Today: 7 February 2026
Subscribe

Shan Ahmed Khan

As a journalist focused on finance and the stock market, he delivers fast, reliable, and easy-to-understand coverage of market news.

CBA hikes fixed mortgage rates as analysts warn Commonwealth Bank shares face a tougher 2026

CBA hikes fixed mortgage rates as analysts warn Commonwealth Bank shares face a tougher 2026

SYDNEY, Jan 15, 2026, 17:42 (AEDT) Commonwealth Bank of Australia raised fixed home-loan rates by as much as 70 basis points on Thursday — remember, a basis point equals 0.01% — sending some three-year owner-occupier rates up to 6.19%. The hike comes as lenders prepare for more increases in official rates. CBA’s cheapest two-year fixed rate for package borrowers now stands at 5.79%, edging above similar deals from Westpac and ANZ. Investors will keep an eye on quarterly inflation figures due Jan. 28 before the Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Feb. 2-3. CBA shares stood at A$153.50, gaining 0.4%
15 January 2026
····
Woolworths stock edges up on Google Cloud Olive AI upgrade as investors eye results and inflation

Woolworths stock edges up on Google Cloud Olive AI upgrade as investors eye results and inflation

SYDNEY, Jan 15, 2026, 17:41 AEDT — Post-market Woolworths Group Ltd (WOW.AX) shares ended Thursday 0.27% higher at A$30.20, following the company’s announcement of an upgrade to its Olive chatbot powered by Google Cloud technology. The stock fluctuated between A$29.97 and A$30.38 during the session and remains roughly 10% shy of its 52-week peak, according to market data. (Intelligent Investor) Why it matters now: grocers are battling for a slice of online baskets just as shoppers increasingly rely on specials, loyalty deals, and planning tools. That’s where the data lives—and where margins can shift quickly. Woolworths is entering the busy
15 January 2026
·····
Mineral Resources shares jump after AustralianSuper lifts stake, with Q2 update next in focus

Mineral Resources shares jump after AustralianSuper lifts stake, with Q2 update next in focus

Sydney, Jan 15, 2026, 17:55 AEDT — After-hours Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN) shares ended 2.2% higher at A$62.67 on Thursday, as investors weighed a fresh increase in the register by superannuation giant AustralianSuper ahead of the miner’s next quarterly update later this month. The move matters now because money has been moving quickly across Australian materials names, and the next company report is close enough to shape positioning. MinRes sits in the messy overlap of iron ore and lithium, where sentiment can flip in a day on China data or policy noise. A bigger institutional stake does not change output,
15 January 2026
·····
Wesfarmers shares rise as fresh spending data keeps RBA rate talk in play

Wesfarmers shares rise as fresh spending data keeps RBA rate talk in play

Sydney, Jan 15, 2026, 17:39 AEDT — The market has closed. Wesfarmers Limited (ASX:WES) closed Thursday up around 0.9%, finishing at A$82.99 compared to Wednesday’s A$82.29. The stock swung between A$82.18 and A$83.15 during the session, with roughly 1.03 million shares traded. (eoddata.com) The update followed fresh data showing Australian consumer spending remained solid at year-end—a crucial factor for Wesfarmers’ retail-focused earnings. Household spending increased 0.7% in December and climbed 6.3% over the year, according to de-identified payments data analysed by Commonwealth Bank, reported by Capital Brief. Belinda Allen, the bank’s head of Australian economics, described the figures as “more
15 January 2026
····
Elon Musk net worth at $640B: he could buy every MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL team — and still have $103B left

Elon Musk net worth at $640B: he could buy every MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL team — and still have $103B left

NEW YORK, Jan 15, 2026, 01:25 EST Elon Musk’s fortune has reached a point where he could snap up every team across Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, and the National Hockey League—and still walk away with $103 billion in cash, according to a Benzinga analysis that references Forbes team valuations. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index valued Musk’s net worth at $640 billion on Jan. 14, naming SpaceX as his top asset. According to Bloomberg, he owns roughly 12% of Tesla and holds around 304 million exercisable stock options from his 2018 pay deal. (Bloomberg.com) The
15 January 2026
·
Woodside Energy stock edges up on JERA winter LNG deal as Scarborough update nears

Woodside Energy stock edges up on JERA winter LNG deal as Scarborough update nears

Sydney, Jan 15, 2026, 17:27 (AEDT) — After-hours Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX:WDS) shares rose 0.4% to end at A$24.02 on Thursday, after trading between A$23.77 and A$24.25. Japan’s largest power generator JERA said it signed a five-year winter LNG supply agreement with Woodside from 2027, covering three cargoes a year. (Investing.com) The timing matters because Woodside is selling into a market that is still short of winter flexibility. LNG — liquefied natural gas — is often bought years ahead, and winter cargoes can command a premium when demand spikes. For investors, a contract like this is not a big
15 January 2026
····
TSMC Q4 earnings beat forecasts on AI demand — the numbers driving TSM stock

TSMC Q4 earnings beat forecasts on AI demand — the numbers driving TSM stock

TAIPEI, Jan 15, 2026, 14:23 (GMT+8) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co reported a record profit for the fourth quarter on Thursday, driven by strong demand for AI chips. The company’s net profit soared 35% year-on-year to T$505.7 billion ($16.01 billion), surpassing analyst expectations. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/tsmc-q4-profit-jumps-35-record-beats-expectations-2026-01-15/ This result is significant since TSMC is at the heart of the AI boom, providing cutting-edge chips to major U.S. tech players like Nvidia and Apple. Any shift in its margins sends ripples through much of the supply chain. The timing is shaky for the sector. Investors wrestle with whether AI demand will hold up through 2026
15 January 2026
····
Aristocrat stock slips after buyback update hits tape as ALL heads into February AGM

