Daily Roundup

MAQ.ASX BHP.ASX MAP.ASX NWL.ASX OBM.ASX

Macquarie Technology Group is making a major bet on Sydney's tech future with a $240 million land acquisition in Macquarie Park. The company has exercised an option to purchase a 34,200 square meter parcel that will become an engineering and technology campus, complete with a 200MW data centre. The development is expected to wrap up by late 2029 and will feature some thoughtful community touches—think parks, community gardens, and an art gallery. The project will also partner with Macquarie University to support research and learning opportunities, while using advanced air cooling technology to keep water usage minimal.

On the mining front, BHP delivered a strong performance for the year ended June 30, 2026, posting record iron ore and approximately 2 million tonnes of copper production. The company's cost management proved particularly impressive, with every asset staying within unit cost guidance despite inflation and global supply chain headaches. Looking ahead, BHP is guiding for FY27 copper production between 1,650 and 1,800 kilotonnes and iron ore production between 260 and 272 million tonnes. The company remains confident in long-term demand for its core commodities, buoyed by industrialization, urbanization, the energy transition, and population growth.

Ora Banda Mining is firing on all cylinders, reporting record quarterly gold production of 40,000 ounces and generating $36 million in cash flow during the June quarter. The company hit its full-year FY26 production target of 140,900 ounces and has now launched its 'DRIVE to 300' initiative, aiming to double production and slash unit costs by FY29. The company also significantly boosted its ore reserves and mineral resources, up 159% and 75% respectively. For FY27, Ora Banda is guiding for production between 125,000 and 140,000 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost of A$3,400 to A$3,600 per ounce. John Richards has been appointed as Non-Executive Chair-elect.

Microba Life Sciences is hitting its stride with core testing revenue jumping 92% year-on-year and volumes climbing 78% in the same period. The biotech company's enterprise accounts in Australia are growing steadily, and it's on track to launch its new GI Navigator testing product in September. Microba completed a $5 million placement to fund its path to cashflow break-even, which the company now expects to achieve on a run-rate basis in 2027. Q4 FY26 saw cash receipts of $3.95 million and total revenue of $4.07 million, bringing full-year FY26 revenue to $14.78 million. The company is also actively pursuing therapeutic partnerships to commercialize its pipeline of biotherapeutic assets.

Netwealth wrapped up a stellar quarter with total custodial FUA inflows of $8.4 billion, up 11% compared to the prior year period. The wealth management platform reached a record $135.7 billion in total FUA, up 20% year-on-year, while Managed Account FUM hit a record $30.5 billion, up 30% on the same period. The company added 5,601 new accounts during the quarter, bringing the total to 182,276. Netwealth also rolled out new offerings including its Private Wealth service and Individual HIN solution, plus a new partnership with Morgan Stanley. For FY27, the company is guiding for net FUA flows of $18 billion to $20 billion and an EBITDA margin of approximately 47%.