Markets
Swiss market opens lower as pharma stocks weigh; gold hits 3-month high
SMI falls 0.22% in pre-market as Roche and Novartis drag; DAX seen little changed. Brent oil dips 1.5% to $92.94/barrel; WTI at $85.61. Gold climbs 0.75% to $4,637/oz.
Plazza posts 67% profit jump on higher property valuations in H1 2026
Swiss real estate firm Plazza reported a 67% rise in net profit for the first half of 2026, driven by a more than doubling of revaluation gains to CHF 40 million. Portfolio value increased to CHF 1.36 billion.
Iran discovers major natural gas field with 212 bcm reserves
New field in southern Fars province holds 212 billion cubic meters of gas, with 161 bcm recoverable. State media cites lower costs due to sweet gas composition amid production declines from war-related damage.
Toei Animation jumps 6.2% on new One Piece films
Toei Animation surged after unveiling two new One Piece films at the weekend event, with the first scheduled for summer 2027. The broader market offered little support.
Allreal posts strong H1 earnings beat despite lower revaluations
Swiss real estate firm Allreal reported a 20.8% rise in underlying net profit for H1 2026, driven by asset sales and lower financing costs, while total net income fell 9.6% on reduced revaluation gains.
Global market agenda: Key events for Aug 24, 2026
PDD Holdings reports quarterly earnings; U.S. CFNA index data due alongside other global economic releases.
Swiss blue chips flat to open; SoftBank, KI stocks fall as Asia markets waver
Swiss franc strengthens versus euro and dollar as Asian equities drift lower on geopolitical risks and earnings caution. Brent crude dips 1.5% after prior week’s gains.
Term Finance loses $8.5M in governance exploit targeting vaults
Attacker drains 2,843 ETH and 1.68M USDC from Term's strategy vaults, representing 68% of pre-attack holdings. Protocol shuts down Meta Vaults while investigating scope of breach.
Ampol shares surge 4.4% on record H1 profit, Lytton refinery upgrade
Australian fuel group posts A$857 million net profit after tax in H1 2026, beating estimates, as refining margins triple and dividend more than quadruples. Shares rise to A$41.59.
Ventia posts record 9.4% EBITDA margin in HY26 as revenue declines 4.7%
Australia’s Ventia Services Group reported a 9.4% EBITDA margin in the first half of 2026, up 1.1 percentage points year-over-year, despite a 4.7% drop in revenue to $2.9 billion. The company reaffirmed full-year NPATA growth guidance of 7–10%.
Aussie Broadband shares drop 4% after FY26 results despite EBITDA growth
Revenue rose 9.2% to AUD 1.30 billion while underlying EBITDA climbed 20% to AUD 165.3 million, but shares fell on margin concerns and regulatory headwinds. FY27 EBITDA guidance set at AUD 205-215 million.
Kogan FY26 presentation: $1B sales milestone, stock falls 15%
Finance Review Daily is tracking this developing story; additional confirmed specifics had not been verified at the time of publication.
hipages FY26 results show 66% cash flow surge, AI tools drive growth
Revenue rose 9% to $90.6m as the Australian home services platform expanded margins and free cash flow. AI-driven quoting tools boosted job conversion rates by 144%.
Hipages FY26 results: AI push lifts free cash flow 66%, stock jumps 4.3%
Australia’s home improvement platform reports record EBITDA margins and 9% revenue growth as AI tools drive customer retention and pricing power. FY27 guidance targets $11-13m in free cash flow.
Stanmore reports 18% EBITDA rise in H1 2026 on higher coal prices
Underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation climbed to $174 million as strong coking coal prices offset cost pressures. Full-year guidance maintained.
U.S. to unveil sweeping sanctions on Iran as tensions escalate
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warns of a 'global pariah' designation for allies of Tehran. Iranian official vows oil exports will halt if economic pressure persists.
U.S. Treasury announces sweeping sanctions against Iran amid oil export threat
Washington prepares 'economic D-Day' targeting Tehran's financial networks, as Iran vows to halt all oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran claims discovery of 7.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas
New field in Fars province holds over 212 billion cubic meters of gas, with 5.7 trillion cubic feet deemed recoverable. Oil minister cites 'sweet' gas quality to reduce costs.
Iran warns U.S. of economic retaliation amid escalating sanctions
Tehran cautions Washington over potential blowback from stricter trade restrictions, as Trump administration prepares to unveil sweeping measures. Iranian officials vow reciprocal measures against regional oil exporters.
UBS downgrades Klarna to Neutral, cuts price target to $16
UBS downgraded Klarna's stock to Neutral from Buy and slashed its price target to $16 from $23, citing a guidance cut and executive departures. Shares fell 31% in a week.
Citi lifts Nvidia target to $300, cites AI demand surge
Analyst raises price target on AI chip leader after forecasting revenue beats and stronger Blackwell GPU shipments. Citi also trims valuation multiple amid supply constraints.
Dollar outlook hinges on UST buybacks and Fed credibility, BofA says
Stronger U.S. Treasury buybacks and policy credibility concerns weigh on the greenback, with gold and franc outperforming as investors reassess dollar fundamentals.
Canada supplies 68% of U.S. aluminum imports in first half of 2026
Canadian exports met 68% of U.S. aluminum import demand in the first half of 2026, while total domestic production covered 95% of import needs. Washington weighs tariff reductions on Canadian metal.
Canada cannot fully replace U.S. aluminium imports, Morgan Stanley says
Even redirecting all Canadian production to the U.S. would leave a shortfall, as America relies on imports for 80% of its aluminium needs. A potential tariff cut may ease but not eliminate supply gaps.
BCA Research advises selling U.S. dollar against won, yen, euro
BCA Research recommends shorting the greenback versus the South Korean won, Japanese yen, Taiwan dollar, Singapore dollar and euro, citing falling U.S. real yields and weaker foreign portfolio inflows.