March 1 (Reuters) - Australian shares are expected to extendlosses and open lower on Thursday following a decline in energyprices that hit U.S. stocks.
The local share price index futures YAPcm1 fell 45 points,or 0.8 percent, to 5,956, a 60-point discount to the underlyingS&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark finished theprevious session down 0.7 percent.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 was down0.13 percent, or 10.68 points, to 8,363.14 at 2110 GMT.