Today: 7 February 2026
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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.

Singtel stock faces Monday test as Optus outage log updates and U.S. CPI looms

Singtel stock faces Monday test as Optus outage log updates and U.S. CPI looms

SINGAPORE, Jan 11, 2026, 15:09 SGT — Market closed Shares of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd slipped 0.2% on Friday, closing at S$4.46, down by 1 cent. Over the weekend, its Australian arm Optus reported new local outages on its national register, notably a disruption lasting over five hours in South Australia’s Kangaroo Island region. (Yahoo Finance) This hits Singtel at a sensitive time, with Optus scrambling to regain customer trust following several network failures. Regulators are stepping up scrutiny, pushing for stricter safeguards. A recent review of Optus’ emergency-call outage in September uncovered critical protocol flaws and proposed 21 recommendations, all
11 January 2026
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UOB stock in focus after fresh buyback filing as rate bets return to the fore

UOB stock in focus after fresh buyback filing as rate bets return to the fore

SINGAPORE, Jan 11, 2026, 15:05 (SGT) — Market closed United Overseas Bank (UOB) repurchased and cancelled 38,000 shares on Friday, according to a filing with the Singapore Exchange. The bank paid between S$36.01 and S$36.21 per share, shelling out roughly S$1.37 million. This continues a steady pace of buybacks as the year unfolds. (SGX Links) This matters because bank investors have been focusing on capital returns—dividends and buybacks—while anticipating the next move in interest rates. UOB’s buybacks may be modest on a daily basis, but they reinforce the idea that shrinking share counts can help boost earnings per share when
11 January 2026
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OCBC stock slips on JPMorgan downgrade as Feb. 25 results loom

OCBC stock slips on JPMorgan downgrade as Feb. 25 results loom

Singapore, Jan 11, 2026, 15:04 SGT — Market closed Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) shares fell 1.8% on Friday to close at S$19.80 after JPMorgan cut its rating on the lender to “neutral” from “overweight”, while lifting its target price to S$20.50. DBS and United Overseas Bank ended higher on the day. (The Business Times) The call matters because OCBC goes into full-year results season trading near recent peaks, with little room left for soft guidance. The bank is scheduled to announce its 2025 full-year results on Feb. 25, a key read for dividends and buybacks and for how quickly earnings
11 January 2026
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CapitaLand Investment stock rises to S$2.89 as logistics push sharpens focus on Feb 11 results

CapitaLand Investment stock rises to S$2.89 as logistics push sharpens focus on Feb 11 results

Singapore, Jan 11, 2026, 15:06 (SGT) — Market closed Shares of CapitaLand Investment Limited climbed 1.8% on Friday, ending the session at S$2.89, giving the SGX-listed stock some momentum heading into the weekend. (TradingView) This shift is significant as investors increasingly see CLI less as a landlord and more as a steward of others’ capital. Fees linked to assets under management, or FUM, tend to be steadier than property gains, which fluctuate with market swings. CLI reported S$120 billion in FUM as of Nov. 5 and announced a minority stake in Ally Logistic Property, a smart warehouse developer. The CapitaLand
11 January 2026
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DBS stock set for Monday spotlight after risk-transfer report; Feb 9 earnings next

DBS stock set for Monday spotlight after risk-transfer report; Feb 9 earnings next

Singapore, Jan 11, 2026, 15:09 SGT — Market closed DBS Group Holdings Ltd (SGX: D05) is considering a move into major risk transfer deals, according to a report in The Straits Times on Friday. The paper referenced Standard Chartered’s $1.5 billion trade-finance transaction set for 2025 and Man Group’s projection that the market could double within five years. Shares of DBS closed at S$57.60, up 0.26 Singapore dollars, or 0.45%. The report noted DBS has held initial talks with funds investing in SRTs—transactions designed to offload part of loan-default risk to investors, often through credit-linked notes. Additionally, DBS is exploring
11 January 2026
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DroneShield shares in focus after JPMorgan flags 5% stake — what ASX:DRO traders watch next

DroneShield shares in focus after JPMorgan flags 5% stake — what ASX:DRO traders watch next

Sydney, Jan 11, 2026, 17:23 AEDT — Market closed DroneShield (DRO.AX) heads into Monday’s ASX open with a new ownership disclosure after a filing showed JPMorgan Chase & Co and its affiliates crossed the 5% threshold in the counter-drone company. The move matters now because DroneShield has turned into a fast, flow-driven trade, and changes around big holders can move the stock even when there is no new contract headline. In Australia, a “substantial holder” is an investor with 5% or more of voting shares, which triggers disclosure. It also lands as investors look for a cleaner read on who
11 January 2026
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Westpac stock in focus: bushfire relief plan drops ahead of Monday trade

Westpac stock in focus: bushfire relief plan drops ahead of Monday trade

SYDNEY, Jan 11, 2026, 17:20 AEDT — Market closed Westpac Banking Corp announced plans to provide payment deferrals and additional assistance to customers hit by the Victoria bushfires, creating a fresh sentiment test ahead of its stock’s return to trading on Monday. The bank’s shares closed Friday at A$37.90, slipping 0.29%. Why it matters now: relief programs often reveal where pressure is mounting, with banks usually receiving the earliest real-time alerts via hardship calls and repayment pauses. Investors keep a close eye on any ripple effects in arrears — late payments — and the expenses tied to supporting struggling customers.
11 January 2026
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Aristocrat Leisure (ASX:ALL) stock: $1.5 billion buyback extension in focus ahead of Monday trade

