April 27 (Reuters) - Australian shares extended falls to a...

April 27 (Reuters) - Australian shares extended falls to a third session on Wednesday, weighed down by financial and tech stocks, as worries of aggressive rate hikes and tightened COVID-19 curbs in China dampened risk appetite globally.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) was down 1.1% at 7,241.00 by 0050 GMT after declining 2.1% on Tuesday.

Financials .AXFJ slid 1.4% ahead of inflation data, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) down 1.3% as the country's top lender said Chair Catherine Livingstone would retire in August after more than five years in the role.

The other three of the "Big Four" banks fell between 1.1% and 2%.

Technology stocks .AXIJ were the top losers with a 3.2% drop and on track for their worst session since March 11. Overnight, U.S. shares fell sharply ahead of tech earnings.

Australia-listed shares of Block Inc (SQ2) were down 6.9%, while Xero Ltd (XRO) fell 2.4%.

Gold stocks .AXGD declined 1.5%, with sector heavyweight Newcrest Mining (NCM) down 0.9%, even after bullion prices edged higher overnight.

Miners .AXMM and healthcare stocks .AXHJ retreated 0.9% and 1.2%, respectively.

Meanwhile, energy stocks .AXEJ rose 1% as oil prices extended gains.

In corporate news, wealth manager AMP Ltd (AMP) will sell the real estate and domestic infrastructure equity business of its asset management unit, AMP Capital, to Dexus (DXS) for up to A$550 million ($392.8 million). AMP shares were trading down 1.7%.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) was down 1.2% at 11,673.79.

Shares of Air New Zealand Ltd (AIR) were down more than 2% after the company said it would centralise operations in Auckland and move its workforce in the city to a refurbished airport campus, a decision which would help the airline cut costs by a fifth over 15 years.