Next Week At A Glance – 3-7 August 2026

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This story features AMPOL LIMITED.
For more info SHARE ANALYSIS: ALD
The company is included in ASX100, 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:

• Volatility is never far from stocks and markets in 2026, and this week has once again demonstrated it remains the trend du jour for both traders and investors.
• Say what, say it again! Just to prove the point, the above statement is a repeat from last week and reinforces, now more than ever, that heading into the August reporting season, knowing your stocks might help you traverse the volatility vortex.
• The ASX200 has managed to advance more than 2.5% this week and now sits around -2% below its 52-week high.
• The big news on Wednesday was the lower-than-expected June quarter CPI print, which saw the market price out an August rate hike.
• Luci Ellis announced Westpac Economics no longer expects additional rate hikes in 2026, although the Monetary Policy Board (MPB) is likely to maintain a hawkish posture until inflation risks fully subside.
• The Australian rates market is now pricing just 1bp of tightening at the RBA’s August meeting and 14bp of hikes for the remainder of 2026, down from a full 25bp hike for November priced in last week.
• Information Technology, Health Care and Consumer Discretionary were the top-performing sectors, in that order. Both Information Technology and Health Care still down more than -40% over the past 12 months.
• Financials, Materials and Consumer Staples also joined the rally, each rising more than 2% for the week.
• The on-again, off-again AI momentum trade took exposed investors on a wild ride, capitulating after the FOMC left interest rates on hold on Thursday.
• Citadel, the master of the hedge fund universe, was ready and waiting to acquire the portfolio of the Situational Awareness hedge fund after it succumbed to margin calls. That, alongside a strong Microsoft earnings result, reignited the AI, memory and broader technology trade. Time will tell how durable the rally proves to be.
• Ructions in the Middle East continued and, despite renewed attempts at peace, it still resembles an on-again, off-again forever war as countries scramble to redirect oil flows away from the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
• One thing is for sure: Australia’s refineries are minting cash, as highlighted by Ampol’s ((ALD)) quarterly update.
• Looking ahead to next week, the August reporting season gathers momentum, so stay abreast of what’s happening with the FNArena calendar, https://fnarena.com/index.php/financial-news/calendar/

Until then the team at FNArena wishes you a great weekend.

Corporate news in the week that was:

