* Aussie Q4 GDP data due Wednesday
* Mining stocks close 0.8 pct down
* NZ benchmark off record high (Updates to close)
By Niyati Shetty
March 5 (Reuters) - Australian shares ended weaker on Tuesday, but trimmed earlier losses, after the country's central bank signalled a steady policy outlook and China said it would introduce further measures to shore up its cooling economy.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO finished down 0.3 percent, or 18.10 points, at 6,199.30. The benchmark rose 0.4 percent on Monday.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left its cash rate at 1.5 percent on Tuesday as it remained optimistic about the economy's outlook, despite acknowledging a slowdown. growth is expected to have almost stalled in the last quarter of 2018 as trade shaved more from growth than expected. Figures on Australia's gross domestic product are due on Wednesday.
Mathan Somasundaram, Market Portfolio Strategist at Blue Ocean Equities, said the RBA's optimistic view about the economy and China's talk about stimulus have helped the markets recover.
Stocks had retreated in early trade after China set its 2019 economic growth target at 6.0 to 6.5 percent, lower than last year's goal of 6.5 percent. of a slowdown in China, Australia's top raw material's importer, have weighed on mining stocks .AXMM . Mining majors BHP Group Ltd BHP.AX and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX both lost 0.9 percent.
However, market sentiment slightly improved after China said it would cut billions of dollars in taxes and boost lending to small firms in a bid to shore up an economy that is growing at its slowest pace in almost 30 years. financial sub-index .AXFJ was down 0.3 percent at the end of the session, with the country's No. 3 lender Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd ANZ.AX retreating half a percent.
Energy stocks .AXEJ reversed course to edge up as index heavyweight Woodside Petroleum WPL.AX advanced 0.3 percent, while peer Santos Ltd STO.AX added 1.6 percent.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 retreated from its record high in the last session, falling 0.15 percent or 13.80 points to finish the session at 9,399.69.
Electricity retailer Meridian Energy Ltd MEL.NZ slipped 0.8 percent while telecom firm Spark New Zealand Ltd SPK.NZ declined 1.1 percent.
On the other hand, milk producer Fonterra FSF.NZ FCG.NZ rose about 1.2 percent after it appointed Miles Hurell as permanent chief executive of the co-operative.