NZ stocks close 1.45 percent lower

WELLINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) - New Zealand's benchmark stock index closed down 1.45 percent to a three-week low on Monday, as it tracked Wall Street's sharp decline.

The benchmark NZX-50 index .NZ50 closed unofficially down 51.59 points at 3,496.50, just above its session low.

Top stock Telecom Corp (TEL.NZ: Quote, Profile, Research) was 1 cent or 0.3 percent lower at NZ$3.85, with the second biggest stock Contact Energy (CEN.NZ: Quote, Profile, Research) shedding 2.4 percent to NZ$8.64, and the number three stock Fletcher Building Ltd (FBU.NZ: Quote, Profile, Research) also down 2.4 percent to NZ$7.37.

Brokers said activity had been thinned by a public holiday in neighbouring Australia reducing investors.

Stock markets around Asia were lower after U.S. stocks plunged 3.1 percent on Friday, their biggest fall in 15 months, as data showed unemployment jumping the highest in 22 years and oil prices hitting record highs. (NZ$1=$1.30)