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SYDNEY, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell 0.6 percent on Thursday as hawkish-sounding comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve dented risk appetite.
Weak commodity prices weighed on natural resources with energy stocks suffering the most.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO dropped 30.6 points to 5,227.7 at the close of trade. The benchmark eased 0.1 percent on Wednesday.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index shed 0.3 percent or 17.6 points to finish the session at 6,125.67, not far from Wednesday's record high of 6,162.97.