Copper and uranium prices rise as world seeks a low emissions future
The 5-year official forecasts for commodity prices reveal some surprising winners and losers
3 min
The Department of Industry and Resources has released its official five-year forecasts for commodity prices, with the iron ore price expected to trade more than 25 percent lower than where it is today in FY29. Meantime, copper, nickel and uranium prices are expected to rise materially as the world decarbonises and embraces greater electrification and nuclear energy.
Mining stocks comprise a huge proportion of the ASX, and commodity prices directly affect share prices and company earnings. Therefore, these official price forecasts can provide valuable insights for shareholders of major miners like BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Mineral Resources and South32.
Australian resource and energy export earnings are forecast to be $417 billion in FY24. This is about 10 percent lower than the record $466 billion in exports last year. Those record exports were largely the result of a spike in energy prices as Western countries sought to avoid Russian oil and gas. Export earnings are expected to fall to about $369 billion in FY25 due to falling commodity prices, primarily energy prices, and a rising AU/US dollar. Exports would then level out through to FY29.
Iron ore is expected to remain Australia’s biggest earner among all our resource and energy exports, followed by liquified natural gas (LNG), other metals, metallurgical coal, thermal coal, base metals, and gold. The iron ore price closed 1.5 percent higher overnight at US$104 per tonne. It’s fallen 10.5 percent over the past month due to weaker Chinese demand. The department is forecasting an average price of US$103 per tonne in FY24. By FY29, the average is expected to have fallen to US$75 per tonne.
LNG prices are expected to fall from an average of AU$17 per gigajoule this financial year to AU$12 per gigajoule in FY29. Metallurgical coal will fall from US$289 per tonne in FY24 to US$207 per tonne in FY29. Thermal coal will drop from US$135 per tonne in FY24 to US$115 per tonne in FY29.
The oversupply of lithium seen last year as global production ramped up while demand fell amid fewer people buying electric vehicles (EVs) is set to continue to weaken lithium commodity prices. Some Australian lithium miners, such as IGO and Core Lithium, have suspended some of their operations after lithium prices plummeted in 2023. The department expects an average price of US$1,800 per tonne this year, falling to an average of US$1,231 per tonne in FY29.
Some particular metals are expected to soar in value due to the green energy transition. The average price of copper, which is essential for electrification and used in solar panels, wind turbines and EVs, is expected to be about US$8,258 per tonne this financial year. By FY29, the department expects copper to be trading above US$10,000 per tonne.
The nickel price has fallen dramatically in recent times, largely due to much new supply generated in Indonesia by Chinese-backed operators. The nickel price has dropped from an average price of US$23,911 in FY23 to US$16,845 today. The Federal Government recently added nickel to its Critical Minerals List to give Australian producers access to funding for support. The resources department expects the nickel price to recover somewhat to an average price of US$20,950 in FY29.
Another commodity expected to rise significantly in value over the outlook period is uranium. Many countries are embracing nuclear energy and building small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to support domestic energy needs. The uranium price leapt from an average US$51 per pound in FY23 to a 16-year high of US$106 per pound in February. The department anticipates an average price of US$85 per pound for FY24, rising to US$119 per pound in FY29.
“While global prices are easing, the [forecast] shows demand is likely to be sustained for commodities used in low emissions technologies, including iron ore, copper, aluminium and lithium,” said Resources Minister Madeleine King. The department noted that Chinese demand will continue to heavily influence commodity prices, however, India is now experiencing the world’s strongest economic growth and its expanding manufacturing sector will mean higher demand for resources.
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Overall, the season showed that share prices react less to whether profits rose or fell than to the gap between results and expectations
5 min
Reporting season has once again reminded investors that a strong profit does not guarantee a rising share price, and a large loss does not always trigger a sell-off. What matters most is how each result compares with expectations and, increasingly, what management says about the year ahead. During the August 2026 season, companies offering credible turnarounds or unexpectedly strong guidance were rewarded handsomely, while those flagging weaker margins, slowing demand or greater uncertainty were punished.
The following ranking draws on Morningstar’s review of 164 ASX-listed companies and measures each company’s share-price movement on the day it reported. This captures the market’s immediate response to the earnings announcement, before subsequent economic developments, dividends and company-specific news cloud the picture. Here are the five biggest winners, and the five hardest-hit losers, of the season so far.
