(Updates to close) Sept 2 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed...

(Updates to close)

Sept 2 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed lower for a third consecutive session on Friday as the prospect of strong U.S. jobs data, which could help seal the deal for a Federal Reserve rate rise in the near term, kept investors on tenterhooks.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) finished 42.76 points, or 0.8 percent, lower at 5372.8. The benchmark, which closed 0.3 percent lower on Thursday, lost about 2.6 percent, or 142.67 points, on the week.

Aged care facilities operator Estia Health Ltd (EHE) and health food maker Select Harvest (SHV) were the day's biggest losers, shedding 6 percent and 9 percent respectively.

While the healthcare and telecom services sectors dragged the index down this session, basic materials .AXMJ and telecoms .AXTJ were the week's biggest losers.

Financials .AXFJ shed 1.9 percent on the week, with Westpac Banking Corp (WBC) losing 3.1 percent and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) down 3.2 percent.

Miners Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO) and BHP Billiton Ltd (BHP) lost 2.9 percent and 4.9 percent respectively, on the week.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) finished flat at 7426.11 points, with gains in staples, basic materials and technology offset by energy and financials.

Westpac Banking Corp (WBC) lost 2 percent, while fuel retailer Z Energy Ltd (ZEL) shed 1.2 percent

The benchmark gained half a percent this week.