(Updates to close)
Oct 10 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed marginally higher on Monday, as odds mounted against Republican nominee Donald Trump in the coming U.S. presidential election. MKTS/GLOB
Trump faces the biggest crisis of his 16-month-old campaign after a tape of him making vulgar comments about women deepened fissures with establishment Republicans. S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO closed up 0.15 percent, or 8.01 points, at 5,475.40.
Gains were driven by financials, the biggest constituent of the index, with all the 'Big 4' banks ending higher.
Energy stocks lost ground with Santos Ltd STO.AX shedding over 2 percent as crude prices fell over doubts that non-OPEC producers will cut output. O/R
New Zealand's main index .NZ50 lost 0.7 percent, or 50.89 points, closing at its lowest in nearly three months at 7116.92.
Auckland International Airport Ltd AIA.NZ was the worst performer on the index, losing 3.3 percent.