Next Week At A Glance – 9-13 Feb 2026

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => ((WEB))
            [1] => ((REA))
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [0] => WEB
            [1] => REA
        )

)

This story features WEB TRAVEL GROUP LIMITED, and other companies.
For more info SHARE ANALYSIS: WEB
The company is included in ASX200, ASX300 and ALL-ORDS

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 start of 2026 is looking a bit like groundhog week, except the selloff in tech behemoth Microsoft a week ago has now engulfed software stocks, Amazon, Alphabet and anything with vaguely a tint of AI, particularly in SaaS, it has turned to smush. (Technical broker term for new 52-week lows each day).

-Before one feels too smug about, ‘I told you so’, the ‘AI’ bubble bursting, the risk-off trade has engulfed precious metals, gold and silver, uranium and bitcoin.

-Tony Sycamore from IG rather aptly ponders the question, are we moving into a “Contagion Phase”?

-Arguably, with the extreme financial leverage in global asset markets, all it needs is one flash crash, like precious metals last Friday, to kick-start de-leveraging. As investors have witnessed before, selling begets more selling with margin calls, until you know who (the US Fed) steps in, if it becomes systemic risk.

-At this stage no one knows but Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management states “What began as a sector rotation evolved into a cross-asset liquidation event. Investor psychology now appears to be the photographic negative of 2021″.

-Sycamore details on X, contagion appears to be coming to fruition: “investors are questioning their commitment to the pillars that have underpinned markets over the past six months: AI, crypto, and precious metals. This raises the odds of a deeper unwind.”

-The technology selling spread to Australia and the Information Technology index is down over -12% for the week, with Materials off -4%, Utilities down -3.7% and Communication Service down -3%. Investors rotated into Financials, up almost 2%.

-To compound matters, the RBA lifted the cash rate by 25bps on Tuesday, with IG pointing to interest rate market pricing of a 16% probability of a 25bps rate hike built in for the RBA’s March meeting, with a full 25bps hike priced for the RBA’s June meeting.

-The February reporting season has started, with volatility hitting share prices. On Friday, Web Travel Group ((WEB)) shares sold off by -27% on potential tax problems of one subsidiary and REA Group ((REA)) shares dived -8% on earnings misses.

Next week ahead could test investors’ resolve with results season gradually warming up.

-For how results are faring, don’t miss the FNArena Corporate Results Monitor, now updated daily (https://fnarena.com/index.php/reporting_season/)

-Thoughts from Stephen Innes, SPI Asset Management: “When conditions look like this, large moves do not fade quickly. They propagate. As liquidity thins at the futures level, every order carries more impact, and every stop becomes a catalyst. The market stops absorbing risk and starts transmitting it. That is how air pockets form. Not because everyone agrees on the direction, but because there is no longer enough depth to disagree safely”.

The team at FNArena wishes everyone a great weekend.

Corporate news in the week that was:

-Spark New Zealand ((SPK)) sold 75% of its data centre arm to Pacific Equity Partners in a transaction worth up to NZ$705m

-Rio Tinto ((RIO)) and Chinalco acquire $1.3bn Brazilian aluminium stake

-Qoria ((QOR)) plans merger with US tech company Aura

-Nine Entertainment ((NEC)) is acquiring outdoor ad company QMS for $850m

-Pharmacy Guild alerts ACCC to Priceline ((WES)) stores sales

-Bain Capital could divest part of its Virgin Australia ((VGN)) after 1H26 results

-Bain Capital prepares for $700m-plus IPO for Estia Health

-Homart Pharmaceuticals is preparing for $100m ASX IPO

-Westpac ((WBC)) backed ShopBack is considering an Australian IPO

-GE Vernova identified as possible buyer of Noja Power for $1bn

-Ausgrid’s $2.5bn sale of Plus ES smart metering unit is garnering interest from Macquarie Group ((MQG)), KKR, EQT private equity

-Aware Super has started the sale of Victoria’s $4bn land registry Serv

-NRMA considers sale of Manly Fast Ferry for $100m deal

-Greencross moves closer to IPO with investor site visits

-PYC Therapeutics ((PYC)) is raising $653m to move forward with RNA therapies

-Regis Resources ((RRL)) revisits McPhillamys gold project with a new plan to address heritage issues

-TPG Telecom ((TPG)) and Telstra Group ((TLS)) lose market share as cheaper positioned rivals increase theirs

-Sydney-based childcare management app, OWNA is eying a $100m-plus IPO

-Pure Environmental, a $200m waste management company is up for sale, led by UBS

-$1.3bn in Defence property including Sydney and Victoria barracks are slated to be sold after audit

-CEFC and River Capital will invest more than $80m in an indigenous-led native forestry project in the Tiwi Islands

-Neuren Pharmaceuticals ((NEU)) shares fell -10% after its US partner Acadia Pharmaceuticals received a negative trend vote from European regulators

-Shell is selling 16.7% of Woodside Energy’s ((WDS)) North West Shelf project 

-Macquarie Asset Management ((MQG)) is lining up $5bn in debt for its Qube Holdings ((QUB)) takeover bid

-Affinity Equity is restarting Scottish Pacific sale with price expectations around $1-$1.5bn

-Suncorp Group ((SUN)) might be a possible takeover target as insurers’ profits rise

-MA Financial ((MAF)) sells Corrimal Village for $103m

-Real Pet Food Group is looking at a $1bn-plus sale with General Mills a key candidate

-Perth Radiological amoung $5bn of imaging businesses set for sale with a $1bn valuation

-Generation Development Group ((GDG)) shorts grow as escrow for Evidentia shareholders expiry approaches

-Octopus invests $3.8bn in Australia building the country’s largest battery in NSW

-GPU-as-a-service Sharon AI’s non-deal roadshow and site visits at partner NextDC ((NXT)) started this week

-Regal Partners ((RPL)) announced a $75m share buyback

-Rio Tinto ((RIO)) has walked away from Glencore merger talks over valuation issues

-Maas Group ((MGH)) shares sank after it announced the sale of its construction materials business for $1.703bn with AI-focused reinvestment

-KKR backs HMC Capital’s ((HMC)) green push with $600m investment

-Koala IPO plan impacted by sell-off in small cap industrials

-Healthscope lenders back plan to become a non-profit, keeping 32 hospitals open

-Ardea Resources ((ARL)) wins $1bn funding for nickel-cobalt project from US and Australia

For a calendar of earnings result releases and a summary of earnings results to date, refer to FNArena’s Corporate Results Monitor (https://www.fnarena.com/index.php/reporting_season/)

Find out why FNArena subscribers like the service so much: “Your Feedback (Thank You)” – Warning this story contains unashamedly positive feedback on the service provided.

FNArena is proud about its track record and past achievements: Ten Years On

Click to view our Glossary of Financial Terms