* Australian shares rise, helped by resources
* Financials gain on stronger Aussie dollar
* New Zealand rises as cenbank stays on rates
By Ambar Warrick
May 10 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose on Thursday, bolstered by materials and energy stocks as investors increased their exposure to resources following a jump in commodity prices.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 15.3 points, or 0.25 percent, to 6,123.1, by 0248 GMT. It hit a four-month high of 6,145.2 earlier in the session. The benchmark rose 0.26 percent on Wednesday.
Copper prices surged overnight, as expectations for solid demand in the quarter helped sentiment, while zinc prices also gained. Oil prices hit fresh 3-1/2 year highs after a bigger-than-expected drawdown in U.S. oil inventories extended gains from the United States' decision to quit a nuclear deal with Iran. MET/L
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"The big positive remains in the energy sector, with a 3 pct rise in oil prices," said Mathan Somasundaram, market portfolio strategist at Blue Ocean Equities.
The energy sector .AXEJ gained about 2.3 percent, with oil and gas explorers Woodside Petroleum WPL.AX and Oil Search OSH.AX pushing up the benchmark. The stocks gained more than 4 percent each.
Materials were also higher, with the metals and mining sector .AXMM gaining about 1.2 percent. Mining heavyweights BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) BHP.AX and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX pushed up the sector a total of 34 points.
Financials inched up on a stronger Australian dollar AUD=D4 , with investors buying into select, large-capital stocks to increase their exposure to the currency.
The financials sector .AXFJ rose about 0.1 percent.
"The currency is slightly stronger and that's helping the banks hold on to the positive territory, which has helped the market," Somasundaram added.
Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX rose, while Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX and National Australia Bank NAB.AX fell.
CBA extended its losses, shedding 0.4 percent after its third-quarter profit dropped.
While the Australian benchmark has gained nearly 1 percent in the week so far, a number of big financials will trade ex-dividend, which could weigh on the index.
New Zealand stocks extended gains into a seventh session and touched a record high on broad-based gains, as telecom and industrials took the lead.
New Zealand's central bank kept its official cash rate unchanged on Thursday, saying inflation remained below its target despite robust economic growth in the country. Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 27.38 points or 0.32 percent to 8,647.21.
Telecommunications provider Spark New Zealand SPK.NZ was the biggest boost to the index, while port operator Port of Tauranga POT.NZ gained 0.3 percent.