* Aussie stocks at 6-mth high
* Australian Q4 GDP +0.2 pct q/q, slower than forecast
* Miners gain 1.2 pct (Updates to close)
March 6 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed at a six-month high on Wednesday, as China's planned fiscal stimulus supported mining stocks and increasing expectations of domestic interest rate cuts lifted broader sentiment.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.8, or 46.3 points, to 6,245.60. The benchmark declined 0.3 percent on Tuesday.
Economic growth came in at 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter, slower than the 0.3 percent increase forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. dismal growth challenges the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) optimistic economic outlook, with investors wagering that the central bank would cut interest rates to stimulate the economy. top investment bank Macquarie MQG.AX has revised its rate outlook to two cuts this year from no change previously, as did Westpac and JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM).
Financial shares .AXFJ ended 0.7 percent higher, with the "Big Four" banks gaining with the range of 0.9 percent and 0.2 percent. Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX and Westpac Banking Corp added 0.9 percent each.
The metals and mining index .AXMM lead gains among the sectors, rising 1.2 percent on hopes that further stimulus measures by China would help support the cooling economy.
A boost to the Chinese economy bodes well for Australian miners, which export their raw materials to China. Global miners BHP Group Ltd BHP.AX and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX gained 0.9 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, the country's largest department store chain Myer Holdings Ltd MYR.AX jumped 11 percent after the struggling company returned to profitability in the first half. positive results also helped boost peers Woolworths Group WOW.AX and Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd HVN.AX , which gained 1 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 inched up 0.16 percent or 15.31 points to finish the session at 9,415.00.
Electricity retailer Meridian Energy Ltd MEL.NZ added 1.7 percent, while Auckland International Airport Ltd AIA.NZ gained 0.2 percent.