Aristocrat Leisure (ASX:ALL) stock: $1.5 billion buyback extension in focus ahead of Monday trade

Sydney, January 11, 2026, 17:24 AEDT — Market closed Aristocrat Leisure Ltd shares closed Friday 1.0% higher at A$57.22 following the company’s decision to extend its on-market share buyback. This development is expected to draw attention when Australian markets open Monday. (Stocks Down Under) For investors, the takeaway is straightforward: a bigger buyback pumps additional demand into the stock. When a company conducts an on-market buyback, it purchases its own shares on the exchange, gradually reducing the number of shares outstanding. The question resurfacing this year is familiar: how aggressively will companies prioritize cash returns while growth investments remain an
11 January 2026
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Woolworths stock ends higher into ASX break as delivery fees and February results come into view

Woolworths stock ends higher into ASX break as delivery fees and February results come into view

Sydney, Jan 11, 2026, 17:25 AEDT — Market closed Woolworths Group Ltd shares finished Friday up 1.8% at A$30.08. The S&P/ASX 200 barely moved, closing down 0.03% ahead of the weekend break. (Yahoo Finance) The late-week bounce puts the supermarket group near the A$30 mark heading into Monday’s open. Investors are focused less on a brief two-day trading halt and more on what comes next for margins and volumes. Fresh pricing changes in online shopping have also caught attention, with costs shifting fast. Woolworths confirmed it will tack on a A$2 fee for pick-up or delivery booked on Sundays and
11 January 2026
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Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price holds near A$81 — three dates investors are circling this month

Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) share price holds near A$81 — three dates investors are circling this month

Sydney, Jan 11, 2026, 17:29 AEDT — Market closed Wesfarmers Ltd (WES.AX) closed Friday at A$81.06, marking a modest gain of 0.12%, after fluctuating between A$80.73 and A$81.71 during the session, per Yahoo Finance. That modest shift carries weight as major retailers brace for changes in interest-rate forecasts. The Reserve Bank of Australia will announce its upcoming policy decision on Feb. 3, following a two-day meeting. (Reserve Bank of Australia) Australia’s inflation data for the December quarter arrives Jan. 28. This figure matters because it shows price trends over three months, not just one. (Australian Bureau of Statistics) The broader
11 January 2026
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NAB shares slip into the weekend as traders brace for rates, data and the next update

NAB shares slip into the weekend as traders brace for rates, data and the next update

Sydney, Jan 11, 2026, 17:20 AEDT — Market closed National Australia Bank Ltd shares slipped to A$41.02 on Friday, down 0.2%, as Australia’s major banks all closed lower and the broader market barely budged. The S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.03%, with ANZ down 0.6%, Westpac off 0.3%, and Commonwealth Bank edging down 0.1%. “There’s no clear directional bias” ahead of key U.S. jobs data, said Capital.com analyst Kyle Rodda. Meanwhile, AMP’s deputy chief economist Diana Mousina pointed to legal risks tied to U.S. tariffs as a near-term factor causing market swings. (https://aapnews.aap.com.au/news/australian-shares-creep-higher-for-third-straight-day) NAB stock heads into Monday’s open stuck in the
11 January 2026
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BHP stock back in play as Rio-Glencore talks raise the stakes for big miners

BHP stock back in play as Rio-Glencore talks raise the stakes for big miners

Sydney, January 11, 2026, 16:54 AEDT — The market has closed. BHP Group Ltd (BHP.AX) kicks off the week with merger chatter resurfacing, following Rio Tinto’s confirmation of takeover talks with Glencore. This development could shake up the mining rankings and keep BHP squarely in the spotlight. Rio and Glencore described the talks as preliminary, with the plan centered on an all-share buyout of “some or all” of Glencore. This means payment would come in shares, not cash. Under UK takeover rules, Rio has until Feb. 5 to make a firm offer or walk away. Glencore’s shares jumped over 10%
11 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

Rio Tinto stock jumps as Glencore mega-merger is shelved; what to watch next week

Rio Tinto stock jumps as Glencore mega-merger is shelved; what to watch next week

7 February 2026
Rio Tinto’s U.S. shares closed up 2.5% at $93.37 Friday after the company ruled out a merger with Glencore, triggering a six-month “no-bid” lockout under UK takeover rules. Both companies cited disagreements over valuation. Attention now turns to Rio’s Feb. 19 results and iron ore prices, which fell below $100 a tonne amid weak Chinese demand.
iFAST share price drops 3% as markets shut; earnings next week in focus

iFAST share price drops 3% as markets shut; earnings next week in focus

7 February 2026
iFAST shares fell 3.2% to S$9.64 in heavy trading Friday, closing near the day’s low as investors awaited FY2025 results due Feb. 12. The stock is about 13% below its 52-week high. iFAST recently agreed to buy a 30% stake in Financial Alliance for S$19.6 million, pending regulatory approval. Assets under administration stood at S$30.62 billion as of Sept. 30.
Sembcorp Industries share price: what to watch after Friday dip as Feb 25 results near

Sembcorp Industries share price: what to watch after Friday dip as Feb 25 results near

7 February 2026
Sembcorp shares closed at S$6.05 on Friday, down 0.33%, as Singapore’s STI dropped 0.8%. Shareholders approved the A$6.5 billion Alinta Energy takeover on Jan 30, but the deal still faces regulatory and closing conditions. Sembcorp will release FY2025 results on Feb 25 before market open. Trading volume reached about 4.3 million shares.
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