Australia: Shares close lower on US market tumble, housing stocks buoy

[SYDNEY] Australian shares lost 0.7 per cent on Thursday, tracking Wall Street's drop on growth concerns and the first Ebola diagnosis in the United States, though construction stocks capped losses and travel website Wotif soared.

Travel website Wotif.com Holdings Ltd soared 6.5 per cent to a one-month high of A$3.29.

The S&P/ASX 200 index tumbled 36.4 points to 5,297.7 at the close of trade. The benchmark gained 0.8 per cent on Wednesday.

New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index lost 0.6 percent or 29.3 points to finish at 5,245.2. - Reuters