Australian shares struck a 10-year high before ending weaker on Wednesday, snapping a winning streak that had lasted for five consecutive sessions, with declines led by materials and real estate stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 index peaked at 6,150 points in early trade before closing at 6,096.7, down 39.1 points, or 0.6 percent from Tuesday.

Miners accounted for most of the losses. Rio Tinto eased off its over six-year high to end 0.8 percent in the red while rival BHP Billiton lost 0.3 percent. Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index fell 0.8 percent, its biggest drop in over two months, as healthcare stocks lost demand.

Copyright Reuters, 2018