Australia shares shed 1.9 pct

Australian stocks slid 1.9 per cent on Wednesday to their lowest close in nearly three weeks,as investors worried about slow growth in the United States and pared forecasts for the major banks at home.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index lost 85.2 points to close at 4,455.5,according to the latest data,adding to a 1.2 per cent fall in the previous session.

New Zealand’s benchmark NZX 50 index slipped 0.3 per cent to 3,036.0.