Live: Australia's biggest company BHP to report earnings

Tue 18 Aug 2026 at 7:46amTue 18 Aug 2026 at 7:46amMarket snapshotASX 200 futures: -0.4% to 8,976 pointsAustralian dollar: +0.03% to 71.05 US cents Dow Jones: -0.5% to 53,459 pointsS&P 500: -0.5% to 7,745 pointsNasdaq: -0.3% to 26,644 pointsFTSE: -0.2% to 10,720 points EuroStoxx: -0.2% to 656 points Spot gold: +0.9% to $US4,415/ounce Brent crude: +2.9% to $US91.11barrel Iron ore: -0.2% to $US95.17/tonne Bitcoin: +2.4% to $US64,330 Prices current around 7:45am AEDT.Live updates on the major ASX indices:Tue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:43amTue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:43amBHP's full-year profit jumps 30% on higher copper pricesCopper that.BHP Group has reported a 30% increase in full-year underlying profit, fuelled by higher copper prices as the red metal cemented its lead over iron ore as the miner's biggest earnings driver.The world's largest listed miner reported underlying attributable profit of $13.20 billion for the year ended June 30, beating the Visible Alpha consensus of $12.66 billion. That compared with $10.16 billion reported a year ago.Tue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:31amTue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:31amBlood products group CSL reports 2% fall in annual profitThe company, among the world's top flu vaccine makers, reported underlying net profit after tax attributable of $3.14 billion on a constant currency basis for the year ended June 30, compared with $3.22 billion logged last year.Tue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:27amTue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:27amHold on, you said -30%. Why is that?Yes, there's more from George Tharenou of UBS.Here we go:UBS still expects home loan values >-30% and prices >-5%. UBS still expects home loans values to slump a cumulative ~30%+, in the cycle, through to the end of 2027. This will drag down housing credit growth into 2027 to 5% peak to trough.However, we still see the risks around these forecasts are to the downside. In prior housing downturns, the RBA typically flipped from rate hikes to rate cuts, which would relatively quickly end the housing downturn.But, "this time is different", as inflation is still too high. Hence UBS expect the RBA to keep interest rates "higher for longer". Tue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:22amTue 18 Aug 2026 at 8:22amUBS expects house prices to fall around 30%George Tharenou is the head of macro research for Australia and NZ and chief economist at investment bank UBS.I've spoken to him the last couple of years as I've analysed the year in review. But you don't have to wait — he's got some great economic comment that we're going to chew into now.Here's the now:In the second quarter of 2026 home loan values drop -5.2% quarter on quarter, on RBA hikes & budget tax changes The value of total home loans (excluding refinancing) in Q2-26 dropped by -5.2% q/q, close to market expectations. (The consensus view was -5.3%; UBS thought it would be: -7.0%), and the weakest q/q since 2022. This followed Q1-26 already declining -3.4% q/q, for a cumulative fall in 1H-26 of -8.4%. The year on year figure slowed sharply further, to 6.8% (after 19.1%). He says the the weakness is driven by:The RBA increasing the cash rate by a cumulative 75bps between Feb-26 and May-26.Australian government budget tax changes announced in May-26. Tue 18 Aug 2026 at 7:55amTue 18 Aug 2026 at 7:55amCochlear resultsHere are the topline results from medical device innovator Cochlear.Expecting low single-digit constant currency sales revenue growth and underlying net profit of $330-350 million in fy27Net profit margin is expected to return to 18% over the medium term.Further restructuring costs are expected in fy27Sees fy27 capital expenditure of $100- $110 millionThe share price of the company has more than halved (-55%) in the past year.It and blood products group CSL have gone from market darlings to "big questions".Tue 18 Aug 2026 at 7:43amTue 18 Aug 2026 at 7:43amLet's get to itHello, I'm Daniel Ziffer from the ABC business team and I'll be taking you through the morning on our business, finance and economics blog.Overnight, Wall Street indices were down.Why? Fears of an expanded conflict in the Middle East after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman.The blue-chip Dow Jones of 30 mega-companies like Boeing and Visa was -0.5% to 53,459 points.The broader S&P 500 that covers 500 of the largest listed companies in the US -0.5% to 7,745 points.The tech-heavy Nasdaq was -0.3% to 26,644 points.These numbers are live, and trading is continuing, we’ll update you when there’s a firm closing price.Our market is set to slide, with the ASX 200 futures index tipping a fall of -0.4% or 36 points to 8,976 points.There’s lots to get to, all of it news, analysis and information and none of it financial advice.Let’s get started!Mon 17 Aug 2026 at 6:14pmMon 17 Aug 2026 at 6:14pmReporting season fires onA busy week on the ASX reporting calendar with a diverse range of businesses releasing results, mainly full year ones.Today one of the biggest is BHP.This week there are around 80 major companies reporting including Goodman Group, JB HiFi, Northern Star Resources HUB 24, Stockland, Santos, Brambles, Dexus and TPG.Tue: BHP, CSL, ProMedicus, Cochlear, Challenger, Reliance Worldwide, Sims, HUB24, Region Group, HealthCo REITWed: Iluka, Evolution Mining, Santos, Whitehaven Coal, Temple & Webster, Breville, BWP Trust, Mirvac, Fletcher Building Group, The Lottery Corporation, HeliusThu: Norther Star Resources, Goodman Group, Brambles, Medibank Private, APA, Downer EDI, Megaport, Sonic Healthcare, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Zip Co, Emeco, Qube, Super Retail Group, Cleanaway Waster Management, IDP Education, Dexus, Vicinity Centres, Bega Cheese, Spark Infrastructure, Aukland Ingternational Airport, Sky City EntertainmentFri: TPG Telecom, Lifestyle Communities, Charter Hall, Latitude Group, GQG Partners, Enero Group