By Susan Mathew
May 5 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell on Friday as miners and energy stocks declined on lower metal and oil prices, while investors remain watchful of U.S jobs data due later in the day.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was 26.01 points, or 0.44 percent, lower at 5,850.3 by 0306 GMT, on track to post its worst week since early February. The index ended 0.3 percent lower on Thursday.
Globally, investors will also be looking out for U.S. employment data due later in the day. The Aussie dollar may be knocked lower if the data disappoints, said Bill Keenan, general manager of direct equities research at broker Lonsec. AUD/
The materials index .AXMM was down for a ninth straight session, holding at near six-month lows hit in the last few sessions as iron ore futures tumbled 8 percent on Thursday and on overnight losses in copper. IRONORE/ MET/L
Miners BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) BHP.AX , Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX and Fortescue Metals FMG.AX shed more than 2 percent each.
BHP Billiton was targetted by another shareholder push for strategic reorganization, with Sydney-based Tribeca Global Natural Resources Fund pressing the company to sell its U.S. shale assets and to overhaul its board and senior management. comes after the miner had rejected shareholder Elliot Management's proposal to spin off it U.S. oil division last month. Tinto had said on Thursday that it is watching for signs of a revival in domestic iron ore mining in China later this year to reduce reliance on imports because of the high prices of imported ores. energy index .AXEJ was 1.8 percent lower with Woodside Petroleum WPL.AX and Oil Search OSH.AX shedding 2 percent after oil prices fell further on Friday on oversupply concerns. O/R
Telecom stocks rose, with the telecom index .AXTJ up 3.6 percent after three sessions of losses.
Australia's competition watchdog said on Friday it will not regulate the nation's mobile roaming market, in a favourable draft ruling for the country's biggest telco, Telstra Corp Ltd TLS.AX , which can keep rivals like TPG Telecom TPM.AX from using its infrastructure. shares were up as much as 5.4 percent, it highest since April 11, while TPG Telecom lost as much as 4.6 percent, it steepest intraday fall in more than two weeks. the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved legislation on Thursday to replace major portions of Obamacare with a Republican healthcare plan. It has yet to pass the Senate. of healthcare stock CSL Ltd CSL.AX , which has significant U.S. exposure, were up as much as 0.5 percent, hitting an all-time high.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 was up 0.03 percent or 2.08 points at 7,380.5.
Fletcher Building Ltd FBU.NZ led the gains, up 0.9 percent, while natural health product company Comvita Ltd CVT.NZ lost the most, falling 8.3 percent. more individual stocks activity click on STXBZ