Sydney, Feb 19, 2026, 17:30 AEDT — Market’s done for the day.
- Northern Star Resources bounced 1.2% Thursday, breaking a two-day losing streak.
- Gold hovered close to its record highs, with traders eyeing Friday’s U.S. PCE inflation data.
- Next up for Northern Star: the dividend record date lands on March 5.
Northern Star Resources Ltd climbed 1.2% to close at A$28.36 on Thursday, catching a lift from stronger gold miners as the ASX ended up. Investing.com
This makes a difference for Northern Star, since its earnings track gold and the Australian dollar—two markets quick to react to shifts in U.S. rate outlooks. Gold is looking to Friday’s U.S. inflation data after its recent rally. Reuters
Shares moved in a range from A$28.05 to A$28.63 during the session, coming off a 0.7% dip to A$28.02 at Wednesday’s close. Investing.com
Gold held steady Thursday, following a jump of over 2% in the previous session, according to Reuters. OCBC strategist Christopher Wong described the metal as “in a consolidation mood,” attributing the pause to light trading during the holiday period, not to any change in fundamentals. Reuters
Northern Star told investors net profit after tax for the half-year to Dec. 31 landed at A$714 million. Underlying profit was a bit higher, coming in at A$760 million. The company also announced a fully franked interim dividend of 25 Australian cents per share and finished the period with net cash of A$293 million.
The company pointed to negative underlying free cash flow, blaming weaker operational results in the December quarter, hefty tax bills, and increased growth spending.
Traders have zeroed in on costs after Northern Star cut its fiscal 2026 production outlook to 1.6 million–1.7 million ounces and bumped up its all-in sustaining cost (AISC) guidance, now set at A$2,600–A$2,800 per ounce—a widely used measure for the cost to pull an ounce of gold out of the ground.
One big question: can gold stay strong if the U.S. dollar pushes higher, or if yields jump on the back of hotter inflation numbers? That scenario usually squeezes both bullion and miners’ margins. Company-wise, more misses on production or rising costs could keep shares volatile—even with gold prices holding close to their peaks. Reuters
Eyes are on U.S. weekly jobless claims coming up Thursday, with Friday’s PCE inflation data expected to offer fresh insight into the Fed’s thinking. Northern Star’s calendar points to a March 5 record date for its interim dividend, and then an update covering the March quarter lands April 22. Reuters
