Australian shares fell 1 percent on Thursday, with miners dented by falls in copper and gold prices on signs the US is not planning fresh stimulus measures, though the local market was lifted from its lows by positive signs from top customer China.
China's factory sector grew more than expected in February as export orders expanded for the first time in four months, supporting hopes the world's second-biggest economy can avoid a hard landing. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index fell 1 percent to 4,255.6 points, according to the latest data.
The index rose 0.8 percent on Wednesday but failed to notch up a close above 4,300 and quickly reversed on Thursday after US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave no hint of new asset purchases, which the Fed has used in recent years to boost growth. New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index rose 0.3 percent to 3330.9.
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