By Cecile Lefort and Rebecca Howard
SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - Australia's benchmark share index paused near a one-year high on Friday, though a rally in the natural resources sector offset some losses in energy and financials, while New Zealand stocks touched another all-time high.
Both indices looked poised for another week of solid gains.
Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO eased 0.3 percent or 17.2 points to 5,495.2 by 0246 GMT, but was still close to a near one-year peak of 5,531.9 reached on Thursday.
The index has added 1.3 percent so far this week, bringing the month's gains to 5 percent. If sustained, July will have the biggest monthly increase since March.
Likewise, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 is up nearly 5 percent in July, as both indices have recovered from a slump after the June 23 Brexit vote.
Friday's biggest gainers in Australia were miners, boosted by a 1.8 percent rally in prices of iron ore, the nation's largest export earner.
Also helping was a jump in the prices of metals like nickel and zinc, which on Thursday touched their highest levels in more than a year.
BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) Ltd BHP.AX leapt 1.3 percent and its spin-off, South32 Ltd S32.AX edged up 0.4 percent.
Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX rose nearly 1 percent, while Newcrest Mining was up 3.1 percent following a gold rally in the last session.
Energy stocks, however, fell. Oil Search OSH.AX was off 1.7 percent after it lost out to ExxonMobil Corp XOM.N for making acquisition in Papua New Guinea. Petroleum and Santos Energy dropped around 1.3 percent each following recent falls in oil prices.
Banks also came under pressure with National Australia Bank NAB.AX leading losses with a 1 percent drop following a management restructuring. Bank ANZ.AX was not far behind with a loss of 1.1 percent, while Westpac Bank WBC.AX edged down 0.6 percent. Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX was unchanged.
Medical technology company Rhinomed RNO.AX up 5.6 percent after it launched a new product in the U.S. market. Personal hygiene products maker Asaleo Care AHY.AX plunged 33 percent to an all-time low after it cut profit guidance for 2016. Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 reached another all-time high, at 7,241.19, and at 0320 GMT was up 0.4 percent at 7,240.47 as the central bank hinted at more rate cuts to come.
The biggest gainers were Steel & Tube STU.NZ , up 3.8 percent and Vital Healthcare VPH.NZ , up 2.9 percent.
Comvita CVT.NZ shed 3.5 percent.
For more individual stocks activity click on STXBZ
(Editing by Richard Borsuk)