News: XHJ Australian shares inch up on banking strength; Orora top gainer

	  Orora ends 19% higher 

	  RBNZ to hold cash rate on Wednesday 

	  CSL slumps on bleak fiscal 2025 forecast 

(Updates to close)

Australian shares ended higher on Tuesday, led by financials and miners and as packaging maker Orora jumped after rejecting a $2 billion-worth takeover offer, while biotech firm CSL and recruitment platform Seek capped gains after weak forecasts.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) rose 0.2% to 7,826.8 points at the close of trade, logging their third straight session of gains.

Orora (ORA) jumped nearly 20% after dumping an A$3.42 billion ($2.25 billion) buyout from a private equity entity, stating that the offer undervalued the firm. The company was the top gainer on the benchmark.

Metal recycling firm Sims (SGM) closed 10.7% in the green after investors cheered its plans to sell its UK metals business for around 195 million pounds ($249.50 million).

Wealth platform Challenger (CGF) rose 6.5% after it beat annual earnings estimates and gave out a rosy outlook.

Meanwhile, an index of consumer sentiment rose 2.8% in August from July, a six-month-high, "effectively easing fears of an imminent economic recession," said Hebe Chan, market analyst at IG Markets.

This pushed financials .AXFJ 0.9% higher, with investors now turning their focus to earnings from two of the "Big Four" banks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and National Australia Bank (NAB) , due later in the week.

Tracking the broader sentiment, miners .AXMM and energy stocks .AXEJ closed 0.4% and 0.6% higher, despite falling underlying prices.

Online jobs portal Seek (SEK) closed 6.6% lower on swinging to an annual loss and weak earnings forecast.

Healthcare firms .AXHJ were the biggest laggard on the benchmark with a 2.9% fall, as CSL (CSL) , the country's priciest stock lost 4.6% after predictions of next fiscal earnings missed estimates.

Tech .AXIJ , real estate .AXRE and industrials .AXNJ traded in the green.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) ended 0.3% higher at 12,319.1 points. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is expected to hold cash rate unchanged on Wednesday's policy meeting, according to a Reuters Poll.

($1 = 1.5186 Australian dollars)

($1 = 0.7816 pounds)