ASX ends slightly lower, but holds on for 2.6pc monthly gain

The Australian sharemarket fell slightly on Friday, but held on for a fifth consecutive month, as investors moved to take profits as a volatile earnings season comes to a close.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index lost 6.90 points, or 0.1 per cent to 8973.10. The bourse closed up 2.6 per cent for the month after an increase of 0.1 per cent for the week - the fourth straight week of gains. The benchmark is now up more than 25 per cent from its April lows.
Real estate saw broad falls to be the worst of the five sectors that slumped as Stockland fell 1.4 per cent to $6.19. Banks weighed as well as Commonwealth Bank dropped 1.2 per cent to $170.81 and Westpac by 1.1 per cent to $38.55.
Tech was the strong sector as NextDC roared 17.4 per cent to $16.50, as markets liked capital efficiency plans that removed near-term equity raise concerns.
Stocks on the move
In corporate news, Virgin Australia fell 1.2 per cent to $3.45 on concerns that it might not beat analysts' earnings expectations this year, even as annual earnings rose 28 per cent in 2025.
Harvey Norman soared 10.4 per cent to $6.82 after its profit rose 39 per cent to $753.1 million, well above market expectations.
Conveyancer PEXA plunged 8.6 per cent to $15.46 as its $41 million profit came in 11 per cent below consensus.
Austal surged 14.5 per cent to $7.73 amid a record order pipeline and a strategic shipbuilding agreement with the federal government.
Mesoblast tumbled 9.5 per cent to $2.18 as its full-year loss widened to $US102.1 million ($156.2 million).
Boss Energy rose 7.7 per cent to $1.95 as it generated positive cash flow of $17.4 million from its first full-year production results from the Honeymoon and Alta Mesa uranium operations.
Cettire gained 5 per cent to 31.5 as it placed an increased emphasis on profitability this financial year as it deals with the impacts of US tariffs.
Bubs Australia rose 9 per cent to 18 after its first statutory profit after tax of $5.5 million in the past year.

Sumber : AFR