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July 7 (Reuters) - Australian shares extended their losses to a third consecutive session on Friday, weighed by the financial sector, as U.S. stocks slipped overnight after disappointing labour market data.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO dipped about a percent or 55.16 points to 5,703.60 at the close of trade. The declines were broad-based, with nine out of 10 sectors in the red. The benchmark was down 0.3 pct for the week.
Wall Street fell after data showed U.S. private employers had hired fewer workers than expected in June and applications for unemployment benefits last week rose for a third straight week, pointing to some loss of momentum in job growth. .N
Financial stocks were the biggest drag on the Australian index with the "Big Four" banks - Westpac WBC.AX , Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX , National Australia Bank NAB.AX and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX - all slipping.
Sentiment in the market was also dented by oil prices which fell by more than 1 percent with U.S. crude futures dipping below $45 per barrel as news of a spike in U.S. production added to earlier reports that OPEC output was also on the rise. O/R
Oil major Woodside Petroleum WPL.AX closed down 2.6 percent.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 edged down 0.1 percent or 7.48 points to finish the session at 7,622.13.
Telecom sector was the biggest drag, hurt by Spark New Zealand SPK.NZ which fell more than 1 percent.