The local share market has rebounded from its midday losses to close slightly higher at the start of the last week of Australia's earnings season.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Monday finished up 9.2 points, or 0.12 per cent, to 7,652.8, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 8.9 points, or 0.11 per cent, to 7,908.1.
The ASX's 11 sectors finished mixed, with five up, five down and property flat.
Energy was the biggest mover, falling two per cent as Brent crude hit an 11-day low of $US81.20 a barrel. Woodside dropped 1.7 per cent and Santos fell 5.3 per cent.
The heavyweight mining sector dipped 0.4 per cent, with Rio Tinto falling 1.5 per cent to $122.58 and BHP and Fortescue both retreating 1.3 per cent, to $43.97 and $27.85 respectively.
Alumina climbed 6.9 per cent to $1.09 after announcing it had received a tentative takeover offer from Alcoa Corp, the aluminium giant that is its joint venture partner.
The two parties have entered into an exclusivity deed with a goal of firming up the potential transaction.
Kogan.com soared 23.7 per cent to a two-year high of $7.57 after the e-retailer said it would resume paying dividends, which it had suspended for three years during the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Director Ruslan Kogan said while the group's transformation to a more efficient platform and software-based model was in its early days, he was never more confident about the outlook for the 18-year-old business.
Endeavour Group dropped 3.4 per cent to a two-month low of $5.08 after the alcohol retailer announced its net profit fell 3.6 per cent to $351 million for the six months to December. So far in the second half, sales were subdued in January but picked up in February, Endeavour said.
The Big Four banks all finished higher, with CBA 1.0 per cent to $115.92, Westpac adding 0.4 per cent to $26.04, ANZ growing 0.3 per cent to $28.37 and NAB edging 0.1 per cent higher at $33.90.
In small caps, NextEd Group plunged 33.3 per cent to a more than three-year low of 35c after the tertiary education provider issued a trading update.
The Australian dollar was buying 65.56 US cents, from 65.70 US cents at Friday's ASX close.
ON THE ASX:
* The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Monday up 9.2 points, or 0.12 per cent, to 7,652.8
* The broader All Ordinaries gained 8.9 points, or 0.11 per cent, to 7,908.1.
CURRENCY SNAPSHOT:
One Australian dollar buys:
* 65.56 US cents, from 65.70 US cents at Friday's ASX close
* 98.60 Japanese yen, from 98.96 yen
* 60.56 Euro cents, from 60.69 Euro cents
* 51.75 British pence, from 51.89 pence
* 106.26 NZ cents, from 105.98 NZ cents.
