* Aussie shares rise in line with Wall Street
* Healthcare up about 2.2 percent
* NZ shares snap 7 straight sessions of declines
By Niyati Shetty
Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australian shares advanced on Thursday as investors tentatively stepped back into the market thanks to overnight strength on Wall Street, with metals and energy sectors recovering some of their recent losses.
U.S. shares rose on gains as energy and technology shares bounced from a steep sell-off, though traders overall were cautious amid worries about a peak in corporate earnings growth and a slowdown in the global economy. .N
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.7 percent or 40 points to 5,682.8 by 0101 GMT, on course to snap a four-session losing streak. The benchmark shed 0.5 percent on Wednesday.
Investor sentiment was also soothed after Moody's said modest earnings growth in 2019 would benefit Australian corporates. metals and mining index .AXMM gained 1.1 percent as base metal prices rose on a softer dollar and higher equities. The sector lost nearly 3 percent in the previous session. MET/L
Sector heavyweights BHP BHP.AX and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX advanced 1 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.
Mining infrastructure services provider Mineral Resources Ltd MIN.AX surged nearly 33 percent after saying it would sell a 50 percent stake in its lithium project to Albemarle Corp ALB.N for $1.15 billion. energy sub-index .AXEJ added 0.6 percent after touching an eight-month low on Wednesday, as oil prices gained after U.S. government data showed strong demand for refined fuel. O/R
Oil & gas explorer Woodside Petroleum Ltd WPL.AX added 0.8 percent and Oil Search Ltd OSH.AX rose 0.2 percent.
Financial shares were also higher, with three of the "Big Four" banks trading in positive territory. The sector has been under heavily selling pressure this year on revelations of misdeeds among major players, with a slowdown in growth further hurting demand.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX rose 0.6 percent, while Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX was up 1 percent.
In the healthcare sector, drugmaker CSL Ltd CSL.AX was 2.4 percent up and medical equipment maker and hospital operator Ramsay Health Care Ltd RHC.AX advanced 0.6 percent.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 steadied after seven straight sessions of declines, rising 0.5 percent or 42.55 points to 8,714.95.
a2 Milk ATM.NZ jumped 7 percent and Synlait Milk Ltd SML.NZ gained 4.7 percent.