• Carbar is merging with Carasti and is seeking $10m in funding to support global expansion
• Basalt has joined the bidding process for StraitNZ’s ferry business
• Emeco Holdings ((EHL)) is in talks to acquire struggling mining services company National Group
• KKR is considering reviving a lower takeover offer for Pepper Money ((PPM))
• Monvia ((MON)) debuted on the ASX following a $17.5m initial public offering with shares trading higher on debut
• Larry Emdur’s whisky brand The Ben Buckler has raised fresh funding at a $10m valuation to support expansion into the USA
• Evolution Mining ((EVN)) to acquire Carnaby Resources ((CNB)) in a $213m all-scrip transaction 
• EQT increased its takeover offer for Perpetual ((PPT)), valuing the company at $2.6bn
• Dexus ((DXS)) sold three office properties for $715m, exceeding its FY27 asset divestment target
• Seek Growth Fund ((SEK)) is exploring the sale of a stake worth more than $500m in its education business
• Tokio Marine is assessing a potential acquisition of Insurance Australia Group ((IAG)) or Suncorp Group ((SUN)) as part of its Australian expansion strategy
• Advanced Innergy Holdings’ ((AIH)) Australian Industrial Holdings has completed its acquisition of Matrix Composites & Engineering ((MCE))
• The proposed $1bn sale of Perth Radiological has slowed as doctor shareholders negotiate with Bain Capital and Pacific Equity Partners
• Affinity Equity Partners is considering a break-up sale of Scottish Pacific
• WAM Income Maximiser ((WMX)) has launched a $151m capital raising
• Saturn Metals ((STN)) has launched a $100m equity raising to fund development of the Apollo Hill gold project in Western Australia
• Vysarn ((VYS)) has launched a $64m equity raising to fund acquisitions and support future growth
• Hancock Prospecting has backed G50 Corp’s ((G50)) $20m equity raising to accelerate exploration in Arizona and Nevada
• Lakes Blue Energy ((LKO)) has launched an $8m equity raising
• Myer Holdings ((MYR)) has issued a profit warning, citing inflation, higher interest rates and weaker housing conditions as headwinds
• Independent expert backs Energy Fuels’ takeover of Astron Corporation ((ATR)) despite the lower value of the offer following the decline in Energy Fuels’ share price
• KordaMentha extends the sale process for the Whyalla Steelworks
• Igneo Infrastructure Partners acquires Green Squares Energy for more than $50m to launch Australian distributed energy platform Vertis
• Pacific Equity Partners secures exclusivity to acquire Qscan Group in a deal valued at around $900m
• A Calvary-led consortium improves its takeover bid for Healthscope
• GreenPoint Energy explores a $1.5bn sale, with existing shareholders Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan also looking to exit their stakes
• Reliance Worldwide ((RWC)) attracts takeover speculation as it restructures its business amid challenging market conditions
• BHP Group ((BHP)) delays a potential $10bn divestment of its BHP Mitsubishi Alliance coal assets
• Vitol considers selling its remaining stake in Viva Energy Group ((VEA)) 
• Web Travel Group ((WEB)) launches a $90m share buyback and upgrades earnings guidance
• SCX.ai secures backing from Frazis Capital Partners, Wilson Asset Management and Ellerston Capital ahead of its $40m initial public offering
• Quadrant Private Equity and HPS Investment Partners explore a $1.6bn debt recapitalisation for Fitness & Lifestyle Group
• Short sellers increase positions in SpaceX ahead of the expiry of insider lock-up restrictions 
• Perpetual ((PPT)) rejected EQT’s $2.6bn takeover proposal but granted limited due diligence access to support further discussions
• Infrastructure investors are exploring the acquisition of stakes in Perth Airport as shareholders restart a sale process
• Private equity firms are competing to acquire oOh!media ((OML)) as the takeover process advances
• Morrison is in talks to acquire a minority stake in Optus from Singapore Telecommunications in a private investment deal valued at more than $2bn
• AirTrunk secured US$2.3bn in green financing to support the expansion of its Malaysian data centre operations
• Novigi is seeking a new private equity investor to fund its next phase of growth
• Nicolab is seeking to raise $6m ahead of a planned ASX listing
• Ironbark is targeting its largest private wealth acquisition after securing funding from Merchant Investment Management
• Morrison is reviewing strategic options for utility provider Altogether Group
• Volue has offered $565m to acquire Energy One ((EOL)) via a scheme of arrangement
• Service Stream ((SSM)) has emerged as the leading bidder for Programmed in a sale process valuing the business at around $1bn
• Janus Henderson has acquired three Insignia Financial ((IFL)) funds management businesses overseeing around $33bn in assets
• Ingenia Communities Group ((INA)) is seeking funding partners for its takeover bid for Peet ((PPC))
• Apax has launched the sale of Pickles Auctions in a process expected to value the business at more than $1bn
• Crimson Australia has formally launched its takeover bid for Kip McGrath Education Centres ((KME))
• Brett Blundy’s BBFIT Investments has agreed to acquire the Bras N Things, Bonds, Berlei and Sheridan brands in a deal valued at around $700m
• Canva’s revenue growth of around 30% has reinforced its reported US$42bn valuation ahead of a potential IPO
• Centuria Capital Group’s ((CNI)) Bass refinanced loans to Bathla became distressed within three months
• Situational Awareness is seeking fresh capital and selling assets after losses on AI infrastructure investments triggered margin calls
• Firmus is seeking approval for a US$2bn equity raising to fund Australian AI projects

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/)

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