Telstra Retreats After Earnings Surge, Boosts Buyback to A$1.25B
Earnings James Calloway

Telstra Retreats After Earnings Surge, Boosts Buyback to A$1.25B

Telstra Group shares declined 0.6% to A$5.11 Friday, giving back some of Thursday's post-earnings surge. The company expanded its share repurchase program to A$1.25 billion and tightened its full-year earnings forecast.

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CSL Shares Dip Amid Buyback Activity; Eli Lilly Partnership in Focus
Markets Daniel Marsh

CSL Shares Dip Amid Buyback Activity; Eli Lilly Partnership in Focus

CSL shares retreated 0.6% on Friday, ending a two-day advance. The company reported additional buyback activity and confirmed a new licensing agreement with Eli Lilly.

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Macquarie Shares Dip Following $1.25 Billion Capital Raise Amid Market Caution
Markets Daniel Marsh

Macquarie Shares Dip Following $1.25 Billion Capital Raise Amid Market Caution

Macquarie Group shares declined 1.6% to A$219.39 on Friday following a A$1.25 billion subordinated notes issuance. The broader S&P/ASX 200 edged lower by 0.05% as financials weakened amid geopolitical and liquidity worries.

EWA
BHP Shares Edge Higher on Strong Earnings, Dividend in Focus
Earnings James Calloway

BHP Shares Edge Higher on Strong Earnings, Dividend in Focus

BHP shares closed slightly higher following better-than-expected half-year earnings and a dividend declaration. Analysts are divided on the outlook amid concerns over capital expenditure and iron ore prices.

BHP
Aristocrat Leisure Shares Slide on Interactive Growth Concerns
Earnings James Calloway

Aristocrat Leisure Shares Slide on Interactive Growth Concerns

Aristocrat Leisure shares declined sharply following its annual meeting, where management noted interactive content revenue is lagging behind targets. The stock closed near a 52-week low.

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NAB Shares Hold Gains After Strong Q1; Brokers Raise Targets Amid Valuation Concerns
Earnings James Calloway

NAB Shares Hold Gains After Strong Q1; Brokers Raise Targets Amid Valuation Concerns

National Australia Bank shares held near recent highs after reporting a 15% rise in first-quarter cash earnings. While several brokers increased their price targets, Morningstar warned the stock is 'materially overvalued.'

EWA
Westpac Reaches Annual Peak as Bank Rally Sets Stage for Inflation Test
Markets Daniel Marsh

Westpac Reaches Annual Peak as Bank Rally Sets Stage for Inflation Test

Westpac Banking Corp closed at a 52-week high of A$42.54, rising 1.6% as Australian banks outperformed the broader market. The bank reported an unaudited Q1 net profit of A$1.9 billion.

CBA Shares Climb as Rate Outlook Firms, Dividend Nears
Markets Daniel Marsh

CBA Shares Climb as Rate Outlook Firms, Dividend Nears

Commonwealth Bank of Australia advanced 0.8% to close at A$179.67 on Friday, buoyed by sector strength and a firming outlook for interest rates. Investors await the bank's interim dividend payment on March 30.

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Markets Open with Cautious Optimism as Global Data Awaited
Markets Daniel Marsh

Markets Open with Cautious Optimism as Global Data Awaited

Financial markets commenced trading on Thursday, February 20, 2026, with investors monitoring initial moves across major indices. This live coverage provides real-time updates on developing trends.

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Nvidia Shares Dip as Market Awaits Earnings, Meta Deal Provides Support
Earnings James Calloway

Nvidia Shares Dip as Market Awaits Earnings, Meta Deal Provides Support

Nvidia shares declined 0.7% to $186.69 in Thursday trading, giving back some of Wednesday's gains. The pullback comes ahead of next week's quarterly earnings report and amid broader semiconductor sector weakness.

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AMD's $75M CEO Award and Insider Sales Draw Investor Scrutiny
Technology Sarah Chen

AMD's $75M CEO Award and Insider Sales Draw Investor Scrutiny

AMD shares gained as filings showed CFO Jean Hu sold shares under a preset plan and the board approved a $75M performance award for CEO Lisa Su, vesting only if the stock hits $600 by 2031.

AMD NVDA META INTC
Salesforce Shares Dip on Growth Concerns, AI Acquisition Ahead of Earnings
Earnings James Calloway

Salesforce Shares Dip on Growth Concerns, AI Acquisition Ahead of Earnings

Salesforce shares declined over 1% after UBS reduced its price target, highlighting a lack of clear growth acceleration. The company also announced an acquisition to bolster its AI platform with more voice and video data.

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