Australian shares ended lower on Tuesday, lacking direction due to the absence of impetus from the United States, where markets were closed for a public holiday on Monday. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended down 0.54 percent, or 29.417 points at 5378.600 New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index climbed 0.282 percent or 19.770 points to finish the session at 7039.410.