Core Viewpoint - BHP Group reported a stronger-than-expected half-year underlying profit, primarily driven by copper, which has now surpassed iron ore in earnings for the first time, due to increased demand fueled by AI and cleaner energy initiatives [1][2]. Financial Performance - First-half underlying attributable profit rose 22% to $6.20 billion, exceeding the Visible Alpha consensus of $6.03 billion [3]. - BHP declared an interim dividend of 73 cents per share, surpassing market estimates of 63 cents, with a payout ratio of 60% [3]. - Copper, including byproducts, contributed $7.95 billion to operating earnings, higher than iron ore's $7.50 billion, making up 51% of total underlying operating earnings of $15.46 billion [3]. Market Dynamics - Demand for copper is surging due to rapid growth in power use for AI data centers and the transition to cleaner energy, leading to increased competition among mining companies for high-quality copper assets [2]. - A 32% increase in realized copper prices, along with higher prices for precious metals, significantly boosted profits [4]. - Iron ore prices have recently hit a seven-month low, and unit costs for iron ore increased by 7% to $19.41 per metric ton [4][5]. Strategic Focus - BHP is focusing on organic growth options for copper and does not feel pressured to pursue mergers and acquisitions, having previously walked away from a potential acquisition of Anglo American [7]. - The company has raised its copper production forecast for the year to between 1.9 million and 2 million tons, citing strong operational performance [8]. - BHP announced an $18 billion multi-year investment plan to develop copper, gold, and silver mining projects in northern Argentina, with potential peak copper production exceeding 500,000 tons annually [9]. Partnerships and Agreements - BHP entered a silver streaming agreement with Wheaton Precious Metals for an upfront payment of $4.3 billion, part of a targeted $10 billion to be raised from existing assets to potentially enhance dividend payouts [11].

Group 1 - Chesnara PLC is acquiring Scottish Widows Europe from Lloyds Banking Group for €110 million in cash, which will add €1.7 billion of assets and is expected to generate €250 million of lifetime cash [1] - Empire Metals Ltd has initiated its largest drilling campaign at the Pitfield project in Western Australia, planning to drill more than 750 holes to upgrade and expand its titanium resource [1] Group 2 - Tertiary Minerals PLC reported positive momentum in Zambia following a new copper-silver discovery at Mushima North, with drilling set to resume in the second quarter and a JORC Exploration Target expected soon [2] - Applied Nutrition PLC anticipates full-year results to exceed forecasts after a strong performance in January, with first-half revenue increasing by 57% to £74.5 million and full-year guidance raised to approximately £140 million [2] Group 3 - Pan African Resources PLC will hold a new general meeting in London on 26 March due to a court ruling that the notice for its previous capital reduction vote was not properly given [3]

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 17, 2026) - F3 Uranium Corp. (TSXV: FUU) (OTCQB: FUUFF) is pleased to announce that the Company will be presenting at Red Cloud's Pre-PDAC Mining Showcase. We invite our shareholders and all interested parties to join us. The conference will be held in-person at The Omni King Edward Hotel on February 26-27, 2026. Dev Randhawa - Chairman & CEO will be present on February 27th at 10:00 AM Eastern Standard time, providing an update on the Company’s Strategy, recent ...

The CNBC app, global market news in one place. Customizable sections and personalized alerts, stocks tracking, interactive charts and market insights, all in your hands. Stay connected, stay informed, download the CNBC app today.Uh, >> a very warm welcome to this Tuesday edition of Squawk Europe European. I'm Steve Sedick with Ben Bulos. Risk Gup will join us as well.Okay, these are your headlines. European equity futures point lower as Wall Street comes back online after the President's Day holiday with th ...

JOUMANNA: GOOD MORNING. IT IS "HORIZONS MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA." OUR TOP STORIES THIS MORNING. U.S. FUTURES FALLING AND TREASURIES EDGE HIGHER UNDERSCORING A MOVE HEADING INTO THE MARKET’S REOPENING AFTER A HOLIDAY.WTI CRUDE RISING AS TRADERS PRICE IN HIGHER GEO-POLITICAL RISKS AS IRAN HOLDS NAVAL EXERCISES BEFORE TALKS WITH THE U.S. IN GENEVA TODAY. THE WORLD’S LARGEST MINER REPORTS HIGH FIRST QUARTER PROFIT VIA THE COPPER RALLY. YESTERDAY WAS VERY THIN LIQUIDITY IN THESE MARKETS.IT IS LUNAR NEW YEAR. HAPP ...

