* Mining index dragged by overnight fall in iron ore prices
* Healthcare stocks gain for second straight session
* Consumer and utilities stocks boost NZ benchmark (Updates to close)
Nov 28 (Reuters) - Australian shares edged lower on Wednesday as Sino-U.S. trade uncertainty ahead of talks between the leaders of the two countries and an overnight fall in commodity prices weighed on sentiment.
Investors were wary of buying into riskier assets amid conflicting comments from White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow and U.S. President Donald Trump on the likelihood of a thaw in the Sino-U.S. trade dispute.
Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are due to hold talks, centring on the contentious trade issues, on the sidelines of a G20 gathering in Argentina at the weekend. MKTS/GLOB
Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO closed down 0.06 percent or 3.20 points at 5,725.10, after rising 1 percent on Tuesday.
A 1 percent loss in metals and mining stocks .AXMM , which hit their lowest level in nearly a year, dragged down the benchmark.
Iron ore futures in China firmed on Wednesday after expectations of slower demand pushed prices to their lowest level in four-and-a-half months in the previous session. IRONORE/
The downturn in commodity prices underscored broader worries globally about a slowdown in world trade, investment and growth, prompting equity investors to cut their losses or take money off the table before year-end.
Global miners BHP Group Ltd BHP.AX and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX fell 0.8 and 2.2 percent, respectively.
Financial stocks .AXFJ ended lower, led by wealth manager AMP Ltd AMP.AX falling 3.3 percent after it confirmed a total bill of A$778 million to compensate customers who had been wrongly charged or received bad advice. the trend, Australia's healthcare sector .AXHJ , traditionally considered a safe haven during times of markets or economic stress, rose 0.1 percent for its second day of gains.
Index heavyweights CSL Ltd CSL.AX and Resmed Inc RMD.AX advanced 0.2 percent and nearly 1 percent respectively.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 0.46 percent to finish at 8,713.96, boosted by consumer and utilities stocks.
Mobile commerce developer Pushpay Holdings PPH.NZ rallied nearly 5 percent, while dairy firm a2 Milk Company Ltd ATM.NZ rose 3.7 percent.