Australia shares fall ahead of local jobs data
The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.2% to 8,266.6 by 0032 GMT. The benchmark had ended 0.1% higher on Wednesday.
Domestic employment data for April, due later in the day, is among the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) key indicators and could shape expectations for the bank's next move on rates.
Australian employment had rebounded in March, recovering from a one-off dive the previous month.
Swaps imply an 89.8% probability that the RBA will cut rates at its meeting on May 20.
Meanwhile, the Aussie dollar fell 0.02% to A$0.64 against the U.S. dollar.
Commodity shares led the decline on the local bourse.
Gold stocks dropped 1.6%, tracking a fall in bullion prices as rising trade optimism lifted risk appetite.
Gold miners Northern Star Resources and Genesis Minerals shed 1.7% and 1.6%, respectively.
Energy stocks slipped 0.8% on the back of falling oil prices. Santos dipped 1.3%.
Miners lost nearly 1%. BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Fortescue fell 0.8%, 1% and 0.8%, respectively.
In company news, Treasury Wine Estates retreated 6.7% after it said Sam Fischer will take over as chief executive officer in October, succeeding Tim Ford.
Meanwhile, Insurance Australia Group rose 2.9% after the company said it will buy The Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia's insurance business and enter a licensing agreement for A$1.35 billion ($868.3 million).
Graincorp gained 7.6% after the agribusiness company reported a rise in its first-half results and upgraded its guidance for fiscal year 2025.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index rose 0.1% to 12,790.01.
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