Australian shares tumble as RBA rate rise back on table

Australian shares have slumped amid investor fears the RBA will raise interest rates again. (Steven Saphore/AAP PHOTOS)

The Australian share market has finished the week on a sour note as persistent inflation has investors worried the Reserve Bank's next interest rate move could be up rather than down.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Thursday fell 107.1 points, or 1.39 per cent, to 7,575.9, to finish the week up 0.11 per cent.