* Australia tightens movement controls to curb virus spread
* Glove maker Ansell sees best day since 1987
* NZ records first coronavirus-tied death on Sunday
By Shreya Mariam Job
March 30 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose on Monday after a sharp drop in the previous session, driven by the healthcare and financial sectors, while fears of a deep recession due to the coronavirus outbreak continued to weigh on material and energy stocks.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 1.4%, or 68.6 points, to 4,911.00 by 0101 GMT after Friday's 5.3% fall. For the month, the index has lost more than 23%, heading for its biggest monthly drop ever.
"The market is marching to its own drum today. After a 7% reversal on Friday, that took the index from gain to loss, selling is more moderate," Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets said.
Among gainers on the benchmark stock index, the healthcare sub-index .AXHJ jumped as much as 5.2% helped by a rise in demand for gloves.
Ansell ANN.AX soared 21.6% in its best intraday gain since 1987 after the industrial and medical glove maker reaffirmed its full-year forecast and reported a rise in demand for its products. .AXFJ climbed 2.7% on bargain-hunting. Lenders had been the worst hit by the market volatility, shedding about 40% from a Feb. 21 peak to last close.
The "Big Four" banks rose between 2.5% and 4.1%, with Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX gaining the most.
"Utility and consumer discretionary stocks are also finding support as investors seek stocks that are unaffected, or could benefit from the current economic environment," McCarthy said.
Supermarket chain operators Coles Group COL.AX and Woolworths Group WOW.AX rose 3.4% and 2.5%, respectively.
However, fears of a global shutdown lasting for months dampened sentiment toward stocks exposed to international shocks.
Material stocks took a beating, with global miner BHP Group Ltd BHP.AX shedding 3.2%, while Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX slipped 1.4%.
Energy stocks .AXEJ also fell, pressured by a 7% slump in U.S. Crude futures CLc1 . Santos Ltd STO.AX dropped 5.3%, while Caltex Australia CTX.AX slipped 3.5%. O/R
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 fell 1%, or 97.54 points, to 9,459.19. The country recorded its first death related to the new coronavirus on Sunday. Building FBU.NZ shed 6.4%, while Goodman Property GMT.NZ dropped 5.1%.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand said it would deploy more tools to provide additional liquidity to the companies and support market functioning.