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By Nichiket Sunil

Jan 14 (Reuters) - Australian shares snapped a three-day losing streak to end higher on Tuesday as mining and energy stocks received a boost from higher global commodity prices.

The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO closed 0.5% higher. The benchmark ended 1.2% lower on Monday.

Miners .AXMM, the second-heaviest weighted sector, jumped 1.4% as iron ore prices hit their highest in a week, helped by favourable Chinese trade data for December and hopes of additional stimulus from the top consumer.

Top miners BHP Group BHP.AX gained 1.4%, while Rio Tinto RIO.AX and Fortescue FMG.AX advanced 0.9% and 2.9%, respectively. IRONORE/

China is Australia's top trading partner.

Grady Wulff, a market analyst at Bell Direct, said that "hopes of further (China) stimulus" and the favourable trade data were contributing factors in the iron ore rally.

China's upbeat trade data is a "strong boost for the iron ore miners, but we need to see a material uplift in demand and sales to the region for commodities before a true recovery can be deemed," Wulff said.

Energy stocks .AXEJ added 1.2% as oil prices lingered near a four-month high. Index heavyweight Woodside Energy WDS.AX advanced 0.5%. O/R

Banks .AXFJ, however, ended marginally lower, logging their fourth straight session of losses on the day.

Lenders' rich valuations and sharp gains notched last year are prompting investors to book profits, according to analysts.

The spotlight is now on domestic employment data, due on Wednesday, for clues on the Reserve Bank of Australia's monetary policy path.

Investors see a 67% chance of a 25-basis-point rate cut by the RBA in February. 0#AUDIRPR

Ingenia Communities INA.AX gained the most among index consituents today, adding 15.0% after hiking its earnings outlook for FY25, while Star Entertainment SGR.AX gained 12% after a major shareholder increased their stake in the troubled casino operator.

In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 0.4% to finish the session at 12,884.38.

(Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)

((Nichiket.Sunil@thomsonreuters.com;))

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