Australia shares gain on boost from healthcare, NZ retreats

© Reuters.

* CSL hits its highest in nearly three months

* Gold stocks snap four day winning streak

* A2 Milk Co set for worst session in more than a month

By Deepali Saxena

Aug 19 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose on Wednesday, buoyed by strong gains in healthcare stocks after the country's biggest biotech firm reported a 17% jump in annual earnings, while a further slowdown in domestic coronavirus cases also lifted sentiment.

The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO gained 0.4% by 0041 GMT. The benchmark advanced 0.8% on Tuesday.

CSL's CSL.AX 2020 results were boosted by higher sales of its immunoglobulin drugs Privigen and Hizentra, which offset lower plasma collections, as movement curbs due to the virus outbreak restricted people from donating blood. company is also in talks with AstraZeneca AZN.L to locally manufacture the British drugmaker's potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Healthcare stocks .AXHJ jumped to their highest in four months, sparked by the gains in CSL which jumped over 4%.

Adding to the positive note, Australia's second most populous state recorded 12 COVID-19 deaths, down from 17 a day earlier, signalling of a further stabilization in new cases. stocks .AXIJ rose 2.1% led by WiseTech Global Ltd WTC.AX , up 20.57%, followed by Afterpay Ltd APT.AX , which gained 1.91%.

The country's no.4 lender by market cap, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX , jumped over 2% after it said it would pay an interim dividend. the mood, gold stocks .AXGD fell 1.16% led by Resolute Mining Ltd RSG.AX , down 8.18%, followed by AngloGold Ashanti Ltd AGG.AX , losing 4.76%.

Saracen Mineral Holdings SAR.AX dropped 1% after the gold miner said it will not pay an annual dividend. other news, Crown Resorts CWN.AX lost more than 1.5% as the country's biggest casino operator posted a plunge in annual profit and scrapped its final dividend. of 0046 GMT, New Zealand's benchmark .NZ50 fell 0.6%, after touching a six-month high in the previous session, pulled lower by dairy and real estate stocks.

A2 Milk Co ATM.NZ was set for its worst session since July 16 as the dairy producer forecast a slightly lower earnings margin for fiscal 2021, while country's largest construction firm Fletcher Building FBU.NZ shed nearly 1.5% after reporting an annual loss.