Aristocrat stock slips after buyback update hits tape as ALL heads into February AGM

Sydney, January 15, 2026, 17:18 AEDT — Market closed. Aristocrat Leisure shares slipped 0.4% to close at A$57.66 on Thursday, lagging behind a stronger Australian market. Investors digested new capital management updates from the gaming machine company. (MarketScreener) The company repurchased 176,451 shares on Wednesday, spending A$10.17 million at prices ranging from A$56.36 to A$57.89. This brings the total buyback to 11.06 million shares for A$723.7 million so far. The filing confirmed the on-market buyback program, which allows the company to buy its own stock on the exchange, will continue until March 5, 2027, with a total cap of A$1.5
15 January 2026
·····
Macquarie stock dips despite ASX rally as Goldman upgrades MQG and Rio Tinto deal talk simmers

Macquarie stock dips despite ASX rally as Goldman upgrades MQG and Rio Tinto deal talk simmers

SYDNEY, Jan 15, 2026, 17:20 AEDT — The market has closed. Shares of Macquarie Group slipped 0.3% to close at A$206.51 on Thursday, after fluctuating between A$204.42 and A$208.12 during the session. (StockAnalysis) The dip happened even though Australian stocks closed at their highest level in over two months, driven by miners benefiting from a surge in base and precious metals prices. “Valuation fatigue in banks and strong tailwinds for miners are prompting a rotational positioning into the latter,” said Marc Jocum, senior product and investment strategist at Global X ETFs Australia. Broker opinions shifted toward a more positive tone.
15 January 2026
·····
NAB share price jumps 1% after ASX close as rate and rotation bets collide

NAB share price jumps 1% after ASX close as rate and rotation bets collide

Sydney, Jan 15, 2026, 17:16 AEDT — After-hours Shares of National Australia Bank climbed 1.1% on Thursday, closing at A$42.36, recovering after a weak stretch for Australian bank stocks earlier this week. (MarketScreener Australia) Movements in NAB and its counterparts remain crucial, with the “big four” banks still carrying much of the weight in local portfolios. This holds true even as investors pile into miners amid a metals rally and weigh the chances of another Australian rate hike. Policy remains the key near-term driver. Traders are closely eyeing inflation data alongside the Reserve Bank of Australia’s upcoming move. The market
15 January 2026
······
Westpac (ASX:WBC) stock slips after share-rights filings and treasurer move — what investors watch next

Westpac (ASX:WBC) stock slips after share-rights filings and treasurer move — what investors watch next

Sydney, Jan 15, 2026, 17:23 AEDT — Trading after hours. Shares of Westpac Banking Corp dipped 0.3% to A$38.17 on Thursday, after fluctuating between A$38.66 and A$38.09 during the session. The stock wrapped up the week mostly flat, as investors focused on regulatory filings and executive changes instead of fresh earnings updates. (Yahoo Finance) The timing is key as Australia’s major banks react sharply to minor cues during a typically slow stretch in the calendar. With light trading volumes, even routine capital-market filings and executive exits tend to grab outsized attention. Banks have returned to the center of rate speculation.
15 January 2026
·····
Fortescue Ltd stock ends higher after Zitara deal — what FMG investors watch next week

Fortescue Ltd stock ends higher after Zitara deal — what FMG investors watch next week

Sydney, January 15, 2026, 17:12 AEDT — Market closed Fortescue Ltd (ASX:FMG) shares ended up 0.4% on Thursday after the iron ore miner said it bought U.S. battery controls company Zitara to bolster its Elysia software unit. The stock closed at A$22.75. (Intelligent Investor) The purchase keeps Fortescue’s energy-tech pivot in view as investors weigh how much spending the group can carry while its earnings still hinge on iron ore prices. Australian stocks rose, with miners leading the move, and the S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.5% higher. “Valuation fatigue in banks and strong tailwinds for miners are prompting a rotational positioning
15 January 2026
····
1 … 289 290 291 292 293 … 886

Stock Market Today

Meta stock faces an AI split: ad gains vs a $135 billion bill

Meta stock faces an AI split: ad gains vs a $135 billion bill

7 February 2026
Meta shares dropped 1.3% to $661.46 on Friday after the company projected 2026 capital spending of up to $135 billion, raising investor concerns over cash flow. Meta reported Q4 revenue of $59.89 billion, up 24% year-over-year, with ad impressions rising 18%. Analysts remain divided on whether AI-driven ad gains can offset the steep spending ramp.
IAG share price jumps toward a 52-week peak — what to watch before London reopens

IAG share price jumps toward a 52-week peak — what to watch before London reopens

7 February 2026
IAG shares rose 4.33% to 438.50 pence Friday, near their 52-week high, ahead of full-year results due later this month. The company reported 162,073,135 treasury shares and total voting rights of 4,565,128,012. Brent crude fell 2.2% Thursday to $67.93 a barrel. South Europe Ground Services logged 712,340 operations in 2025 and seeks approval to operate in Portugal.
Go toTop