Next Week At A Glance – 8-12 Dec 2025

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A brief look at important company events and economic data releases next week

For a more comprehensive preview of next week’s events, please refer to “The Monday Report”, published each Monday morning. For all economic data release dates, ex-div dates and times and other relevant information, please refer to the FNArena Calendar.

The week that was in Australian Finance:

-The Australian market remains a tale of two thematics. Energy and resource stocks (materials) continue to perform and do the heavy lifting, with a 30% rise in the copper price over the last year providing a further fillip to the large cap miners, BHP Group ((BHP)) and Rio Tinto ((RIO)), on top of an already significant outperformance from gold stocks.

For more details on how the trend played last month check out November In Review (https://fnarena.com/index.php/2025/12/03/november-in-review-novembers-nasty-nexus/)

-Over the last week the ASX200 index is broadly flat with all sectors posting negative returns of varying degrees excluding energy and materials. Industrials, healthcare and real estate were the laggards.

-A follow up in strong household spending data in October, on top of the hotter than expected CPI data last week, has tipped the market to price in a 25bps rate hike by August next year. Some commentators are even starting to talk about the possibility of a February rate hike.

-With the RBA rates decision next Tuesday, the market will be scrutinising how hawkish the central bank’s commentary has become and whether there are indications around a rate hike and timing in 2026. The market is expecting the RBA to remain on Hold at the December meeting.

-In terms of the share market, it is not too far fetched to explain the strongest divergence in sectoral performance as investors start to discount the next rate hiking cycle, which is in contrast to the US and Europe.

-Australian consumer discretionary stocks have continued a bifurcated trend, including a Step One Clothing’s ((STP)) 1H26 earnings downgrade followed by Premier Investments’ ((PMV)) downgrade.

Temple & Webster ((TPW)), Accent Group ((AX1)) and Adairs ((ADH)) also disappointed recently, showing the economy is not firing on all cylinders across all retailers. Others with a more global reach like Harvey Norman ((HVN)) and Lovisa Holdings ((LOV)) have shown more resilience.

For more details check out FNArena’s Corporate Results Monitor (https://fnarena.com/index.php/reporting_season/)

-Diverging global interest rate cycles are likely to have implications for equity markets into 2026, including a tightening bias for the Japanese central bank.

-The US FOMC meeting concludes next Wednesday stateside, with expectations of a -25bps rate cut.

Like Australia, the market will be keenly watching the voting split among voting members, which is likely to remain divergent and bring into focus the pathway for 2026, as well as who will be the next Chair of the Fed, with Kevin Hassett currently in pole position.

FNArena wishes everyone a lovely, safe, and happy weekend.

Corporate news in the week that was:

-Treasury Wine Estates ((TWE)) has warned it will book a significant non-cash impairment against its US operations, with all $687.4m of Americas goodwill likely to be written off.

-Capricorn Metals ((CMM)) may merge with Genesis Minerals ((GMD)) or other gold companies to grow scale.

-Blackstone is reportedly in negotiations with AI start up Firmus Technologies to provide debt financing.

-US private equity firm TPG Emerging Companies Asia fund is expected to buy NZ’s Tamaki Health off Pacific Equity Partners.

-Droneshield ((DRO)) has reportedly mandated JP Morgan managing director Seth Schwartz as its defence adviser.

-TPG Capital is anticipated to add UBS to its advisory for the Greencross IPO next year, valued at around $3.75bn.

-KMD Brands ((KMD)) could be split as buyers look at Kathmandu and Rip Curl.

-AEMO has warned of blackout risks if Origin Energy’s ((ORG)) 2880 MW Eraring coal plant closes in 2027.

-TikTok’s Australian data centre plans are stalled over FIRB approval.

-Tyndall Asset Management is closing after losing a major superannuation client.

-Britain’s Home Office has launched an investigation into Corporate Travel Management’s ((CTD)) overcharging to house migrants who entered the UK unlawfully worth $162m.

-Pro Medicus ((PME)) has won a $25m contract with BayCare (US) expanding the existing partnership.

-NextDC ((NXT)) lifted FY26 capex guidance by $400m after strong new contract wins lifted utilisation and orders.

-Super funds have been accused of greenwashing after moving back into fossil fuel expansion.

-AUB Group ((AUB)) announced discussions with EQT and CVC Asia Pacific have ceased and the consortium will not proceed with its takeover proposal at $45 per share.

-Cochlear ((COH)))-backed biotech Epiminder ((EPI)) debuted on the ASX despite market outages and disruptions.

-Quadrant Private Equity sells out of Adore Beauty ((ABY)) at $1.10 or $30m.

-Tulla Resources is selling down a -6.5% stake  ($129m) in Pantoro Gold ((PNR)).

-Collins Foods ((CKF)) shares fell despite record 1H26 earnings and an upgraded outlook for the FY26.

-Analysts continue to expect robust M&A activity in insurance broking despite the failure of the AUB Group ((AUB)) buyout.

-Di Pilla’s family takes a 20%-plus stake in HMC Capital ((HMC)).

-Healthscope receiver is expected to decide on Calvary’s 12-hospital bid with multiple competitors.

-Five V Capital invests in Agile Energy to increase solar and battery capacity to 200MW-plus.

-Qantas Airways ((QAN)) upgrades first class with luxury amenities and Neil Perry menus.

-Macquarie Technology Group ((MAQ)) completes its $350m IC3 Super West centre and readies for expansion and new financing plans.

-Corporate Travel Management ((CTD)) to audit Australian government charges after -GBP80m UK overcharge.

-Melbourne start-up Bodd raises $15m, valuing the body scanning start up at $110m.

-Perseus Mining ((PRU)) is buying Predictive Discovery ((PDI)) in a premium all-scrip takeover.

-Calvary Healthcare plans to acquire 12 Healthscope hospitals for $180-$220m.

-News Corp ((NWS)) sold its 13% stake in ARN Media ((A1N)).

-Qantas Airways ((QAN)) merges domestic airline and QantasLink under one executive.

-Transurban ((TCL)) retains FY26 guidance and lifts its interim dividend to 34c.

-ANZ Bank ((ANZ)) settlement on dead customer fees held up by Federal court.

-Saulda Medical to launch on ASX with a $775m valuation.

-Dexus ((DXS)) is raising $500m via 30-year bonds for capital management.

-First Guardian investors are unlikely to recover the full $446m according to liquidators.

-WiseTech Global ((WTC)) CEO Zubin Appoo defends new pricing model post customer concerns.

-US-focused critical minerals Locksley Resources ((LKY)) is seeking to raise up to $15m via an institutional placement.

-ChatGPT owner Open Ai will become the major customer of NextDC’s ((NXT)) $7bn, 650MW data centre at Eastern Creek.

-Bendigo and Adelaide Bank ((BEN)) is buying RACQ Bank’s retail assets for -$5.2bn, completion is expected in early FY27.

-Nuix ((NXL)) is acquiring French AI platform Linkurious for -$35m.

-ARN Media ((A1N)) sells -19.1m shares in Southern Cross Media ((SXL)).

-Regis Healthcare ((REG)) is selling two FNQ care homes to Ozcare for $25m.

-Alvia Private Capital is buying a majority stake in The Automotive Group.

-Mayne Pharma ((MYX)) is seeking to terminate the Cosette takeover.

-Rio Tinto ((RIO)) is selling up to -$15.1bn in assets and reducing decarbonisation spending.

Next week’s Corporate Calendar

For a calendar of upcoming events, see FNArena’s Corporate Calendar

https://fnarena.com/index.php/financial-news/calendar/

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