The latest Market Talks covering Equities. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires throughout the day.

0213 GMT - The Bank of Thailand is likely to hike its policy rate by 25 bps each in 4Q 2026 and 1Q 2027, ANZ Research's Kausani Basak and Sanjay Mathur says in a report. The BOT has room to maintain its accommodative stance, as headline inflation has continued to moderate in recent months. However, ANZ says that it will continue monitoring underlying price pressures closely, as producer price inflation remains high and could start spilling over to core inflation in the coming months. ANZ will review its view on BOT's rate path, if inflation pressures turn out to be benign. (amanda.lee@wsj.com)

0209 GMT - Chinese DRAM maker CXMT is expected to sustain rapid growth over the next several years, as strong artificial-intelligence-related demand keeps the global memory market tight, according to a Morgan Stanley report. The brokerage initiates coverage of CXMT with an overweight rating, forecasting revenue to grow at a 140% compound annual rate between 2025 and 2028, driven by capacity expansion, rising adoption of its memory chips and firm pricing. Morgan Stanley estimates CXMT's share of global DRAM bit shipments will rise to 15% by 2030 from 11% in 2026, while global DRAM supply is expected to remain constrained through 2027 despite industry expansion plans. The report says demand from China's AI infrastructure build-out should continue to support the company's growth. (jie.yang@wsj.com)

0208 GMT - Laopu Gold's shareholders are likely to focus on quarter-on-quarter improvement in the Chinese gold jeweler's sales in the near term, Citi analysts say in a note, citing investor queries after the company's results. While Laopu's management disclosed more concrete plans for its overseas expansion, the investors appear to have low expectations, the analysts say. The investors asked mainly about the jeweler's pricing strategy amid gold-price fluctuations and whether it has sufficient cash upon any inventory surge. The analysts reckon Laopu's longer-term competitiveness will continue to strengthen as it develops its very-important-clients segment and optimizes its stores. Citi retains a buy rating and a 507.00 Hong Kong dollars target price. Shares rise 2.8% to HK$416.80. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0203 GMT - Mineral Resources' FY 2026 result is a strong one, with earnings a small beat and its dividend reinstated at a much higher level than anticipated, Barrenjoey says. The miner declared a dividend of A$0.83, while Barrenjoey had forecast A$0.50 and consensus was at just A$0.07, the bank says. That "should be taken positively," says Barrenjoey. "FY27 guidance also broadly better than market expected across the board, with Wodgina a strong beat on volume and costs, and capex slightly better on a like-for-like basis," it says. The bank has an overweight rating and a A$73.00 target on Mineral Resources. Shares initially jumped as high as A$70.87 but have tumbled through the morning in Sydney to recently trade down 2.1% at A$65.51. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

0201 GMT - South32's FY 2027 guidance is more strongly geared to base metals than anticipated, says Jefferies. A production forecast at Cannington of 290,000 tons dwarfs Jefferies' 206,000-ton estimate, it says. South32's estimates for volumes at Sierra Gorda are also higher than expected. "We remain constructive on South32 as a diversified base-metals growth vehicle, with disciplined capital management and improving portfolio clarity," Jefferies says. The bank has a buy rating and A$6.00/share target on South32. Shares are up 0.2% at A$5.15. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

0201 GMT - Much of the unmet demand for data center capacity in Singapore is expected to shift to Malaysia's Johor state, reinforcing the view that infrastructure availability, rather than demand, will increasingly shape growth in the Singapore-Johor corridor, Fitch Ratings says in a note. Johor's proximity to Singapore, lower development costs and integration through the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone should allow it to benefit from Singapore's supply constraints, it says. However, Johor's ability to sustain growth will depend on infrastructure and resource availability. Tighter requirements on power efficiency, water use and renewable-energy adoption could slow capacity additions and raise development costs, but should improve the sector's long-term resilience, it adds. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

0128 GMT - IGO surprises with a final dividend of A$0.05/share, versus consensus of A$0.01/share. "This marks IGO's first dividend since FY24 as dividends had been suspended due to the downturn in the lithium cycle," Citi says. Otherwise, the miner reports a broadly in-line set of FY results, says the bank. "With CGP3 restarting production in early August and Nova expected to leave the portfolio following completion of the sale, investor focus increasingly shifts toward capital allocation discipline, Greenbushes optimization and the company's copper growth ambitions," Citi says. It has a neutral rating and A$7.10/share target on the stock. Shares are up 1.3% at A$8.30. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

0123 GMT - Kuala Lumpur Kepong's share-price overhang from concerns over further impairment at associate Synthomer likely eased following a 1.62 billion ringgit one-off non-cash impairment, with future losses no longer expected to affect KLK's earnings, Maybank IB analyst Ong Chee Ting says in a note. KLK will begin equity-accounting MP Evans' share of associate profits from fiscal 4Q, he says. Despite potential weather-related pressure on FY 2027 output, higher CPO prices are expected to provide an offset, he notes. Ong raises KLK's FY 2026-2028 core profit estimates by 2%-5%. Maybank raises KLK's rating to buy from hold and raises its target price to 24.90 ringgit from 21.20 ringgit. Shares are unchanged at 21.76 ringgit. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

0121 GMT - With no surprises in Greatland Resources' year-end result, the market's attention will now turn to its Havieron project and drilling activities, says Citi. "With all necessary secondary approvals for the Havieron, we expect the focus for GGP will be on construction and development activity" there, as well as the West Dome Underground study at the Telfer mine "and working through the 215 kilometers of drilling budgeted for FY27," Citi says. The bank has a buy rating and A$14.00/share target on Greatland. Shares are down 2.4% at A$13.20. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

0103 GMT - Public Bank's net interest margin is expected to persist over the next one to two quarters, with a further 1-2 bps of compression likely, primarily due to intense competition for wholesale deposits, CIMB Securities analyst Ei Leen Tan says in a note. Public Bank is reducing its reliance on wholesale deposits and increasing the use of lower-cost funding sources such as commercial papers and repurchase agreements, she says. Public bank's established business, driven by superior asset quality, prudent provisioning and consistent execution, should continue to support its premium valuation, she adds. Tan thinks the lender's 3.5 billion ringgit capital return plan could also support investor interest. CIMB maintains a buy rating on Public Bank and keeps its target price at 5.50 ringgit. Shares are 0.2% higher at 5.16 ringgit. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

0050 GMT - The main positives in miner South32's FY result are the Cannington mine, where Ebitda tops consensus by 5%, and group free cash flow, which is a 17% beat, says Citi. The main negatives are its manganese business, which posts a 3% miss on Ebitda, and Brazil Alumina, where Ebitda falls 33% short, the bank says. "The retained base metals assets delivered above estimates, the misses were concentrated in the assets being sold, and the strong cash generation supports higher returns under the updated capital management framework post the Alcoa transaction," Citi says. It reiterates a buy rating and A$5.30/share target. Shares are up 0.6% at A$5.17. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

0040 GMT - Hyundai Motor's earnings could face short-term forex pressure amid a lack of near-term catalysts, Daiwa Capital's Henny Jung and Yoonki Bae say. The South Korean auto maker remains vulnerable to the recent pullback in the dollar against the Korean won, leading Daiwa to lower its 2026-2027 EPS estimates by 4%-5%, the analysts write in a note. They say the company failed to provide granular details on robotics and autonomous driving at a recent investor-relations event. At the event, Hyundai maintained its 2030 sales target of about 5.5 million units while raising its operating profit margin target to above 9% from the 8%-9% range announced last year.