0113 GMT - Orica's remarks at its annual general meeting appear to be "slightly more positive" than commentary the explosives maker provided alongside its FY result last month, RBC Capital Markets says in a note. "The company stated that it had started the 2026 financial year with 'strong' momentum as opposed to the November characterization of 'good' momentum," says the broker. RBC forecasts 6% Ebit growth and 13% EPS growth for Orica in FY 2026, on revenue growth of 5%. The broker reiterates an outperform rating and A$27.50 target on Orica. The stock is up 2.1% at A$24.18.([email protected]; @RhiannonHoyle)

2327 GMT - Australian real-estate advertiser REA Group shouldn't suffer too much from Google's inclusion of sponsored property ads alongside search results, Citi analyst Siraj Ahmed reckons. While Ahmed notes that Zillow's share price tumbled in response to Google's move, he points out that more than 80% of traffic to REA portals is direct. He does acknowledge some risk from the ads acting as a marketing channel, which could lead to some marketing spend being fragmented. However, he writes in a note that rival Domain's CEO has observed it is challenging for Google to sign up real-estate agencies. Citi has a "neutral" rating and A$279.25 target price on News Corp-controlled REA. Shares are down 3.7%, at A$182.04. News Corp is the parent company of Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires. ([email protected])

2252 GMT - ASX's bears at UBS warn that the financial impact of the Australian stock exchange operator's regulator-mandated reset is unclear. While ASX has flagged its likely payout ratio over the next three dividend events, the investment bank's analysts point out in a note that the company won't outline the anticipated costs of what a regulator-commissioned panel calls a fundamental reset until June 2026. They assume about A$30 million in one-off costs in fiscal 2026 and permanent expenses from fiscal 2027, but warn that uncertainty is high. UBS cuts its target price 15% to A$53.00 and keeps a sell rating on the stock. Shares are at A$53.66 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

2209 GMT - Seek's bull at Citi warns that interest-rate hikes are looming as a potential headwind for the Australian job advertiser's volumes. Economists at the investment bank now anticipate two rate hikes in Australia over 2026 on the basis that the country's tight labor market, higher inflation outlook, and strong household consumption are too accommodative from monetary policy perspective. Analyst Siraj Ahmed tells clients in a note that, which a tight labor market is typically positive for wages and growth in Seek's yield per ad, any hike by the Reserve Bank of Australia is likely to act as a brake on hiring activity. Citi has a buy rating and A$31.65 target price on the stock, which is at A$22.84 ahead of the open. ([email protected])

0848 GMT - Anglo American and Teck Resources will find it hard to deliver on their copper growth promises, Baader analyst Varun Sikka writes. The tie-up is one step closer to happening after shareholders voted in support of the deal, but the upside for Anglo American from here is limited, he writes. There remains some uncertainty over both companies, he says. Teck is currently restructuring its marquee copper assets, meanwhile Anglo has problems disposing of its Australian steelmaking coal unit and still needs to take a decision on its diamond business De Beers, he adds. Anglo American's shares trade up 1% at 2,845 pence.([email protected])

(END) Dow Jones Newswires