* Energy stocks gain on spike in oil prices
* Financial sector drags on global growth concerns
* Gold stocks rise on increased safe haven bets
By Nikhil Subba
Sept 16 (Reuters) - A sharp jump in energy stocks on the back of a surge in global oil prices was not quite enough to lift the Australian market on Monday, as the heavyweight financial index dragged on the bourse amid caution on global growth.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was 0.03% or 1.9 points lower at 6,667.30 by 0256 GMT. The benchmark had inched 0.2% higher on Friday.
Oil prices spiked by about 11% after two plants at the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil industry were attacked on Saturday, knocking out more than 5% of the global oil supply. energy stocks .AXEJ jumped as much as 5.9% to a near four-month peak. Oil and gas major Woodside Petroleum WPL.AX climbed as much as about 8% to a six-week high, while Santos Ltd STO.AX rose nearly 9% to its higest level since late 2014.
Conversely, financial stocks .AXFJ , which constitute more than three quarters of the Australian benchmark, slipped almost 1% with all of the "Big Four" banks - Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA , Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX , National Australia Bank NAB.AX and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX - trading lower.
"While the net effect on the energy sector can be positive from a margin perspective, higher oil prices in general put a drag on economic growth", said Marc Kennis, principal of Pitt Street Research.
Gold stocks .AXGD gained almost 3% as prices for the precious metal rose in safe haven buying. Gold miner Northern Star Resources Ltd NST.AX jumped as much as 7.6% after the company said it would invest $30 million to expand the processing plant at its Pogo gold mine in Alaska. broader mining index .AXMM , rose almost 2% on higher iron ore and nickel prices. BHP Group BHP.AX climbed as much as 6% to its highest in nearly seven weeks.
In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 inched 0.2%, or 17.8 points, lower to 10,845.65.
Electricity retailer Meridian Energy MEL.NZ fell 2.9% to its lowest in two weeks, while airline operator Air New Zealand AIR.NZ shed 2% to hit a low of slightly over three months.