News: XEJ Australia shares inch higher following U.S. presidential debate; NZ rises

(Updates to close)

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Australian shares ended fractionally higher on Wednesday, as investors continued to digest Hillary Clinton's perceived win over Donald Trump in the first U.S. presidential debate, but were under pressure from oil price falls.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) closed up 6.51 points or 0.1 percent to 5,412.4.

Australian energy index .AXEJ shed 1.2 percent, led by declines in oil and gas explorers Santos Ltd (STO) and Beach Energy (BPT) that fell 2-3 percent.

Power retailer AGL Energy (AGL) was the biggest percentage gainer on the index after it announced a A$596 million ($457.43 million) buyback, adding it expects FY17 underlying profit of A$720 million and A$800 million, up from FY16's reported underlying profit of A$701 million.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) was up 37.53 points or 0.5 percent to finish at 7,290.45, led by telecom shares.

Telecom services provider Chorus Ltd (CNU) was the biggest gainer, up 2.7 percent.

($1 = 1.3029 Australian dollars)