Australia shares down 0.4 percent on weaker miners, eyes on Fed

(Updates to close)
SYDNEY, March 20 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed 0.4
percent lower on Wednesday, clawing back earlier losses on hopes
that the U.S. Federal Reserve will stick to its stimulus policy.
The S&P/ASX 200 index lost 20.1 points to close at
4,967.3, according to the latest data, its lowest since February
12. The benchmark had lost 0.6 percent on Tuesday.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index ended up 0.1
percent at 4,349.4.

(Reporting by Michael Sin and Maggie Lu Yueyang; Editing by
Sanjeev Miglani)