0336 GMT - Shares in Australia-based steelmaker BlueScope are roughly 6% higher after President-elect Donald Trump pledged tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada. The U.S. is BlueScope's top region for growth. The steelmaker, which runs the North Star mini-mill in Ohio, is working to boost volumes there by another 10% following the recent completion of an expansion that increased output by nearly 50%. BlueScope's stock hit an intraday high of A$22.80 in Sydney, its highest price since Nov. 8. It recently traded at A$22.47. Trump says in a social-media post he would impose an additional 10% tariff on all products that come into the U.S. from China, the world's largest steel producer by far. That would be on top of existing tariffs the U.S. has already imposed on Chinese goods. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

0144 GMT - Hansen Technologies' improved earnings visibility is seen by its bulls at Goldman Sachs as having the potential to support the stock's further re-rating. GS analysts say that cost savings at Hansen's Powercloud business give them confidence in the Australian billing tech provider's ability to bring forward margin expansion at the recent acquisition. They write in a note that market confidence in Powercloud's earnings inflection and Hansen's organic growth could support a wider re-rate of the stock. They raise their target price 25% to A$6.35 and reiterate a buy rating on the stock. Shares are up 0.4% at A$5.59. ([email protected])

0118 GMT - WiseTech Global's management depth looks likely to be the key area of focus at next month's investor day, according to Citi analyst Siraj Ahmed. He points out that the logistics software provider blamed founder Richard White's distraction for the product delay that forced it to downgrade guidance. As a result, Ahmed reckons that investors will be looking for details on the new products as well as the depth of talent in senior management. Citi has a last-published buy rating and A$124.50 target price on the stock, which is up 0.2% at A$122.96. ([email protected])

0111 GMT - Peabody's acquisition of Anglo American's coal business could more than double the company's annual output of steelmaking coal and make it the third-largest supplier in the seaborne market, says Jefferies analyst Christopher LaFemina. "The structure of this acquisition, with only $1.695 million of cash up front, helps limit the impact on Peabody's balance sheet," says LaFemina. The company had unrestricted cash of $773 million and total debt of $339 million at Sept. 30. Jefferies has a buy rating on Peabody. Possible "equity issuance could be a temporary overhang on Peabody's shares, but we believe this transaction will be a positive for the company in the longer term, especially if the Queensland tax/royalty regime ever changes to something less onerous," LaFemina says. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

0043 GMT - The decline in Brickworks' first-quarter North American sales was slightly larger than Ord Minnett analyst James Casey had anticipated. The Australian building-products manufacturer's 12% drop in North American sales over the three months through October compares with his forecast of a 4% decline over the whole of the company's fiscal first half, which ends in January. However, it's not all bad. A 5% fall in 1Q Australian sales was less than the 7.5% he expects over 1H, while he tells clients in a note that the company's property segment is expected to benefit from rental income growth. Ord Minnett has an accumulate recommendation and A$31.00 target price on the stock, which is down 0.5% at A$26.45. ([email protected])

0016 GMT - Growth in Kogan.com's membership could slacken due to the Australian retailer's recent price rise, Bell Potter analyst Chami Ratnapala says. She tells clients in a note that, while Ebitda growth appears to be improving into the key holiday trading period, April's membership price rise could impact the pace of net additions over the whole of the December half. Overall, Ratnapala says that Kogan.com appears to be performing in line with her expectations and keeps a hold rating on the stock. She raises her target price 1.9% to A$5.30. Shares are up 2.3% at A$5.085. ([email protected])

2353 GMT - WiseTech Global's guidance downgrade is just short-term noise to the logistics-software provider's new bulls at Macquarie. Raising their recommendation on the stock to outperform from neutral, the investment bank's analysts view share-price weakness on the downgrade as an opportunity to enter a long-term growth story. They tell clients in a note that WiseTech's Container Transport Optimisation product, the delay in which prompted the downgrade, expands the company's total addressable market to A$101.7 billion. There are no rivals in the space, they add. Macquarie raises its target price by 53% to A$152.70. Shares are up 2.2% at A$125.36. ([email protected])

2311 GMT - Morgans senses a buying opportunity in skin-healing tech developer PolyNovo. The stock has fallen roughly 25% since the end of September, which analyst Scott Power thinks is partly because PolyNovo didn't give a trading update at its annual meeting of shareholders. "Consensus has revenue growth of 29% for FY 2025 which will be skewed to the 2H and we are confident it can be achieved," Morgans says. "Growth of 20%+ is expected to continue in FY26/27 driven by regional expansion as well as additional indications." Morgans has a A$2.85/share price target and add call on PolyNovo, which ended Monday at A$2.04. ([email protected]; @dwinningWSJ)

2259 GMT - WiseTech Global's bulls at Morgan Stanley urge investors to look past the logistics-software provider's downgraded short-term guidance and focus on its longer-term growth drivers. MS analysts tell clients in a note that they see WiseTech's software driving both higher profits and faster growth for its customers, feeding further take-up. They also think that reinvestment in new products and improvement to existing offerings is entrenching a competitive advantage over rivals. With new products helping increase WiseTech's total addressable market, MS lifts its target price by 33%, to A$160.00, and stays overweight on the stock. Shares are at A$122.71 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2244 GMT -- Australia's Lovisa gets a new bull at Bell Potter despite the fashion jewelry retailer's sales falling short of expectations. Analyst Chami Ratnapala tells clients in a note that, while comparable sales growth has recently softened, she expects a modest level of recovery through the remainder of the December half. She points to the fact that Black Friday occurs a day earlier this year, possibly aiding on-year growth. She lowers her target price by 3.2% to A$30.00, but upgrades her recommendation to buy from hold following what she calls a recent share-price correction. The stock is at A$27.85 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2222 GMT - A sale by Evolution Mining of its Mungari gold operation could give the company a meaningful cash injection, say Macquarie analysts. Their remarks follow a media report in the Australian that suggests Evolution could be preparing to offload the asset. Macquarie values the mine around A$925 million, below a Visible Alpha consensus of A$1.06 billion, say the analysts. They thought a sale of Mungari might have been considered after a mill-expansion project that's due to be completed by 1Q 2026 and is estimated to cost A$250 million, they say. "Any sale that occurs prior to this, we think, could be considered opportunistic by EVN in trying to take advantage of buoyant gold prices." Evolution last traded at A$5.02. ([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires