.

Consumer staples stocks were a little less enthusiastic. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) still managed a 0.45% improvement though.

Its consumer discretionary counterpart was in the same ballpark, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) lifting 0.4%.

Finally, tech stocks made the winner's cut, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ)'s 0.2% bounce.