News: AGL Australia shares backtrack as CBA paints bleak picture, NZ pauses

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Australian shares snapped a four-day winning streak and fell on Wednesday as a record profit from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) was overshadowed by its cautious economic outlook, while New Zealand stocks also fell.

CBA, the nation's No. 2 lender, posted its seventh straight record annual profit but left its final dividend unchanged in a profit announcement, which also showed a significant rise in loan impairments.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) was down 23.1 points, or 0.4 percent, at 5,529.4 by 0249 GMT. The benchmark is up 4 percent so far this year.

"The composition of the result was a little bit disappointing," said IG Markets institutional dealer Chris Weston.

"The investment case (in bank stocks) has always been show us a stable dividend structure and none of that's really changed, but there's very little to inspire in the result."

CBA led the financials lower, down 0.9 percent, while Westpac Banking Corp (WBC) declined 0.8 percent and National Australia Bank (NAB) fell 0.3 percent. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) rose 0.9 percent.

Resources stocks also fell after the prices of base metals and oil lost ground overnight. BHP Billiton (BHP) was down 1 percent, while spin-off South32 declined 2.2 percent. BHP rival Rio Tinto (RIO) was off by 0.9 percent, while iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) dropped 2.1 percent.

Energy supplier AGL (AGL) led energy stocks lower, down 4 percent after posting a net loss, while Origin Energy (ORG) dipped 1.4 percent and Santos (STO) was down 1.8 percent.

Elsewhere, newspaper publisher Fairfax Media (FXJ) fell 4 percent after also posting a yearly loss, as foreshadowed by the company.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX50 index (nz50) lost 10.92 points, or 0.1 percent, to 7,352.24 as the index took a pause after four consecutive sessions of gains.

Casino operator Sky City (SKC) led losses, falling 4.6 percent, poised for its daily biggest percentage loss in 8 years. The company reported full-year profit and revenue growth which fell short of investor expectations.

"We might get this a bit in the reporting season – where expectations have just got well ahead of how these companies are performing," said Grant Williamson, director at broker Hamilton Hindin Greene.

Power companies also struggled with electricity company Trustpower (TPW) down fell 1.5 percent and energy company Mercury (MCY) losing 0.9 percent. Fletcher Building was down 0.7 percent and accounting tech company Xero (XRO) lost 0.4 percent.