June 9 (Reuters) - Australian shares slipped on Thursday,
impacted by banking stocks extending losses after the central
bank raised interest rates by the most in 22 years, while Crown
Resorts climbed after gambling regulators approved its buyout by
Blackstone.
The S&P/ASX 200 index was down 0.9% at 7,058.80 by
0039 GMT, on track to hit a three-week low. The benchmark closed
0.4% higher on Wednesday.
Market sentiment was dampened as Australia's four largest
lenders hit multi-month lows, after the central bank's rate
decision earlier this week spooked investors, triggering
concerns of a housing market sell-off.
The MSCI world equity index, which tracks shares in 50
countries, fell 0.56%. In other key markets,
Japan's Nikkei rose 0.2% to 28,298.39 and S&P 500
E-minis futures inched 0.1% lower.
In Australia, financials were the lead laggards on
the local bourse, slumping 2.9% to hit more than a year low. The
country's "Big Four" banks slid between 2.2% and 3.2%.
The metals and mining index lost 0.2% on weak iron
ore prices. Sector behemoths BHP Group and Rio Tinto
retreated 0.2% each, while Fortescue Metals Group
was flat.
On the upside, oil prices jumped to a 13-week high on
Wednesday and lifted energy stocks up 0.8%. Oil and gas
major Woodside Energy Group rose 1.9%.
Meanwhile, Crown Resorts advanced 1.9% after
gambling regulators in the states of Victoria and New South
Wales approved U.S. private-equity firm Blackstone Inc's
$6.3 billion takeover of the casino operator.
Magellan Financial Group jumped 4.3% as the fund
manager brought forward the appointment of David George as chief
executive officer and managing director to July 19.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index fell 0.2%
to 11,242.53.
($1 = 1.5513 New Zealand dollars)
(Reporting by Upasana Singh; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)