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Jan 8 (Reuters) - Australian shares struggled for momentum on Monday as investors awaited more clues on global monetary policy trajectory after mixed U.S. economic data last week, with focus now on a key local inflation report due later in the week.

The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was flat at 7,491.40, as of 2354 GMT, after posting its worst week since mid-October last week.

Data on Friday showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected last month, raising some doubts about expectations that the Federal Reserve would start cutting interest rates in March.

However, a survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed that the U.S. services sector slowed considerably last month.

In Australia, focus has now turned to November inflation and retail sales data, which will likely sway the direction of monetary policy in the country.

Unlike the Fed, which adopted a dovish stance at its December policy meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia considered hiking rates last month, but decided there were enough encouraging signs on inflation to pause for more data.

In Sydney, energy stocks .AXEJ jumped 1.1%, hitting the highest level since Nov. 7. Shares of Woodside Energy WDS.AX rose 0.9%.

Mining stocks .AXMM were largely unchanged, even as Rio Tinto RIO.AX and Fortescue FMG.AX rose 0.7% and 0.4%, respectively.

Gold stocks .AXGD climbed 0.3%. Shares of Northern Star Resources NST.AX jumped 0.8%.

Financial stocks .AXFJ were largely unchanged, with ANZ Group ANZ.AX up 0.3%, while Commonwealth Bank Of Australia CBA.AX slid 0.4%.

Among individual stocks, Boss Energy BOE.AX jumped nearly 9% to become the top gainer in the ASX 200 benchmark index. The stock hit its highest level since Nov. 03.

In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 retreated 0.2% to 11,719.25.

(Reporting by John Biju in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

((john.biju@thomsonreuters.com))

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