Australia shares plunge over 1% as strong jobs data stokes rate-hike fears July 19 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell more than 1% on Friday due to strengthening bets of an interest rate hike in the central bank's next policy meeting, after the country added more than twice as many jobs as analysts expected in June. The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO fell 1.2% to 7,940.3, as of 0024 GMT.

UPDATE 2-Australian regulator halves Westpac's $670.5 mln operational risk capital add-on Reduction to boost CET1 ratio by 18 bps - Westpac WBC shares fall 1.3%, benchmark index down 1% Updates with background throughout, share moves, analyst comment By Roshan Thomas July 19 (Reuters) - Australia's prudential regulator halved on Friday the A$1 billion ($670.50 million) operational risk capital add-on it had imposed on Westpac WBC.AX in 2019 after identifying problems in the bank's risk governanc

Australian shares slip off record high as jobs data fuels rate hike worries Financials snap seven-day rally Fortescue drops 1.4% after flagging job cuts Australian jobs growth beats estimates Updates to close By Aaditya GovindRao July 18 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed slightly lower on Thursday as banks and tech firms weighed on the benchmark, while strong domestic jobs growth stoked fears about the central bank raising interest rates.

Australian shares struggle for direction ahead of jobs data July 18 (Reuters) - Australian shares were subdued on Thursday, as technology giants partially offset gains in financials and energy stocks, while investors awaited local jobs data for more clues on the central bank's interest rate trajectory. The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO held its ground at 8057.1, and was hovering near a record high of 8,057.90 points seen in the previous session.

New Zealand shares hit over 2-year high on softer inflation data By Roshan Thomas July 17 (Reuters) - New Zealand shares rose to their highest level in more than two years on Wednesday, supported by expectations of rate cuts later this year after a softer-than-expected inflation reading, while Australian shares rebounded as miners and banks gained.