* Healthcare stocks shed 2.2 percent with Cochlear in the lead
* Energy stocks hurt by weak oil prices
* ANZ ends higher after cutting executive pay (Updates to close)
Nov 5 (Reuters) - Australian shares closed lower on Monday, dragged down by healthcare and energy stocks, although financials recovered slightly towards the end of trade.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO fell 0.5 percent or 31.1 points to 5818.1 at the close of trade. The benchmark rose slightly on Friday.
Healthcare stocks .AXHJ fell about 2.2 percent as investors factored in recent strength in the Australian dollar AUD= . Healthcare stocks do most of their business outside of Australia, and any strength in the domestic currency weighs on their turnover.
Hearing devices maker Cochlear COH.AX ended about 3.8 percent lower after a U.S. district court awarded $268.1 million in damages against the company in a patent infringement lawsuit. The stock led declines on the healthcare index. stocks .AXEJ ended lower for a third straight session, as oil prices fell due to U.S. sanctions against Iran being softened by waivers for a number of major buyers. O/R
Oil and gas explorers Beach Energy BPT.AX and Oil Search OSH.AX shed about 2.6 percent and 1.3 percent respectively, with Beach serving as the biggest intraday loser in the sector.
Index heavyweight BHP BHP.AX also ended about 1.2 percent lower, tracking recent weakness in commodity prices.
On the other hand, financial stocks .AXFJ staged a late recovery and ended 0.2 percent higher, as a decline in the country's largest bank CBA.AX was counterbalanced by gains in the other three.
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX ended 1.1 percent higher after it announced pay cuts of about 20 percent for its top executives. Banking Corp WBC.AX closed around 0.6 percent higher despite its annual cash earnings missing expectations. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 fell 0.6 percent or 56.82 points to finish the session at 8778.78, as healthcare and consumer stocks weighed.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp FPH.NZ ended about 2.5 percent lower, while a2 Milk Company ATM.NZ shed 5.1 percent.