Sydney, Feb 17, 2026, 04:02 AEDT — Premarket
- SPI 200 futures edged higher before the cash market opened, with the ASX 200 closing Monday in positive territory.
- BHP will release its half-year numbers later Tuesday. RBA minutes are up next.
- Tech stocks pulled markets higher Monday; miners, meanwhile, were unsettled by iron ore swings and news around Rio.
Tuesday’s open looked a touch stronger for Australian shares, as SPI 200 futures added 7 points to 8,937 in the first trades. https://www.barchart.com/futures/quotes/AP%2A1
The S&P/ASX 200 tacked on 19.5 points Monday, finishing at 8,937.1 for a 0.22% gain. Investors are bracing for a flood of local earnings and fresh signals from the central bank, all set to hit within hours. https://www.investing.com/indices/aus-200
The Reserve Bank of Australia will release minutes from its February meeting at 11:30 a.m. AEDT. Traders are set to sift through the details, looking for signs of any deep divisions on the board over rates—and clues on what could drive the next move. https://www.rba.gov.au/schedules-events/calendar.html
On Monday, tech names snapped back, leading the market higher. WiseTech and Xero logged some of the strongest gains, recovering after last week’s sector dip. Banks and miners, meanwhile, lagged. https://www.marketindex.com.au/news/asx-200-live-today-monday-16th-february
Fresh concerns over operational risk rattled mining sentiment following news that a contract worker died at Rio Tinto’s Simandou project in Guinea, Reuters reported. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/contract-worker-dies-rio-tinto-mine-guinea-2026-02-15/
Bulk miners are still taking their cues from iron ore, with benchmark prices sticking below $100 a tonne. That’s kept the heat on the materials sector, even as the wider index managed to stay afloat. https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/iron-ore
Aurizon bumped its dividend payout ratio up to 90% of underlying profit and kept its on-market buyback running after first-half EBITDA climbed 9% to A$891 million. CEO Andrew Harding pointed to the result as evidence of “the strength” of the Network and Coal businesses. https://company-announcements.afr.com/asx/azj/567a7715-0ab5-11f1-bade-ca622cf181ba.pdf
a2 Milk Company bumped up its FY26 revenue growth target, now aiming for “mid double-digit” gains instead of the earlier “low double-digit” forecast. The board also put out an interim dividend: 11.5 New Zealand cents a share. CEO David Bortolussi pointed to a sharpened focus on “maximising opportunities in China infant milk formula” and nearby segments. https://company-announcements.afr.com/asx/a2m/5fec03b4-0aad-11f1-bade-ca622cf181ba.pdf
Retail names showed some movement. JB Hi-Fi posted half-year sales of A$6.10 billion, net profit after tax at A$305.8 million. CEO Nick Wells cited “record sales and strong earnings” in a message to shareholders, crediting customers who continue to “seek value”. https://www.reseller.co.nz/article/4132532/jb-hi-fi-reports-record-half-yearly-results-with-sales-up-7-3-per-cent-2.html
With U.S. markets shut for the holiday, offshore trading was light, leaving few cues from Wall Street. Gold, meanwhile, dipped under $5,000 an ounce. “Prices were range-bound around $5,000/oz due to the thin trading conditions,” UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo told Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/gold-drops-over-1-thin-trading-profittaking-weigh-2026-02-16/
The next few sessions might change direction quickly. Any hawkish lean in the RBA minutes, or weaker-than-expected guidance from major miners, could challenge Monday’s rebound — particularly if iron ore prices keep sliding.
Australia’s January labour force numbers drop Feb. 19 at 11:30 a.m. AEDT—one to watch for anyone tracking rate moves. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia
BHP’s half-year numbers drop at 8:00 a.m. in Melbourne on Tuesday, kicking things off—then, not long after, investors pivot to the RBA minutes later in the morning. https://www.bhp.com/investors/financial-calendar
