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

0733 GMT - Analysts at HSBC Global Investment Research continue to see potential for positive earnings surprises among Chinese residential developers. A likely robust September-October peak season, land-market strength and the release of pent-up demand after an unusually rainy summer support a reassessment of the sector's risk-reward, they say in a note. "We remain constructive and expect home prices to stabilize further, underpinned by resilient luxury demand and healthy secondary-market liquidity," they say. Land auctions could also serve as catalysts for certain developers as governments increase land supply. HSBC's preferred names include China Resources Land and C&D International, given their leadership in high-end projects and clearer earnings visibility. (monica.gupta@wsj.com)

0729 GMT - RWE's guidance will be viewed as conservative given there are several factors that could provide upside, J.P. Morgan analysts write. The German energy company's near-term guidance is based on end-of-June commodity prices, which have since moved higher, they say. Looking further ahead, RWE has flagged capacity auctions for more than 10 gigawatts due in Germany and the Netherlands that have not been baked into its 2031 guidance, the analysts say. Finally, the company said it was nearing a deal for two data centers, they say. Shares rise 0.7% to 58 euros. (adam.whittaker@wsj.com)

0726 GMT - European indexes are mostly higher, boosted by the financials and technology sectors. However, London's FTSE 100 index is down 0.3% as miners fall after Antofagasta cut its production guidance for the year. Antofagasta shares are down 4.7%, and Rio Tinto, Fresnillo and Anglo American are down 4.2%, 4% and 2.7%, respectively. The Europe-wide Stoxx 600 index is up 0.1%, while Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 are up 0.35% and 0.2%, respectively. Adyen is leading the Stoxx 600 index risers--up 9.1%-while Maersk and Pandora shares are also up 7.7% and 4.5%, respectively, after reporting earnings.(ian.walker@wsj.com)

0724 GMT - AEM Holdings seems poised to benefit from the artificial-intelligence-driven test cycle, given that the Singapore semiconductor test company raised its 2026 guidance for the second time, says DBS Group Research. The company's 1H earnings tracked ahead of DBS's expectations, partly boosted by strong AI and high performance computing customer ramp-up, says analyst Amanda Tan in a note. The higher full-year guidance of 630 million Singapore dollars to S$680 million implies S$383 million-S$433 million of revenue in 2H. This represents a 55%-75% increase from 1H. Tan sees scope to raise her 2026 earnings estimates. DBS maintains its buy rating and S$11.80 target price. Shares are up 13% at S$10.87. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0716 GMT - Korea Electric Power could post weaker 3Q earnings due to higher fuel-purchase costs, says Kiwoom Securities' Cho Jae-won. The South Korean state utility is forecast to spend 6.354 trillion won on oil, coal and gas to fuel its power plants in the July-September period, up 29% on quarter and 16% on year, the analyst writes in a note. The company is also likely to face higher 3Q system margin prices, at which it purchases power from private electricity companies, Cho notes. The SMP rose to 133 won per kilowatt-hour in July and 150 won per KWh in August, from 118 won per KWh in 2Q. (kwanwoo.jun@wsj.com)

0701 GMT - Eco-Shop Marketing could continue to benefit from structural demand for affordable, noncyclical household and consumer products as persistent inflation encourages consumers to trade down, CIMB Securities analyst Walter Aw Lik Hsin says in a note. The dollar-store operator is forecast to deliver a FY2026-FY2029 net profit CAGR of 16.2%, driven by higher sales and sustained margins from a larger store network and a growing house-brand mix, he reckons. However, the stock's current valuation already reflects much of its growth potential, with further weakness in consumer spending amid economic uncertainty potentially weighing on its outlook, he adds. CIMB initiates coverage on Eco-Shop with a hold rating and 1.50 ringgit target price. Shares are 0.4% higher at 1.51 ringgit. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

0700 GMT - Antofagasta's guidance cut for copper will be in focus and suggests that it is the miner most affected by Chile's severe wet weather, RBC Capital Markets analyst Ben Davis writes. The miner said alongside first-half earnings that it now sees full-year copper production between 625,000 and 655,000 metric tons after production at its Los Pelambres mine north of Santiago was temporarily stopped due to heavy rain and power outages. The storms have taken around 10,000 to 15,000 tons of production offline, he adds. It had previously seen between 650,000 and 700,000 metric tons. Shares closed Wednesday at 4029.00 pence. (adam.whittaker@wsj.com)

0653 GMT - Hapag-Lloyd had solid improvements on its freight rates, analysts at J.P. Morgan say in a note. Freight rates were boosted by higher spot rates and volatility in fuel prices, with management expecting higher demand to bring market growth, they add. This is in line with the anticipated global volume growth expected by Maersk for 2026, the analysts add. (aimee.look@wsj.com)

0653 GMT - Aviva offers better cash generation and capital returns than peers as U.K. retail insurance pricing stabilizes, J.P. Morgan analysts say. JPM raises its recommendation for the insurer to overweight from neutral, and increases the price target to 800 pence from 715 pence. Pricing in the motor insurance market is also turning positive, the analysts note. This reduces downside risk for Aviva's Direct Line, and increases confidence in the insurer reaching 75 pence earnings per share in 2028, they add. "Commercial pricing is a headwind, but manageable given a greater retail lines mix and Aviva's pricing discipline," JPM says. Aviva shares closed at 704 pence Wednesday and are up 6.8% over the past year. (michael.hennessey@wsj.com)

0551 GMT - RWE's second-quarter earnings are in line with July's preliminary figures, Jefferies analysts write. Overall, the German energy company's message to investors is that the long-term growth outlook is strong, they write. Management sees significant opportunities across renewables, flexible generation, storage, and grids, they add. Shares closed Wednesday at 57.62 euros.(adam.whittaker@wsj.com)

0534 GMT - Lenovo delivered a strong, broad-based beat in its latest results, reinforcing the AI-driven growth narrative, Citi analysts say. Revenue surged 43% on year in its fiscal 1Q, beating Citi's forecast in part due to explosive growth in the Infrastructure Solutions Group unit, itself driven by robust AI server demand. The AI server pipeline rose 157% on quarter, reflecting the ramp of agentic AI workloads among enterprise customers, Kyna Wong and others write. AI services revenue grew at a triple-digit annual rate. Gross profit also topped Citi and consensus views, as did gross margin, while Lenovo's share of the global PC market share reached 24.2%, widening its lead over the No. 2 player across commercial and consumer segments. Citi has a buy on Lenovo, which was up 17% at HK$34.08 post-results. (fabiana.negrinochoa@wsj.com)

0530 GMT - The number of new U.K. home buyer enquiries and sales agreed in July were unchanged from the prior month, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors U.K. residential market survey. Buyer enquiries were down 28% in July compared with a low of 41% in March, while the number of sales agreed fell 30% compared with a low of 37% in April, the survey shows. "There are signs that sentiment towards the future is becoming less downbeat," RICS says. Near-term sales are expected to fall 14%, but rise 3% over a 12-month period.