Dec 21 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose slightly on Tuesday, helped by gains in financial and energy stocks, even as surging Omicron coronavirus cases triggered tighter restrictions in Europe and clouded the outlook for global economic growth. The S&P/ASX 200 index (.AXJO) gained 0.2% to 7,308.5 by 2343 GMT, after closing 0.2% lower on Monday. While Omicron"s rapid spread across Europe forced a lockdown in the Netherlands and could bring tighter measures elsewhere, Australia is pushing to ease curbs despite a predicted surge in infections, hoping inoculations will help keep people out of hospitals. read more Heavyweight financials (.AXFJ) rose 0.4%, benefiting from gains in the so-called "Big Four" banks. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX), National Australia Bank (NAB.AX), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ.AX) and Westpac Banking Group (WBC.AX) rose between 0.5% and 0.9%. Magellan Financial Group (MFG.AX) fell as much as 2.2% to a more than six-year low, adding to its more than 30% dive on Monday after the fund manager lost a major client. read more Energy stocks (.AXEJ) gained 1.2%, rebounding from a sharp drop on Monday, even as oil prices plunged on demand concerns. Oil and gas explorer Santos (STO.AX) added 1%, while fuel refiner Viva Energy (VEA.AX) hit its highest since Nov. 26 after Jefferies raised its earnings estimates. Technology stocks (.AXIJ) dropped 1.1%, tracking the Nasdaq"s (.IXIC) weaker finish overnight. Buy now, pay later giant Afterpay (APT.AX) fell as much as 3.7% to its lowest since Oct. 6, 2020. Major indexes on Wall Street fell more than 1% overnight as investors worried about the Omicron variant potentially undercutting the economic rebound and a critical setback to U.S. President Joe Biden"s social-spending bill. Shares of construction firm CIMIC Group (CIM.AX) rebounded as much as 2%, a day after reports said the company had not paid wages and other entitlements to more than 100 employees. CIMIC said the employees were under the care of another company and it was working to ensure that they were compensated. New Zealand"s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (.NZ50) fell 0.3% to 12,726.26. Reporting by Harish Sridharan in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu