* IAG (LON:ICAG) seeks fresh capital after business interruption case
* Regis Healthcare rejects A$556.4 mln buyout offer
* Mesoblast soars on collaboration deal with Novartis
Nov 20 (Reuters) - Australian shares edged lower on Friday as investors took stock of surging coronavirus cases and chances of fresh restrictions in the United States, although a report that U.S. lawmakers may restart talks on economic stimulus helped lift sentiment.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO fell 0.1% or 8.8 points to 6,538.30 by 2342 GMT. The benchmark rose 0.2% on Thursday.
Asian markets awaited details on the stimulus talks, hoping for a fresh boost to the world's largest economy whose nascent recovery has recently shown signs of slowing, putting pressure on prospects for all its major trading partners. energy .AXEJ and financial .AXFJ sub-indexes fell around 0.5% each, while mining stocks also pulled back.
Shares of insurance companies edged lower in the wake of a state court ruling that pandemic exclusions should not be used to reject claims from businesses affected by the coronavirus, increasing their potential payout liabilities.
QBE Insurance Group QBE.AX and Suncorp Group SUN.AX dropped, while Insurance Australia Group's IAG.AX shares remained on a trading halt.
IAG sought to raise A$750 million in new equity to help offset a drop of over A$950 million in its regulatory capital due to the recognition of the business interruption claims. Healthcare REG.AX , while not a part of the ASX200, jumped 23% after top shareholder and investment firm Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co SOL.AX offered to buy the struggling aged-care home operator for A$556.4 million. rejection of the offer on Friday sent shares of the prospective buyer down nearly 4%, putting it on track for its biggest drop since May 1. the trend, regenerative medicine company Mesoblast MSB.AX jumped 21% after it announced a collaboration deal with Swedish drug maker Novartis NOVN.S to manufacture and commercialise its lead drug candidate. Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 fell 0.5% to 12,497.56, with Ryman Healthcare RYM.NZ the biggest loser on the index after posting a drop in half-year earnings on rising costs.