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* BHP provides some support to benchmark
* Financials inch up
* New Zealand bolstered by healthcare stocks
By Ambar Warrick
Nov 27 (Reuters) - Australian shares inched up on Tuesday as developments in the U.S.-China trade dispute favoured caution, but heavyweight BHP lent some support after announcing it had found new mineral deposits in South Australia.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 11.6 points or 0.2 percent to 5,683.2 by 0119 GMT. The benchmark fell 0.78 percent on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he expects to move ahead with raising tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent currently. China is Australia's largest trading partner. Group BHP.AX rose nearly 0.8 percent after it said it had identified a potential new iron oxide, copper and gold mineralised system near its Olympic Dam operations in South Australia as part of a copper exploration program. miner, the heaviest stock on the ASX 200 index, also benefited from an overnight rise in oil prices.
Other miners fell amid weaker metal prices and concerns over demand from China. Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) RIO.AX shed about 0.6 percent, while South32 S32.AX lost slightly.
Energy stocks .AXEJ contributed to gains and recovered from a substantial drop on Monday to rise in tandem with oil prices. The sub-index rose about 0.9 percent with oil and gas players Beach Energy BPT.AX and Santos STO.AX in the lead.
Financial stocks .AXFJ rose marginally as the big four banks on the index benefited from bargain buying.
Dale Raynes, Associate Director at CPS Capital, said banks "were up a smidgen" on bargain buying after facing heavy sell-offs in the past few weeks.
Healthcare stocks .AXHJ , which are regarded as the defensive sector of the ASX, rose about 0.4 percent. Index heavyweight CSL Ltd CSL.AX , which conducts most of its business overseas, also benefited from a stronger U.S. dollar .DXY .
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose about 0.25 percent or 22.38 points to 8,684.75 as healthcare stocks gained.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare FPH.NZ extended gains to rise about 2.3 percent after posting an increased interim profit on Monday. Peer Ryman Healthcare RYM.NZ rose about 1.8 percent.