The latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.

0409 GMT - St Barbara's sale of its remaining stake in the New Simberi Gold Project to Lingbao Gold is welcomed by Ord Minnett. It says the deal realizes value for the asset and removes risks related to operating in Papua New Guinea. "This transaction also removes the funding risk for Atlantic (specifically 15-Mile) as that project continues to advance," says the broker. A final investment decision on that project is due by the end of FY 2027. Ord Minnett says its speculative buy rating and A$1.00/share price target are both under review. Shares in St Barbara are up 15% at A$0.84.(rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

0337 GMT - Iron ore prices are lower in early Asian trade, as the metal's fundamental remains soft, Baocheng Futures analysts write in a note. The consumption of iron ore has pricked up from low levels, while steel mills are restocking ahead of the holiday, providing some support to demand, they add. However, persistent weakness in the steel market is limiting the extent of the recovery, they add. Meanwhile, domestic iron ore supply is also rising, they say. High freight rates and pre-holiday restocking could provide some downside support, but with supply remaining elevated, iron ore prices are likely to stay under pressure and trade rangebound, they add. The most actively traded January iron ore contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange is 0.5% lower at CNY733.5 a ton. (jiahui.huang@wsj.com; @ivy_jiahuihuang)

0329 GMT - China Sunsine Chemical expects its operating environment to remain challenging in the face of geopolitical uncertainties, volatile raw material prices and intense industry competition, UOB Kay Hian analysts say in a report. However, the rubber chemicals producer remains confident in its long-term prospects with plans to execute its 'sales and production equilibrium' strategy and advance capacity expansion. UOB Kay Hian raises its 2026, 2027, and 2028 earnings estimates for the company by 3%, 4%, and 3%, respectively, to reflect continued volume growth. It raises the stock's target price to 0.71 Singapore dollar from S$0.70 with an unchanged hold rating. Shares are 0.8% higher at S$0.635. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)

0024 GMT - MMG earnings will get a boost mainly from higher copper prices and lower cost assumptions at its Las Bambas mine, Citi analyst Jimmy Feng says in a note. The bank revised its earnings estimates upward for 2026-28 following the metal miner's first-half performance. Citi also raised the stock's target price to 12.00 Hong Kong dollars from HK$11.20, while maintaining a buy rating. Shares closed 1.7% higher at HK$9.78 Wednesday. (venkat.pr@wsj.com)

0009 GMT - U.S. steel spreads continue to strengthen for BlueScope Steel, says Jefferies. It says the spot spread for BlueScope's North Star steel plant is up 1% week-on-week at US$848/metric ton. The spread has gained 16% over the past three months, Jefferies says. BlueScope guided to a US$750/ton spread in 1H FY27, says the bank. That "suggests a strong lead into 2H27," given a roughly one-month lag on about 75% of its volume, says the bank. Shares are down 0.8% early in Sydney at 30.87 Australian dollars, alongside a broadbased decline in Australian equities. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

2303 GMT - Westgold Resources' production outlook was broadly in line with expectations, but the gold miner's capex plans weren't. Ord Minnett analyst Paul Kaner says the capital required to reach an output target of 500,000 oz. of gold by FY29 was 40% higher than the market had forecast. "The increase reflects ongoing cost inflation and additional non-mill expansion capital requirements across the portfolio, with the composition of the 500,000 oz production profile having evolved significantly over the past year," Ord Minnett says. It downgrades Westgold to "accumulate," from "buy," and cuts its target price by 11%, to A$6.50/share. Westgold ended Wednesday at A$6.18. (david.winning@wsj.com; @dwinningWSJ)

1844 GMT - Gold futures make small gains despite a rise in Treasury yields after the Treasury Department said it would buy back $6 billion in bonds this week, less than some in the market expected. The dollar weakened, however, which tends to support gold. An easing in Japanese yields and continued central bank buying--with China's central bank adding 20 tons in August--also helped support prices, while the market remains focused on U.S. inflation data later this week, Konstantinos Chrysikos of Kudo.com says in a note. Front month gold settles up 0.5% in New York at $4,416 a troy ounce. Silver gains 2.5% to $67.942 a troy ounce. (anthony.harrup@wsj.com)

1550 GMT - Gold futures are steady as bond yields rise after the Treasury says it will buy up to $6 billion of longer-term debt at its Thursday buyback operation. The precious metals market is also focusing on this week's inflation data--producer prices due Thursday and consumer prices on Friday. Gold's recent slippage came as high Treasury yields, firmer Fed rate-hike expectations and rising oil prices "collectively outweighed dollar softness," Kaynat Chainwala of Kotak Neo says in a note. Softer inflation readings would reduce the probability of a rate increase "and open the path toward the $4,500 resistance zone," while an above-estimate result along with high energy prices "would likely reinstate selling pressure and bring the $4,300 support zone into focus." Front month gold is up 0.2% at $4,401.20 a troy ounce.