Oct 2 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell 0.3% on Monday dragged by financials and energy stocks, while cautious investors awaited the key interest rate decision by the country's central bank.

The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.3% to 7021.9 by 2322 GMT. The benchmark settled 0.3% higher on Friday.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is scheduled to give out its interest rate decision, with expectations that it would hold its key interest rate steady at 4.10% on Tuesday but hike it to a peak of 4.35% next quarter, a Reuters poll of economists showed.

Separately, data in the U.S. on Friday showed the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, excluding the volatile food and energy components, increased 3.9% on an annual basis for August. The Federal Reserve tracks the PCE price indexes for its 2% inflation target.

Back in Sydney, financials descended 0.7% with all the "big four" banks trading in negative territory.

A slump in oil prices took energy stocks lower 0.9%.

Sector Major Woodside Energy and Santos toppled over 0.9%.

On the other hand, both gold stocks and technology stocks gained 0.1%, each.

Export reliant miners also rose 0.2%, with Behemoths BHP Group and Rio Tinto trading in the positive territory.

Among individual stocks, Liontown Resources gained 0.7% after Hancock prospecting increased its stake to 12.4% in the company.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index fell 0.5% to 11,239.64.

The country's central bank is also scheduled to give out its interest rate decision on Wednesday, with a Reuters poll estimating that the bank would hold its key interest rate at 5.50%.

(Reporting by Nausheen Thusoo in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)