Australia: Shares end lower as healthcare, gold miners weigh

[SYDNEY] Shares snapped a three-day winning streak to close lower on Thursday, as healthcare and gold stocks declined, while power retailer Origin Energy was the biggest loser on the index after slashing outlook for its energy markets division.

The S&P/ASX 200 index ended 0.9 per cent lower at 6,765.5.

Investors' focus shifts to comments from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), slated to provide updated economic forecasts on Friday, after announcing earlier this week it would expand its bond-buying programme by another A$100 billion (S$101.8 billion).

Electricty retailer Origin Energy dropped 6.9 per cent to a three-month low after downgrading the fiscal 2021 outlook for its energy markets division.

The country's top power producer AGL Energy slumped 3.6 per cent after saying it expected to book a A$2.69 billion charge in its half-year results to write down the value of its assets and previously signed wind energy contracts.

Miners lost 0.5 per cent, with world's largest miner BHP falling 0.5 per cent.

Gold stocks slid 2.8 per cent to hit their lowest in nine months after bullion prices eased overnight. Newcrest Mining shed 2.2 per cent and Ramelius Resources plunged to a near-nine-month low.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index ended 0.8 per cent lower at 12,992.14, with eight out of nine sectors closing in the red.

REUTERS