(Updates to close)
Sept 8 (Reuters) - Australian shares ended lower on Thursday, as investors tread with caution ahead of a European Central Bank meeting later in the day. ECB is expected to respond to pressure for further easing by announcing an extension to its asset purchase programme by year-end, a Reuters poll showed. S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO closed 0.7 percent, or 38.45 points, lower at 5,385.80 at the end of trade. The benchmark rose marginally on Wednesday.
Dragging down the benchmark were by basic material and financials stocks.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 lost 0.5 percent, or 36.38 points, to finish the session at 7,534.73.