* ASX 200 records best week since July

* Fortescue hits record weekly high

* Financials hit biggest weekly high since February

Dec 15 (Reuters) - Australian shares ended higher on Friday, boosted by mining and financial stocks and upbeat global sentiment after the Federal Reserve signalled lower borrowing costs next year.

The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 0.7% higher at 7,431.10. The benchmark notched gains of 3.3% for the week, its best since the start of July.

On Wednesday, the Fed stuck to its dovish script on interest rates, with policymakers expecting rates to be lower in 2024.

Meanwhile, Australian employment data on Thursday surpassed expectations, but the jobless rate rose to a one-and-a-half-year high, adding to signs of loosening in the labour market.

"In theory, the data should have led to a touch of weakness in stocks, because the numbers are reflective of an economy that could require further rate rises. However, the 'everything rally' (after the Fed meeting) flowed through to the ASX and outweighed the domestic story," said Kyle Rodda, senior market analyst at Capital.com.

In Sydney, mining stocks led sectoral gains, rising 2% and hitting their biggest weekly high since end-April as they tracked lithium and uranium prices and other commodities.

Heavyweights BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Fortescue were up between 1.4% and 2.4%. Fortescue hit a record weekly high.

Financials moved up 0.5%, marking their highest weekly gains since February, while the 'Big Four' banks rose between 0.5% and 1.2%.

Energy stocks also advanced 2%, in-line with climbing oil prices after the Fed's bullish forecast.

Sector majors Woodside Energy and Santos rose 1.4% and 3.2%, respectively.

In company news, shares of Healius fell as much as 9.2% after Australia's competition regulator killed a $1 billion takeover of the healthcare provider by rival Australian Clinical Labs.

Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was largely flat, closing 0.02% lower at 11,550.20. (Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)