April 9 (Reuters) - Australian shares dipped on Friday, losing steam after a five-day winning streak, as setbacks to the nation's COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans weighed on healthcare stocks, while weak iron ore prices pressured miners.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was down 0.2% at 6,985.4 points in early trade. The benchmark climbed more than 2% for the week and was poised for its third straight weekly gain.
Healthcare stocks .AXHJ shed more than 1% to hit a two-week low, with heavyweight CSL Ltd CSL.AX falling 1.3%.
The Australian government held a meeting with state and territory leaders following an abrupt policy shift that recommended people under 50 to take Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)'s PFE.N COVID-19 vaccine rather than AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN)'s AZN.L shot. ASX 300 metals and mining index .AXMM dipped 0.2% as iron ore prices inched lower in the previous session. BHP Group Ltd BHP.AX shed nearly 1%.
Energy stocks .AXEJ edged 0.1% lower on flat crude prices, led by Beach Energy Ltd BPT.AX , which dropped 2%.
Bucking the sombre mood, technology stocks .AXIJ rose 1.02%, tracking solid overnight gains in their U.S. peers that led to the S&P 500 closing at a record high. .N
Afterpay Ltd APT.AX climbed 3.12%, while EML Payments Ltd EML.AX gained 1.22%.
In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 fell 0.2% to 12,613.8, with healthcare and financials losing the most.
Pacific Edge Ltd PEB.NZ jumped more than 30% after the company said its bladder cancer diagnostic tests are now covered by U.S. insurance giant United Healthcare.