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SYDNEY, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Australian shares made a modest advance on Thursday as optimism from a recent rate cut and a higher close on Wall St helped investors shrug off soft economic data, while New Zealand stocks also rose. S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was up 10.1 points, or 0.2 percent, at 5,475.8 at the close of trade. The benchmark has risen for seven of the last 10 sessions, and is up 5 percent since the start of the new financial year on July 1.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 added 20.1 points, or 0.3 percent, to finish the session at 7,298.08.