Sydney, Feb 16, 2026, 20:46 AEDT — Market closed.
- Tech stocks bounced back, sending the S&P/ASX 200 up 0.22% to finish at 8,937.1.
- WiseTech surged 12.8%, with Xero up 7.5%. On the downside, Rio Tinto dropped 4.1% and Fortescue slipped 4.7%.
- Attention turns to the RBA’s February meeting minutes, with investors also eyeing crucial local jobs and wage figures coming later this week.
Technology names snapped back on Monday, pushing Australian shares to a modest gain despite fresh losses among major iron ore miners. The S&P/ASX 200 closed up 19.5 points, or 0.22%, settling at 8,937.1.
Even a slight uptick carried weight, given how rough things got last week—traders have been eager to cash in on banks and miners the moment commodities start to slip. The index keeps circling its old highs, but a clear breakout remains elusive.
Company earnings are driving the action for now, though the macro front is set to pick up. Traders will get a look at the Reserve Bank of Australia’s February meeting minutes on Tuesday. Wages and jobs data land later in the week.
Tech stocks were in recovery mode. WiseTech Global jumped 12.8%, and Xero put on 7.5%, leading the sector higher after last week’s bruising selloff.
On the flip side, materials stumbled as iron ore prices stayed south of $100 a tonne, taking 4.7% off Fortescue and leaving Rio Tinto lower by 4.1%. BHP Group also slipped, down 1.5%.
a2 Milk shares surged 6.8% after the company raised its full-year outlook, projecting “mid double-digit” revenue growth for fiscal 2026 and laying out a new EBITDA margin target range—a metric that strips out interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation.
Aurizon jumped roughly 7% after the company announced a 12.5 cent interim dividend and detailed a $100 million increase to its on-market buyback—an effort to scoop up more shares.
Treasury Wine Estates slipped after suspending its interim dividend, following a hefty writedown tied to its U.S. operations. Chief Financial Officer Stuart Boxer told reporters it’s “too early” to predict when payouts might return. Over at Jefferies, analysts called the decision “sensible.” Reuters
Even so, the balance in the market feels shaky. Should iron ore prices keep falling, miners might easily wipe out advances seen in other sectors. Plus, anything in the RBA minutes suggesting policy makers are uneasy about inflation could bring rate jitters rushing back.
The RBA minutes land at 11:30 a.m. AEDT Tuesday. Thursday brings the wage price index, then Friday wraps up the week with the January labour force report.
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