Core Insights - BHP reported strong operational and financial performance for the December 2025 half year, driven by effective production delivery, cost control, and favorable commodity prices [1] - The company's strategy execution is evident, with over half of earnings for the period derived from the copper business, reflecting a 30 percentage point increase over the past three years [2] - BHP has established a robust growth pipeline in copper and potash, aligning with anticipated strengthening dynamics in the copper market [3] - Since the merger of BHP and Billiton, the company has achieved the highest total shareholder return among major diversified miners, approximately four times that of the MSCI World Metals and Mining Index [4]

Core Insights - The miner's 2025 earnings increased by over 50% year-on-year [1] Group 1 - The significant rise in earnings indicates strong operational performance and market conditions favorable to the mining sector [1]

Market Overview - The S&P/ASX 200 closed up on February 17, 2026, gaining 21.80 points or 0.24% to reach 8,958.90, with a 1.03% increase over the last five days and currently 1.71% off its 52-week high [1][10] - The mining subindex rose by 1.3%, driven by BHP's strong performance [2][10] Top Performers - JB Hi-Fi Limited (JBH) led the gains, closing at A$89.10, up A$6.70 or 8.13% [6][11] - Pro Medicus Limited (PME) followed, finishing at A$125.96 after rising A$8.99, a gain of 7.69% [6][11] - Other notable gainers included A2 Milk Company Limited (A2M) up 6.26%, PEXA Group Limited (PXA) up 4.76%, and BHP Group Limited (BHP) up 4.73% to A$52.74 [7][11] Sector Performance - The materials sector was the best-performing sector, gaining 1.28% on the day and 1.41% over the past five days [8][11] - Financials remained relatively unchanged, with losses in three of the big four banks offsetting Westpac's 0.3% gain [9][11] Upcoming Events - Investors are awaiting Rio Tinto's earnings report on February 19, 2026, and Fortescue's report next week, focusing on iron ore demand and sector outlook [3][10] - Traders are also eyeing upcoming jobs data expected to show a cooling in hiring and a slight uptick in unemployment, which will be crucial for the country's rate outlook [10][11]

Market Overview - European stocks are expected to open lower, with the U.K.'s FTSE index projected to decline by 0.2% and Germany's DAX, France's CAC 40, and Italy's FTSE MIB anticipated to drop by 0.4% [1] - Regional markets experienced a slight increase on Monday as investors processed comments from the Munich Security Conference [1] Earnings Focus - Investors are closely monitoring earnings reports, with companies such as Antofagasta, BHP Group, InterContinental Hotels Group, and EssilorLuxottica set to report on Tuesday [2] - Key data releases include German inflation, economic sentiment, and U.K. unemployment figures [2] Asian Market Activity - Asian financial markets are exhibiting caution due to holiday-thinned trading, with major markets in mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea closed for Lunar New Year holidays [3]

Core Insights - Kutcho Copper Corp. is advancing its high-grade copper-zinc project in Northwest British Columbia, highlighting two significant near-resource drill targets, Hamburger and The Gap, which cover over 4 km² combined and are planned for testing in the 2026 drill program [1][2]. Exploration Targets - The Hamburger target is a high-priority area of over 2.8 km², more than double the current known mineral resource at the Main Deposit, with geological indicators suggesting multiple exploration target types [4][9]. - The Gap target covers 1.3 km² and is located at the intersection of two important conductivity trends, indicating potential for VMS-style mineralization [11][12]. Historical Drilling Insights - Historical drill holes near the Hamburger target have shown significant anomalous values, such as 0.227% Cu and 1.07% Zn over 1.9 m, suggesting proximity to economic massive sulphide mineralization [6]. - The Gap target has also shown positive indicators of VMS mineralization, with historical drilling revealing carbonate alteration and pyrite mineralization over lengths of up to 15 m [12][13]. Planned Drilling Program - In 2026, the company plans to drill six holes targeting the Hamburger and The Gap areas, with each hole accompanied by a down-hole EM survey to refine target direction [16].