Australian shares fell on Thursday, as disappointment over Rio Tinto's earnings pressured materials while bank stocks fell after Commonwealth Bank of Australia was accused of money laundering breaches. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 9.1 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,735.1 at the close of trade. The benchmark fell 0.5 percent on Wednesday.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia dipped 0.3 percent. Rio Tinto slipped 2.5 percent after the global miner reported a 152 percent leap in half-year underlying earnings but still missed analyst expectations. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index rose 5.44 points, or 0.07 percent, to finish the session at 7,753.75.
Consumer discretionary stocks fell the most in New Zealand but specialist outdoor retailer Kathmandu Holdings Ltd was among top percentage gainers in the benchmark, ending 2.9 percent higher, after reporting a rise in annual sales.
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