News: SUL Australian shares close higher on consumer, tech strength; JB Hi-Fi surges

	  JB Hi-Fi top gainer on ASX200 

	  CAR Group adds 4.5% 

	  CBA & National Australia Bank to report later this week 

	  RBNZ cash rate due Wednesday; July unemployment data for 

Australia due Thursday

(Updates to close)

Australian shares ended higher for a second-straight session on Monday, as gains in consumer and technology stocks outweighed losses in resources stocks, with retailer JB Hi-Fi emerging as the top gainer to kick off a week busy with corporate earnings.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) closed 0.5% higher at 7,813.7 points.

Home entertainment retailer JB Hi-Fi (JBH) hit a record high and closed 8.3% higher, after it announced a special dividend and reported better-than-expected annual results.

"JB Hi-Fi's trading update is stronger than market expectations and increased inventory suggests management is confident of growth in fiscal 2025," analysts at Citi said in a note.

The retailer's update backed gains in peers such as Super Retail (SUL) and Harvey Norman (HVN) , which respectively ended 5% and 3.7% higher.

Online vehicle marketplace business CAR Group (CAR) , formerly known as Carsales, added 4.5% after its annual revenue jumped to A$1.1 billion ($724.02 million).

Among stocks dragging the benchmark, Beach Energy (BPT) ended over 12% lower after the firm, backed by local businessman Kerry Stokes, reported lower earnings and shocked investors with a big downgrade in gas reserves at a field in Victoria.

Rail operator Aurizon (AZJ) fell to its lowest level in more than 16 months after it forecast underwhelming 2025 earnings and missed profit expectations.

Among sub-indexes, financials .AXFJ advanced 0.9% with the "Big Four" banks gaining between 0.6% and 1% as local unemployment data later in the week is set to show that the central bank would continue to hold interest rates and not hike.

Technology stocks .AXIJ rose 1.9% with IT-major Xero (XRO) and software services provider Wisetech Global (WTC) gaining 1.4% and 2.7%, respectively, tracking Western peers.

Mining .AXMM and energy shares .AXEJ , the two major commodity stocks, closed in the negative territory.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) closed 0.3% higher at 12,281.3 points, with investors awaiting the central bank's cash rate decision due later in the week.

($1 = 1.5193 Australian dollars)