News: XEJ Australian shares trade flat as vaccine winners catch breath

• Energy stocks on track for best week ever
• Telecom firm Telstra soars on shake-up plans
• NZ shares eye eighth straight session of gains

Australia's benchmark share index paused on Thursday, after a five-day rally, as losses in energy, financial and travel-related stocks offset a strong showing by tech firms.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) was trading flat by 2345 GMT, having risen as much as 0.3%. However, it was on track for a weekly rise of more than 4%.

Airlines, oil firms, and banks, which rallied during the week on positive coronavirus vaccine-related developments, fell.

"After five days of consecutive gains in those sectors, it is understandable that the markets will be taking a breather, and today is an example of that", said Steven Daghlian, market analyst at CommSec.

Qantas Airways (QAN) , Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) and Sydney Airport Holdings (SYD) declined.

Energy stocks .AXEJ , up more than 15% in their best week ever, were down 0.6%.

Tech stocks .AXIJ jumped more than 3%, tracking gains in U.S. peers overnight, as investors switched back to the sector.

Software firm Xero Ltd (XRO) hit a record high after its half-year profit soared.

The gold sub-index .AXGD slipped more than 1.5%, hitting its lowest since June 22, after bullion prices fell due to a stronger dollar and hopes for a quick economic rebound.

Financial stocks .AXFJ were down as much as 0.9%, with the "Big Four" banks losing between 0.2% and 1.8%.

Among individual stocks, broadcaster Nine Entertainment (NEC) led gains on the benchmark, hitting a two-year high on upbeat outlook.

Australia's biggest telecom firm Telstra Corp (TLS) jumped more than 6% on plans to split into three units as part of a major restructuring.

In New Zealand, the benchmark (nz50) was up 0.3% and on track for its eighth consecutive session of gains.