(Adds closing prices)
By James Regan
SYDNEY, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose for the first time in nine sessions on Wednesday, snapping the longest losing streak in 5-1/2 years, supported by better-than-expected Chinese trade figures.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO ended 1.26 percent, or 62.2 points higher, at 4,987.4.
The benchmark closed down 0.14 percent on Tuesday, the eighth consecutive daily fall, having touched a 2-1/2-year low of 4,880.1 earlier in the week. The S&P/ASX 200 index last had eight consecutive losing sessions in mid-2010.
China's exports in December fell 1.4 percent from a year earlier, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Wednesday, much less than a Reuters poll forecast for an 8 percent drop and moderating from November's 6.8 percent decline. financials were the strongest performing asset class, with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX , Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX , Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX and National Australia Bank NAB.AX all ending higher.
Australia's energy sector also rose, despite continued weakness in the oil market.
Santos Ltd STO.AX gained more than 5 percent, having earlier hit a 20-year low, while Origin Energy Ltd ORG.AX rose 3.2 percent after earlier hitting a 12-year low. (Editing by Anand Basu)