As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,917.60, up 1.21% in the past 5 days. But It was a disappointing end to what had otherwise been a stellar week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index and many ASX shares this Friday. After bumper sessions on both Monday and Wednesday, investors seemed to get a case of cold feet. The five Australian stocks experienced significant gains in the five trading days, primarily driven by strong earnings reports and guidance upgrades released during this period. These updates came amid a broader ASX rally, with financials and utilities sectors leading on resilient economic signals, cost management, and sector-specific positives. 1. $JAMES HARDIE INDUSTRIES-CDI

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,708.80, down 1.27% in the past 5 days. The Australian sharemarket on Friday fell the most since US President Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs in April, as sliding commodity prices, concerns about AI and a dive in bitcoin triggered broad equity derisking. The five Australian stocks showed strong gains in the five trading days leading up to February 6, 2026, mainly driven by a combination of company-specific positives (e.g., earnings/synergies) and sector/market rotation into defensives amid broader ASX choppiness (e.g., tech/commodity sell-offs offset by resilient sectors like financials, packaging, and logistics). 1. $AMCOR PLC-CDI(AM

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,869.10 on Friday, up 0.27% in the past 5 days.1. $Capstone Copper Corp(CSC.AU)$ +10.70%Record-high copper prices exceeding US$6.30/lb due to geopolitical tensions and falling US dollar. Record FY2025 copper production of 224,764 tonnes, up 22% YoY from Mantoverde ramp-up.Strong sector momentum with ASX copper shares surging on supply tightness and renewable/AI demand, and positive market sentiment amid recurring supply disruptions and industrial demand growth.2. $SANTOS LIMITED(STO.AU)$ +8.51%Strong Q4 2025 cash flow surge of ~US$380m, up 30% QoQ from higher production and sales volumes. Recor

In 2025, Australian equities followed a stop-start macro narrative shaped by shifting policy signals and sharp sector rotations. The Reserve Bank of Australia delivered three rate cuts, lowering the cash rate from 4.35% to 3.60%. The lithium carbonate market traced a pronounced V-shaped reversal, and setting new highs.Take a look at the Top 10 Most-Watched Australian Stocks.1. $COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA(CBA.AU)$: “Safe Yield” Bank Faces Margin RealityIn 2025, Commonwealth Bank of Australia delivered what most global banks would envy: record profits, record dividends, strong loan growth, and pristine asset quality.Yet the share price told a very different story. After peaking near A$192 in late June, CBA entered a controlled but sharp de-rat

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,614.10 on Friday, up 1.44% in the past 5 days.1. $Alcoa Corp(AAI.AU)$ +14.97%Alcoa announced its intention to redeem $141 million of its high-yield 5.500% notes due in 2027 ahead of schedule . This move, funded by cash on hand, is seen as a disciplined capital management strategy that will reduce interest costs and strengthen the balance sheet.The stock's rise coincided with a recent upgrade from Zacks Research to a "Strong-Buy" rating . This positive outlook from analysts, coupled with a general "Moderate Buy" consensus and rising price targets from other firms, likely contributed to the bullish momentum.The price surge was accompanied

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,416.50 on Friday, down 2.18% in the past 5 days.1. $CHARTER HALL GROUP(CHC.AU)$ +12.72%The main driver was Charter Hall's upgrade of its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Operating Earnings Per Security (OEPS) guidance by 5.5%, from 90.0 cents to 95.0 cents . This new forecast represents a 16.7% increase over the FY25 result .The guidance upgrade was fueled by heightened investment activity and an acceleration in transaction volumes since June 2025 . This led to increased earnings across its Property Investment, Development Investment, and Funds Management divisions .Following the announcement, the prominent broker Macquarie upgraded its rating on

Australia’s big four banks — ANZ, Westpac, NAB and Commonwealth Bank of Australia — remain core holdings for many investors and a major driver of the S&P/ASX 200 Index. But in 2025, their performances have diverged sharply.So far this year, ANZ has been the clear winner with a 36% gain, followed by Westpac at +27% and NAB at +18%. CBA, despite hitting record highs earlier in the year, has underperformed with only about 7% share price growth year-to-date, and has fallen more than 15% from its June peak above $189.Below is a brief look at how each bank has traded this year, and what their latest earnings tell us.ANZ: Best Share Price Performance, Softer FY25 Results$ANZ GROUP HOLDINGS LTD(ANZ.AU)$ surged from $28.59 to around $36.94, making it

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,769.70 on Friday, down 1.00% in the past 5 days.1. $Light & Wonder Inc(LNW.AU)$ +14.05%The company reported a significant 78% jump in net income and an 18% rise in AEBITDA for the third quarter, which surpassed market expectations . This impressive profit growth on modest revenue increase demonstrated strong operating leverage and cost discipline .Investor excitement was fueled by the company's planned transition to a sole primary listing on the ASX, which was on schedule . This move is anticipated to close the valuation gap with other ASX-listed gaming peers and could lead to a significant re-rating of the stock .LNW returned $111 m

Market OverviewAustralia’s major banks are heading into the November earnings season with strong momentum. The market anticipates solid results for FY25, driven by resilient credit growth, disciplined deposit pricing, and robust Treasury and Markets income. However, analysts warn that FY26 may bring challenges, with moderating revenue growth and margin pressure expected as rate cuts gradually filter through the system.Earnings Season Highlights: $WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION(WBC.AU)$ and $NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LTD(NAB.AU)$ are expected to lead in top-line growth, supported by a favorable lending mix and disciplined deposit management. $Macquarie(MQG.AU)$ i

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,881.90 on Friday, down 1.94% in the past 5 days. 1. $Capstone Copper Corp(CSC.AU)$ +8.52%The company reported record quarterly financial performance for Q3 2025, including a record Adjusted EBITDA of $249.2 million, which more than doubled from the previous year. This was driven by higher copper production and strong copper prices.Capstone sold a 25% stake in its Santo Domingo project for up to $360 million. This deal reduces future funding requirements for the project, provides immediate cash, and enhances financial flexibility, which was viewed positively by the market.Several financial institutions, including CIBC, Stifel Nicolaus, an

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 9,019.00 on Friday, up 0.34% in the past 5 days.1. $PILBARA MINERALS LTD(PLS.AU)$ +20.52%PLS saw a significant share price increase, primarily driven by its strong financial and operational performance for the first quarter of the 2026 financial year (FY26).The company reported a 30% quarter-over-quarter increase in revenue to A$251 million, driven by a 20% rise in the average realized lithium price. This top-line growth, coupled with a significant reduction in costs, led to an improved cash margin, beating market expectations.Pilbara Minerals achieved a 13% reduction in its unit operating cost (to A$540 per tonne) during the quarter. This

As of the close on Friday, $S&P/ASX 200(XJO.AU)$ closed at 8,995.30 on Friday, up 0.85% in the past 5 days.The primary driver was a surge in the price of gold, which reached a fresh record high. This boosted investor interest in major gold producers like Newmont and Northern Star .In addition, other reasons include: 1. $NEWMONT CORP-CDI(NEM.AU)$ +16.02%NEM’s technicals are highly bullish. The 50-day SMA (~$89) and 200-day SMA (~$84) both lie below the current price, confirming the uptrend. Newmont’s fundamentals are solid, with Q2 2025 EPS beating estimates, and demonstrated significant growth in operating cash flow, underpininning its financial health and shareholder returns.Major institutions, i