* Materials lead gains on strong base metal prices
* AMP Ltd closes at worst in over 9-years after lawsuit
* NZ extends record run helped by consumer staples (Updates to close)
June 7 (Reuters) - Australian shares edged up on Thursday led by material stocks and banks although gains were capped by AMP's fall after the wealth manager was slapped with its fourth class action lawsuit.
Wall Street indexes rallied on Wednesday buoyed by financial stocks .SPSY as investors eyed strong economic data and as trade war fears took a back seat. .N
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO advanced 0.5 percent or 32.2 points to 6,057.3. The benchmark added 0.5 percent on Wednesday.
Investors picked up material stocks as upbeat base metal prices coupled with a weaker dollar added to their appeal. IRONORE/ MET/L
Top miners BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) BHP.AX and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX gained more than 2 percent each with BHP providing the biggest boost to the benchmark index.
Bank stocks also fared well with the "Big Four" banks adding up to 0.8 percent, following their U.S. peers, but Australia's biggest wealth manager AMP Ltd AMP.AX closed at its worst level in more than nine years.
The company confirmed it had been served with another class action proceeding in Australia's Federal Court and said it intended to vigorously defend all proceedings. law firms have been suing AMP on behalf of its shareholders after allegations of misconduct - allegedly charging fees for services not provided. retail conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd WES.AX closed at its highest in over 3 years after its managing director said the company will focus on existing businesses and expects dividend policy to remain unchanged. estate stocks, traditionally seen as bond proxies, bucked the overall trend with property managers such as Stockland Corp SGP.AX and Mirvac Group MGR.AX losing about 1 percent each after a rise in U.S. Treasury yields.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 climbed 1 percent to end at a record of 8,899.52. The index has had three successive days of record close.
Consumer staples and industrial stocks drove the gains on the index.
A2 Milk Company ATM.NZ was the top boost, adding 4 percent while Fletcher Building FBU.NZ rose 2.2 percent to its best close since February.