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SYDNEY, June 7 (Reuters) - Australian shares gave up early gains and finished up 0.2 percent on Tuesday after the nation's central bank held rates steady and appeared to lift the bar for another easing.
Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to hold rates at a record low of 1.75 percent, but its neutral tone caught some traders and analysts by surprise. S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO had been up 0.5 percent at midday on rising commodity prices and optimism on Wall Street after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen gave an upbeat assessment of the U.S. economy.
After the RBA announcement, however, the benchmark trimmed some of its gains to end the session up 10.58 points at 5371.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 gained 0.18 percent or 12.93 points to finish the session at 7037.31.