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…
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/ca…
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-20…
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…
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/iro…
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/…
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/…
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…
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-d…
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/e…
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-ca…
