Australia shares fall on worry about Italy, Wall Street slide

(Updates to close)
SYDNEY, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell 1 percent
on Tuesday on euro zone instability fears as Italy faces a
political deadlock and after Wall Street suffered its biggest
fall since November.
The S&P/ASX 200 index was 52.2 points lower
according to the latest data, trimming losses from earlier in
the session. The benchmark rose 0.8 percent on Monday, keeping
the market close to a 4-1/2 year high hit last week.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index closed the
session 0.3 percent or 12.5 points higher at 4,238.9.

(Reporting by Thuy Ong; Editing by Richard Borsuk)