* Gold stocks record worst session in over two months
* Financial sub-index among gainers in Australia
* New Zealand set for worst session in two months
Aug 12 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell on Wednesday on
worries that a worsening coronavirus outbreak in the country's
second-most populous state would further slam economic activity,
while gold stocks slumped after bullion prices plunged
overnight.
The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.44% to 6,114.60 points
by 0117 GMT, giving up nearly all of Tuesday's gains.
The state of Victoria, whose capital city of Melbourne was
forced into another lockdown last week, recorded its deadliest
day of the pandemic on Wednesday and the biggest daily rise in
infections in three days.
Gold stocks plunged nearly 5%, the most since May
27, after prices of the precious metal slumped overnight because
of a broader lift in risk appetite.
Evolution Mining lost over 7% as it suspended
operations at its Red Lake Gold mine in Canada due to a nearby
forest fire threat.
The mining sub-index dropped 1.9% to its lowest in a
week, with global miners BHP Group and Rio Tinto
falling about 1% each.
Financial stocks were among the sole gainers in the
benchmark index, rising 0.5%, led by Virgin Money UK,
up 4.8%.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the country's
largest lender, dipped 0.4% after cutting its final dividend for
the first time in more than a decade, as annual cash profit
dropped 11.3%, narrowly missing analysts' estimates.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was down
1.4% at 11,486.27 by 0118 GMT, on course for its worst session
since June 12, as consumer and tourism-related stocks fell.
The country's biggest city was preparing to go into lockdown
again, following new coronavirus cases that ended a 102-day
record run without any new infections.
Investors will also focus on New Zealand's central bank
policy meeting later in the day, where it is widely expected to
hold rates steady at a record low of 0.25%.
(Reporting by Deepali Saxena; Editing by Aditya Soni)