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

0805 GMT - Ithaca Energy's record second-quarter production helped solid cash flow and confidence in the medium-term production outlook, Berenberg analysts say. The British oil-and-gas company also has a strong balance sheet, which can support organic investment and help with U.K. and international merger and acquisition ambitions, they add. Berenberg remains confident in the medium-term production and shareholder returns outlook for Ithaca. The analysts maintain a buy recommendation on the stock with a price target of 270 pence. Shares are up 4.9% at 264 pence. (michael.hennessey@wsj.com)

0801 GMT - China Unicom's move to suspend dividends in 1H is likely to weigh on its stock's appeal, says DBS Group Research in commentary. The telecommunications service provider had a 0.2841 yuan dividend per share in 1H 2025, but didn't declare a dividend for the same period this year. The stock is largely held for its yield, and this likely came across as a negative surprise, the DBS analysts say. Meanwhile, its 1H profit declined 35% from a year earlier, missing market expectations, DBS adds. The dividend suspension and greater need for earnings recovery in 2H has weakened its near-term investment case, the analysts say. DBS is reviewing buy rating and 8.70 Hong Kong dollar target price. Shares plunge 13% to HK$5.475. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0739 GMT - Infracore's 300 million Swiss-franc development program is seen driving a major profit acceleration in 2026-27, Baader Europe analysts say in a note. The healthcare real estate company's first-half rental income rose by 5.3% with net profit up 5.5%. Its 90% Ebitda margin was driven by a business model based on a limited number of assets where tenants bear the cost of refurbishment and maintenance. A gradual decline in the marginal cost of debt--a trend expected to accelerate through 2027--further bolstered this, Baader says. "The core of the investment proposition is the high dividend yield, which looks, moreover, sustainable." Baader Europe initiates coverage of the stock with an add rating and a target price of 65.50 Swiss francs. Shares are up 0.2% at 50.50 Swiss francs.(anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)

0730 GMT - ASR Nederland might see consensus upgrades after a strong set of first-half results, J.P. Morgan analysts say. The Dutch insurer's results for operating profit and organic capital creation were ahead of both the consensus and JPM estimates. "The key themes appear to be stronger investment margins in operating profit relative to our forecasts in both life and non-life insurance, as well as a better non-life combined ratio," the analysts write. The results may have been boosted by some one-off benefits, such as reserve releases and expense benefits, JPM adds. However, the result suggests a better run-rate for both organic capital creation and operating profit than expected, the U.S. bank notes. Shares are up 0.8% at 71.32 euros. (michael.hennessey@wsj.com)

0728 GMT - Sembcorp Industries remains well-positioned to benefit from long-term artificial intelligence and data-center-related demand, OCBC Group Research analyst Chu Peng says in a note. The energy and urban solutions provider has secured over 1 gigawatt of contracted power supply in Singapore and established platforms across Australia, the U.K. and Asean. However, the analyst warns that the company's renewables segment is likely to keep facing headwinds from resource uncertainty, curtailment and tariff pressures in China. OCBC has a buy rating on the stock and a fair value estimate of 7.20 Singapore dollars. Shares are 0.8% lower at S$6.03.(amanda.lee@wsj.com)

0725 GMT - Ping An Insurance's expected weak 2Q bancassurance performance will likely weigh on growth in its 1H new business value, says China Galaxy International's Michael Chang in a note. He estimates the insurer's 1H new business value grew 12% from a year earlier, with 2Q likely flat on year, contrasting markedly with 1Q's 21% gain. He anticipates Ping An to provide greater visibility on its earnings recovery at its results briefing, given a challenging 3Q new business value growth outlook on high-base effects, he says. CGI cuts its target price to 78.00 Hong Kong dollars from HK$82.00. Still, Ping An's likely solid 2026-2028 operating profit after tax growth leads CGI to retain its add rating. Shares rise 0.5% to HK$54.15. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0725 GMT - Royal Unibrew's long-term outlook remains attractive despite the anticipated hit from PepsiCo partnership loss, Bernstein analysts write in a note. The Danish drinks group will undergo a setback in 2029 with the loss of the Pepsi licensing agreement in Denmark, Finland and the Baltics due to end in 2028, they note. However, the company can reduce the impact through gradual growth from its own brands--which are growing faster than Pepsi products and generate higher margin--alongside innovation and cost-cutting efforts, they say. Shares are down 1.9% at 431.80 Danish kroner. (najat.kantouar@wsj.com)

0723 GMT - European stock indexes are mixed in muted early trade. A global technology selloff loses some momentum, while manufacturing and chemical stocks strengthen. The Stoxx 600 is flat. In Amsterdam, the AEX is flat as ASML shrugs off the fall in global chip stocks to rise 0.5%. London's FTSE 100 edges 0.1% higher, led by miners as Rio Tinto adds 1.1%. In Paris, the CAC 40 is 0.25% higher as carmaker Stellantis adds 1.6%, though chip maker STMicroelectronics slips 1.2%. Germany's DAX and the Italian FTSE MIB trade flat. Spain's IBEX 35 loses 0.25%, dragged by Cellnex Telecom, which drops 2.8%. (josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)

0722 GMT - Foundation Healthcare looks well-placed to capture the shift from inpatient care to lower-cost outpatient care, OCBC Group Research's Troy Cheng says in a research report. Its healthcare ecosystem, which comprises specialist practices, medical centers, and its proprietary 'AVA®' technology platform, addresses inefficiencies in private specialist care, the analyst says. Foundation Healthcare's ownership of four medical centers allows it to capture facility and diagnostic revenues while enhancing control over patients' recovery path. The company is one of Singapore's largest and fastest-growing multi-specialty specialist platforms. OCBC initiates coverage of the stock with a buy rating and a fair value estimate of 1.13 Singapore dollars. Shares are 1.3% lower at S$0.755. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)

0703 GMT - Smith & Nephew announcing that CFO John Rogers resigned to take a new position in the U.S. is unlikely to be taken well by the market, J.P. Morgan Securities analysts say in a note. The medical technology company's CFO has been instrumental in the business's margin improvement--although it wasn't as much as planned due to external headwinds--the analysts say. "He was generally seen as a good communicator and was well regarded and so we see this news as an incremental negative that is likely to see the shares off low single-digit to mid single-digit." (anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)

0653 GMT - The Nikkei Stock Average fell 3.2% to 65326.42, its lowest close since Aug. 4, on risk-off sentiment. "Rising bond yields, higher oil prices and renewed geopolitical concerns [are] weighing on investor appetite," StoneX's Matt Simpson says in commentary. "The sell-off has been particularly pronounced across technology and semiconductor stocks," the senior market analyst adds. Among worst performers on Japan's benchmark index, electronics equipment maker Furukawa Electric slumped 14%, memory manufacturer Kioxia Holdings slid 13%, and major AI proxy SoftBank Group dropped 10%. The dollar was at 159.15 yen, compared with Y159.73 around Tuesday's Tokyo market close. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)

0649 GMT - Nordic markets are seen opening slightly lower, with IG calling the OMXS30 down 0.1% at around 3241. Stock markets fell on Tuesday as the lack of a solution around the Strait of Hormuz and continued high long-term interest rates weighed on sentiment, SEB head of analysis Karl Steiner writes. Oil prices are higher and seem to be heading back towards $100 per barrel, he says. Asian stock markets are mostly lower and Europe and U.S. stock market futures indicate a slightly negative opening. Fed minutes due later are one of the most important events of the week, Steiner says. OMXS30 closed at 3244.67, OMXN40 at 2683.58 and OBX at 2012.11.