http://nz.biz.yahoo.com//090518/26/cdl8.html

WELLINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) - Australian stocks slipped 0.9 percent lower on Monday, led by lower resources firms such as BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP.ax) and financial stocks such as banks, on concerns over the health of the global economy.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO index fell 35.9 points to 3,737.3 by 0015 GMT.

New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index .NZ50 was fractionally lower at 2,783.9. (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate)