Australian shares ended at their lowest in over three weeks on Tuesday with further declines in iron ore prices taking a heavy toll on some miners. The S&P/ASX 200 index slipped 0.2 percent, or 12.8 points, to 5,399.7, extending Monday's 0.8 percent fall. Junior iron ore miner BC Iron led the losers, slumping 10.3 percent to A$0.655. Fortescue Metal Group skidded 6.6 percent to A$2.97.
Benchmark iron ore spot prices plumbed their lowest since 2009, stretching this year's rout as a supply glut continued to pressure the commodity. New Zealand's stocks fared better with the benchmark NZX 50 index climbing 0.3 percent, or 14.8 points, to a record closing high of 5,505.0.