It was a wild and woolly start to the short trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and most ASX shares this Tuesday.

After an initial plunge this morning, the ASX 200 managed to recover and stay in green territory for much of the session. However, a last-minute selling spree resulted in the index recording a 0.12% loss by the time the closing bell rang, leaving it at 8,399.1 points.

This bumpy Tuesday for the Australian market follows a mixed session over on Wall Street to kick off the American trading week this morning.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in fine form and rose 0.65%.

However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) had a meltdown, tanking by a horrid 3.07%.

Let's return to the local markets now and examine how the different ASX sectors handled today's bumpy trading conditions.

Winners and losers

We had plenty of winners and losers this Tuesday.

Leading the fallers were real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) had a shocking day, crashing 3.38% lower.

Utilities stocks weren't much better, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) tanking 2.47%.

Energy shares had a day to forget too. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) plunged down 2.1%.

Gold stocks were no safe haven either, illustrated by the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD)'s 1.63% loss.

Tech shares did a lot better than that though. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) fell, but 'only' by 0.61%.

Industrial stocks found themselves on the wrong side of the bed, with the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) retreating by 0.42%.

Mining shares were in a similar ballpark. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) was walked back by 0.3%.

That's it for the losers though.

Turning to the winners now, it was consumer discretionary stocks that stole the show. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) surged a confident 1.63% higher today.

Communications shares had a great day too, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)'s 0.94% lift.

Healthcare stocks fared decently as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) jumped by 0.49%.

Consumer staples shares are next up, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) adding 0.34% this Tuesday.

Finally, financial stocks eked out a rise, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 0.32% improvement.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Pharmacy share Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) was today's big winner. Sigma stock added a rosy 12.22% to its total, leaving the company at $3.03 a share.

This gain came after the company released an impressive half-year update this morning, which included details about the performance of Chemist Warehouse.

Investors were clearly delighted.

Here are today's other big winners: