The Australian share market has suffered three consecutive weeks of losses despite snapping a three-day losing streak as reporting season draws to a close.
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The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index edged 21.6 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 7,307 on Friday but finished the week down 0.54 per cent.
The broader All Ordinaries closed 20.2 points higher, or 0.27 per cent, at 7,512.7.
After a strong start to the year, the ASX has experienced "the pullback we've been waiting for," City Index senior market analyst Matt Simpson told AAP.
A growing consensus that the US and Australian central banks will raise interest rates further has suppressed share prices, with a string of reports out of the US showing stronger-than-expected economic conditions.
But positive signs are emerging for investors too, including China's relaxation of trade bans on Australian coal exports.
"I think we are very close to an inflection point and a move higher for the ASX,"Â Mr Simpson said.
"It's just global sentiment that is stopping it from happening at the moment."
All sectors but mining finished up, with tech, property, industrials and consumer discretionaries rising by more than 1.0 per cent.
The big miners dragged down the index with Rio Tinto the biggest loser, down 3.6 per cent to $118.92.
BHP fell 1.6 per cent to $45.94 and Fortescue was 1.7 per cent lower, at $22.44.
Financials finished up, led by Australia's biggest bank, CBA, which climbed 1.3 per cent to $101.22.
NAB rose 0.3 per cent to $29.85, ANZ was up 0.1 per cent at $24.79 and Westpac was basically flat.
Aristocrat Leisure rose 2.8 per cent to $36.88 after the world's biggest poker machine manufacturer extended its share buyback by another $500m.
Activist shareholder Stephen Mayne's bid for a board seat was rejected during a fiery AGM, in which he criticised Aristocrat for not embracing cashless gaming measures proposed in NSW.
Fellow gambling giant Star Entertainment also enjoyed a positive trading session, finishing up 8.6 per cent at $1.52 after raising $595m in equity from investors.
The world's first publicly-listed law firm, Slater & Gordon, is set to end its 15-year dalliance with the ASX after the board agreed to a $150m takeover bid from private equity firm Allegro Funds.
"We don't belong on the stock exchange," chairman James MacKenzie declared.
With most big name companies having already reported earnings, middling players took centre stage on Friday.
Brambles finished up 7.5 per cent to a six-month high of $12.97 after the pallet container company announced its first-half profit after tax had risen 9.0 per cent to $US331.1 million ($486m).
"This is an outstanding result for Brambles, with the business delivering strong revenue and profit growth with operating leverage despite the challenging external environment and ongoing inflationary pressures," CEO Graham Chipchase said.
Avita Medical grew 20.2 per cent to a 13-month high of $3.16 after CEO Jim Corbett announced the spray-on-skin producer was preparing for the full commercial launch of new soft tissue repair medications in July, pending FDA approvals.
Block finished up 5.9 per cent to $115.31 after the Afterpay owner announced that its fourth-quarter gross profit rose 40 per cent to $US1.66 billion.
Shares in Ardent Leisure rocketed up 5.1 per cent to a six-year high of 72c, after the theme park operator announced its profits were back on track after a rollercoaster few years.
Omni Bridgeway plunged 18.7 per cent to $2.95 a day after the litigation financing company announced a half-year net loss of $30.1m and the retirement of CEO Andrew Saker.
Cogstate dropped 27.4 per cent to $1.18 after the dementia assessment company downgraded guidance, saying the Alzheimer's trials by its pharmaceutical company partners were progressing slower than expected.
A few more companies will report early next week, including Woodside Energy on Monday and Harvey Norman on Tuesday.
The Australian dollar was buying 68.14 US cents, down from 68.29 at Thursday's ASX close.
ON THE ASX:
* The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Friday up 21.6 points, or 0.3 per cent, at 7,307.
* The broader All Ordinaries dropped 20.2 points, or 0.27 per cent, to 7,512.7.
CURRENCY SNAPSHOT:
One Australian dollar buys:
* 68.14 US cents, from 68.29 US cents at Wednesday's ASX close
* 91.68 Japanese yen, from 91.98 Japanese yen
* 64.27 Euro cents, from 64.23 Euro cents
* 56.66 British pence, from 56.58 pence
* 109.24 NZ cents, from 109.31 NZ cents.
Australian Associated Press