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Oct 31 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose on Friday to snap three straight sessions of losses, bolstered by gains in banks and miners, while shares of Origin Energy ORG.AX fell to over a two-month low after the firm logged a sequential fall in its first-quarter revenue.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.5% to 8,930.80 points by 0004 GMT. The benchmark closed 0.5% lower on Thursday.
Power producer Origin emerged as one of the top losers on the benchmark after the company logged a 12% sequential fall in revenue for the first quarter from its stake in the Australia Pacific LNG project, hurt by lower LNG volumes and prices.
Shares of the firm fell as much as 6.3% to A$11.81, set for their weakest trading session since April 7.
Separately, shares of insurance broker Steadfast Group emerged as the top loser on the benchmark, falling as much as 18.9% to A$5.03 to their lowest since November 16, 2022.
The company, after the bell on Thursday, said its managing director and CEO Robert Kelly will temporarily step aside from his role while an external investigation is carried out into a workplace complaint made against him.
Meanwhile, on the local bourse, banks .AXFJ gained 0.8%, with the "Big Four" rising between 0.1% and 1.3%.
Miners .AXMM advanced 1.2% as well, boosted by gold miners rising on the back of higher bullion prices. GOL/
Gold miners Evolution Mining EVN.AX and Northern Star Resources NST.AX rose 3.5% and 3.8%, respectively.
In contrast, discretionary stocks .AXDJ extended losses for a third consecutive session, weighed down by JB Hi Fi JBH.AX, as the firm fell for a second session after it posted a significant sequential slump in first-quarter sales growth in its Australia and New Zealand segments on Wednesday.
In other company news, shares of Mayne Pharma MYX.AX tumbled toward their worst intraday performance after its potential acquirer said Australia's treasurer planned to block the A$672 million ($436.67 million) takeover.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 edged 0.4% higher to 13,509.0 points.
($1 = 1.5389 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
((shivangi.lahiri@thomsonreuters.com))