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Aug. 31 (Reuters) - Australian shares finished at their lowest in more than six weeks on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar strengthened ahead of U.S. jobs data this week, hurting basic materials and energy stocks. S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was 45.29 points, or 0.83 percent, lower at 5433 at the close of trade.
The benchmark lost 2.3 percent on the month, with billboard business APN Outdoor Group APO.AX and aged-care facilities operator Estia Health EHE.AX Ltd posting the biggest losses.
Miner Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX posted monthly losses of about 4 percent, while gold producer Newcrest Mining NCM.AX shed 11.2 percent.
The financial index .AXFJ lost 2.6 percent on the month, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX losing the most among the "Big Four" banks.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 finished the session flat at 7398.83.
The benchmark was 0.7 percent higher on the month, with Heartland Bank Ltd HBL.NZ and reitirement villages operator Summerset Group Holdings SUM.NZ driving the gains.