Mining index at 7-year closing high on solid resource prices...

• Mining index at 7-year closing high on solid resource prices
• Gold stocks end at 6-year high
• Financial shares shed early gains, end flat

(Updates to close)

Feb 18 (Reuters) - Australian shares climbed across the board on Monday, lifted by renewed hopes for a resolution soon for the bitter trade war between the United States and China.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) rose 0.4 percent, or 23.7 points, to 6,089.80 at the close. The benchmark inched up 0.1 percent on Friday.

Investors in many countries were cheered when both governments reported progress after five days of talks in Beijing last week, and by how negotiations will continue in Washington this week.

Some concerns about a March 1 deadline were alleviated after U.S. President Donald Trump repeated on Friday that he may extend the date for a deal and keep tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods from rising that day.

Mining giants BHP Group (BHP) and Rio Tinto (RIO) boosted the metals and mining index .AXMM to a seven-year closing high. The shares advanced 1.5 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.

Prices of base metals and iron ore rose on optimism over the outlook for demand in China, the biggest importer of raw materials from Australia.

Gold stocks .AXGD ended the session at a more than six-year high, as prices firmed against a weaker U.S. dollar.

The energy sub-index .AXEJ ended 1.6 percent up after oil prices rose to 2019 highs in early trade on Monday, amid OPEC-led supply cuts and U.S.-imposed sanctions on major producers such as Venezuela and Iran

Oil and gas explorer Woodside Petroleum Ltd (WPL) moved up 2.3 percent and peer Santos Ltd (STO) 1.2 percent.

The index of financial shares .AXFJ saw early gains erased. Westpac Banking Corp (WBC) gained 0.2 percent while Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) dipped 0.3 percent.

Westpac's rise came in spite of posting a decline in December-quarter profit amid a downturn in the housing market. The bank said higher mortgage rates improved profit margins.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) was up as much as 0.7 percent early on, but the gains were shed, leaving it flat at 9,245.44 at the session's end.

Auckland International Airport Ltd (AIA) fell 1.7 percent. a2 Milk Company Ltd (ATM) was the index's best performer, jumping 3.6 percent ahead of Wednesday's announcement of first-half results.