Australian shares slipped at midday, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.09 per cent to 9,156.2 at 12.37pm AEST, reversing an earlier gain of more than 0.6 per cent after hotter-than-expected inflation data. Annual inflation eased from 3.8 per cent to 3.5 per cent in July but remained above forecasts of 3.3 per cent, while trimmed mean inflation held at 3.6 per cent. The result increased expectations of further Reserve Bank rate rises this year.
In company news today,
IVE Group lifts profit and dividend in FY26
IVE Group (ASX:IGL) has delivered its FY26 result in line with guidance, with pre-AASB 16 underlying net profit rising 3 per cent to $52.5 million despite softer revenue. The company lifted its fully franked full-year dividend to 18.5 cents per share, above guidance, while continuing to invest in acquisitions, new facilities, packaging capacity, artificial intelligence and logistics as part of its 2030 strategy.
Hiremii delivers FY26 turnaround as AQYR strategy advances
Hiremii (ASX:HMI) has reported FY26 revenue of $32.4 million, up 8.6 per cent, while gross profit increased 32 per cent to $3.7 million and adjusted EBITDA moved into positive territory. The company also generated its first SaaS subscription revenue as it progressed its workforce intelligence platform. Hiremii is proposing to change its name to AQYR Limited, subject to shareholder approval, as it targets higher-margin recurring revenue and further growth in FY27. You can read the full report here.
Stakk nears completion of ParaScript acquisition
Stakk (ASX:SKK) expects to complete its US$63 million acquisition of ParaScript within the next 10 days after receiving shareholder approvals and completing a A$27 million placement. The combined digital trust business is targeting FY27 pro forma revenue of around A$55.2 million and EBITDA of A$18.5 million, with Stakk saying both businesses have performed ahead of the assumptions underpinning the transaction.
Entropy advances US Phase 2 depression trial
Entropy Neurodynamics (ASX:ENP) has signed an agreement with the University of California, San Francisco to develop a Phase 2 trial of its TRP-8803 treatment for major depressive disorder. The study is planned to compare TRP-8803 directly with widely used antidepressant escitalopram in up to 80 young adults and is expected to begin in the first half of 2027. Entropy will also progress the regulatory work required to support FDA clearance of the proposed US trial.
DUG Technology wins US$9.3m infrastructure contract
DUG Technology (ASX:DUG) has secured a US$9.3 million software and high-performance computing infrastructure contract with a national oil company. The two-year agreement will begin in the first quarter of FY27 and will provide the customer with hosted computing infrastructure and access to DUG’s Insight processing and imaging software for advanced subsurface work.
