(Adds Top End Uranium, updates indexes) 
    SYDNEY, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Australian shares were flat on 
Monday as weaker oil and gold prices pressured resource firms 
such as Woodside Petroleum Ltd <WPL.AX> and Newcrest Mining 
<NCM.AX>, though optimism over a plan to help stem the U.S. 
subprime crisis buoyed major banks. 
     The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index <.AXJO> edged down 2.8 
points to 6,530.3 by 0105 GMT, after rising as much as 0.45 
percent earlier in the session. The index had risen a total of 
2.6 percent in the previous two sessions. 
    New Zealand's benchmark NZX-50 index <.NZ50> rose 0.3 
percent, or 12.05 points, to 4,074.94. The top stock, Telecom 
Corp of New Zealand Ltd <TEL.NZ>, was up 0.9 percent at NZ$4.36. 
    STOCKS ON THE MOVE 
    * Top End Uranium Ltd <TEU.AX> made a lacklustre trading 
debut, opening little changed from its issue price of A$0.20. 
    Shares in the uranium exploration company opened at A$0.205 
and last traded at A$0.20. 
    0104 GMT 
    * Top banks rose on news that the U.S. Treasury and U.S. 
mortgage industry leaders are close to finalising a plan that 
would freeze interest rates for subprime borrowers before they 
reset sharply higher [ID:nN30295202]. 
    National Australia Bank Ltd <NAB.AX> rose 2.2 percent to 
A$39.15 and Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd <CBA.AX> gained 
0.8 percent to A$60.13. 
    Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd <ANZ.AX> added 
0.6 percent to A$28.32 while Westpac Banking Corp <WBC.AX> rose 
0.9 percent to A$28.58. 
    2347 GMT 
    * Mining firms gained on firmer base metal prices, with 
copper rising to a two-week high, while lead and nickel prices 
also ended a touch higher [ID:nL30358738]. 
    BHP, the world's top miner and Australia's top oil and gas 
producer, rose 0.8 percent to A$43.32, while its main rival and 
takeover target, Rio Tinto Ltd <RIO.AX>, was up 0.2 percent at 
A$145.47. 
    2344 GMT 
    * Energy firms fell as oil prices dropped to a one-month low 
under $89 a barrel on Friday on concerns about the economic 
health of top consumer the United States [ID:nSP334572]. 
    Woodside Petroleum Ltd <WPL.AX> fell 0.7 percent to A$48.17, 
Santos Ltd <STO.AX> dropped 2.2 percent to A$13.99 and Oil 
Search Ltd <OSH.AX> fell 2.6 percent to A$4.52. 
    2344 GMT 
    * Gold miners fell after the price of the precious metal 
<XAU=> slid around 2 percent to touch a 10-day low on Friday, as 
the market gave way to fund profit-taking for month- and 
year-end [ID:nL30464471]. 
    Newcrest Mining Ltd <NCM.AX> lost 1.8 percent to A$33.16, 
Lihir Gold <LGL.AX> dropped 2.1 percent to A$3.83, Sino Gold 
<SGX.AX> was down 2.9 percent at A$6.80. 
    2342 GMT 
    * Crown Ltd <CWN.AX>, the gaming company formed after the 
split up of media and gaming firm Publishing and Broadcasting 
Ltd, opened at A$14.88 on its trading debut and last traded at 
A$14.50. 
    Consolidated Media Holdings <PBLDA.AX>, which houses PBL's 
publishing assets, opened at A$3.70 and last traded at A$3.92. 
    PBL closed at A$20.80 on Friday, when it was delisted. 
    2341 GMT 
 ($1=A$1.13) 
 ($1=NZ$1.31) 
 (Reporting by Geraldine Chua) 
 (([email protected]; +612 9373 1818; Reuters 
Messaging:[email protected])) 
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