(Updates to close) Aug. 31 (Reuters) - Australian shares...

(Updates to close)

Aug. 31 (Reuters) - Australian shares finished at their lowest in more than six weeks on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar strengthened ahead of U.S. jobs data this week, hurting basic materials and energy stocks.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) was 45.29 points, or 0.83 percent, lower at 5433 at the close of trade.

The benchmark lost 2.3 percent on the month, with billboard business APN Outdoor Group (APO) and aged-care facilities operator Estia Health (EHE) Ltd posting the biggest losses.

Miner Rio Tinto (RIO) posted monthly losses of about 4 percent, while gold producer Newcrest Mining (NCM) shed 11.2 percent.

The financial index .AXFJ lost 2.6 percent on the month, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) losing the most among the "Big Four" banks.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) finished the session flat at 7398.83.

The benchmark was 0.7 percent higher on the month, with Heartland Bank Ltd (HBL) and reitirement villages operator Summerset Group Holdings (SUM) driving the gains.