Updates to close

By Rajasik Mukherjee and Ayushman Ojha

Aug 13 (Reuters) -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 .AXJO rose 0.2% to 7,826.8 points at the close of trade, logging their third straight session of gains.

Orora ORA.AX jumped nearly 20% afterdumping 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.AX 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.AX 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.AX and National Australia Bank NAB.AX, 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.AX 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.AX, 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)

Reporting by Rajasik Mukherjee & Ayushman Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman

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