News: VEA Australia shares slip on dour U.S. data, overnight oil slump

• Energy stocks fall the most in Australia
• All "big four" Australian lenders down
• NZ rises, Pushpay hits record high

Australian shares extended falls on Thursday as downbeat U.S economic data dashed hopes for a pickup in business activity, while an overnight slump in crude oil prices weighed on energy stocks.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) slipped for a second straight session and was down 0.53% to 5,356.2 by 1213 GMT.

Overnight, the S&P 500 .SPX and the Dow .DJI fell after data showed U.S. private employers laid off a record 20.236 million workers in April, and remarks by President Donald Trump that cast doubt on a trade deal signed in January with China.

In Australia, energy stocks .AXEJ were the top losers with a drop of more than 2%, after oil fell 4% to below $30 a barrel on Wednesday as U.S. crude stockpiles ticked up and diesel inventories swelled.

Oil Search Ltd (OSH) led the fall with a decline of 3.39%, followed by Santos Ltd (STO) , down 2.47%.

Fuel supplier Viva Energy (VEA) dropped up to 3% after posting a sharp decline in April jet fuel sales amid falling demand.

Gold stocks .AXGD slipped 1% to snap three straight sessions of gains, following a drop in bullion prices overnight.

Dacian Gold Ltd (DCN) shed nearly 5%, while index heavyweight Newcrest Mining (NCM) fell 1.6%.

Financial stocks .AXFJ fell 1.27% , tracking peers in the United States. The "big four" lenders slipped between 1% and 1.8%.

The number of issues on the ASX that advanced were 356 while 445 declined as a 0.8-to-1 ratio favoured decliners. There were 47 new highs and 38 new lows.

In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) rose 0.45% to 10,620.2.

Mobile payment solutions provider Pushpay Holdings Ltd (PPH) was the top gainer on the benchmark index, rising for a fourth straight session to hit a record high.