(Updates to close) Australian shares pared early losses on...

(Updates to close)

Australian shares pared early losses on Tuesday on investor views that Democratic Hillary Clinton won the first U.S. president debate with Republican rival Donald Trump.

Traders are wary over the uncertainty that a Trump presidency might bring, especially in areas of U.S. foreign policy, trade and the domestic economy, while viewing Clinton as the candidate of status quo.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) finished down 0.5 percent at 5,405.9 points, after slumping 1.1 percent in early trade.

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials (GIC) Index .AXFJ ended 0.73 percent lower, with Australia's "big four" banks leading losses.

Renewable energy company Infigen Energy Ltd (IFN) was the biggest percentage loser on the index, falling 5 percent to its lowest in almost four months. Coal miner Whitehaven Coal (WHC) also ended 3.1 percent lower.

Qantas Airways (QAN) shed 2.2 percent, its biggest percentage loss in a little more than two weeks after snapping four straight sessions of gains.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) also pared early losses to end down nearly 0.2 percent, or 12 points, after receding 0.6 percent in morning trade.

Losses in financials and telecommunication services were offset by gains in materials and healthcare stocks.

Fletcher Building Ltd (FBU), the second biggest gainer on the index ended 1.6 percent higher, while energy company Genesis Energy Ltd (GNE) slipped 1.78 percent after crude futures fell on profit-taking. [O/R]