Australia: Shares at near 1-week low as banks slip; NZ shares steady

[MELBOURNE] Australian shares fell 0.6 per cent on Thursday as negative market sentiment towards the country's financial sector dragged the index to a six-day low.

The losses were further fuelled after Australia's No 3 lender Westpac Banking Corp said on Thursday it expects to see higher defaults in the third quarter.

The S&P/ASX 200 index ended down at 5,508, after it hit 5483.7 points, the weakest since August 5.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was little changed, ending up 0.06 per cent at 7,353.83 after closing down 0.18 per cent on Wednesday.

REUTERS