* BHP hits over 10-mth high, Rio highest since 2008
* Fortescue Metals hits record high
* Macquarie slips on Waddell & Reed Financial buy for $1.7 bln
* Qantas says will reach 68% of pre-COVID capacity in Dec
Dec 3 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose on Thursday as miners almost single-handedly lifted the index, buoyed by a rally in iron ore prices and a downgraded full-year iron ore forecast by Brazilian mining rival Vale.
Rising iron ore prices owing to a strong demand for the steel-making ingredient in China, Australia's top trading partner, had Aussie miners .AXMM extending gains into a third session, jumping 3.4% to over three months high. IRONORE/
BHP Group BHP.AX hit an over 10-month high, Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX surged to its highest since May 2008, and Fortescue Metals Group FMG.AX hit a record high on rising iron ore prices and lowered full-year iron ore forecast by Brazilian rival Vale SA VALE3.SA , expected to benefit the Aussie miners. S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.4% to 6,616.8 by 2330 GMT, on track for its third straight gain session.
Among losers, financials .AXFJ were down 0.3% with three of the four top banks trading in the red.
Conglomerate Macquarie Group MQG.AX declined 0.7% on acquisition of U.S.-based investment management firm Waddell & Reed Financial Inc WDR.N for $1.7 billion. Airways QAN.AX said the reopening of Australian state borders would boost its financial position and allow it to return to 68% of pre-pandemic domestic capacity in December, and nearly to 80% in the March quarter. However, shares slipped up to 1.1%. the Tasman Sea, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 edged lower, after advancing up to 0.4% in the early trade.
Gains in financials and utilities were offset by healthcare firms.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's building consents in October rose a seasonally adjusted 8.8%, compared with a 3.6% rise in the previous month.