The five winners
1. Bapcor (ASX:BAP): +41.0%
Bapcor delivered reporting season’s largest relief rally after presenting early evidence that its troubled automotive-parts business was stabilising. Although underlying revenue fell 1.8% to $1.92 billion and underlying NPAT collapsed 85% to $10.8 million, underlying EBITDA of $152.5 million exceeded guidance.
More importantly, working-capital initiatives released $68.5 million in the second half, lifting cash conversion to 109.4% and reducing net debt by 63% to $135 million. The statutory loss was $431.6 million, largely because of non-cash impairments. Investors focused on improving operational momentum, stronger liquidity and management’s expectation of modest FY27 revenue growth.
2. Zip Co (ASX:ZIP): +18.2%
Zip comfortably surpassed its FY26 targets, sending the buy-now-pay-later provider’s shares sharply higher. Transaction volume rose 23% to $16.7 billion, while cash earnings before tax, depreciation and amortisation jumped 58% to a record $268.9 million. Statutory profit climbed 46% to $116.4 million, and the cash operating margin expanded by 4.2 percentage points to 20%.
The strongest signal was guidance for FY27 cash earnings of $340 million—around 26% growth and above analysts’ forecasts. US transaction volume increased 42.5% and now represents three-quarters of group volume, offsetting weaker customer activity in Australia.
3. CSL (ASX:CSL): +17.3%
CSL’s result was hardly spectacular in isolation, but it cleared a market bar that had fallen dramatically following earlier downgrades and restructuring announcements. Underlying NPATA was US$3.1 billion, down 2% in constant-currency terms, while operating cash flow reached US$3.51 billion.
CSL maintained its full-year dividend at US$2.92 per share and completed a A$1 billion buyback. The real catalyst was FY27 guidance for approximately 5% underlying profit growth, compared with market expectations closer to 2%. After an extended period of earnings disappointments, investors interpreted the outlook as evidence that CSL’s core plasma business was approaching a sustainable recovery.
4. Judo Capital (ASX:JDO): +16.9%
Judo Capital demonstrated strong operating leverage as its specialist business-lending franchise expanded. Full-year profit before tax rose 34% to $168.1 million, while pre-provision profit increased 42%. Gross loans and advances grew 18% to $14.7 billion, reaching the top of the bank’s guidance range and comfortably exceeding broader system growth.
Deposits increased 24% to $12.2 billion, return on equity improved by 1.1 percentage points to 6.4%, and earnings per share rose 29% to 9.9 cents. Reaffirmation of the FY27 outlook gave investors confidence that loan growth could continue without sacrificing margins or credit quality.
5. Super Retail Group (ASX:SUL): +15.8%
The owner of Supercheap Auto, rebel, BCF and Macpac reported record sales of $4.2 billion, up 3.2%, despite cautious discretionary spending. Profitability went backwards: normalised profit before tax fell 7% to $306 million and normalised NPAT declined 2.8% to $226 million as transformation spending weighed on margins. Nevertheless, the result exceeded subdued expectations, online sales grew 5.3% and membership across the group’s loyalty programs reached 13.1 million. Investors were also encouraged by positive early FY27 trading, stable gross margins and continued market-share gains. A fully franked 33-cent final dividend added to the appeal.
The five losers
1. Hansen Technologies (ASX:HSN): –21.2%
Hansen’s historic result met expectations, but investors recoiled from its outlook. The utility and communications software provider achieved an underlying EBITDA margin of 31%, exceeding its 30% target, while generating strong cash flow. However, management designated FY27 an “investment and transition year”, signalling a roughly five-percentage-point margin contraction as spending on products, sales capabilities and organisational changes increased.
Revenue had already been broadly flat, leaving investors concerned that the investment program would depress earnings before new growth appeared. Leadership changes, including the chief executive’s departure, added uncertainty. Management expects revenue growth and margins above 30% to return in FY28, but the market was unwilling to wait.
2. Life360 (ASX:360): –19.4%
Life360’s headline growth was impressive: quarterly revenue rose 38% to US$159 million, subscription revenue increased 31%, and adjusted EBITDA climbed 53% to US$31.1 million. Monthly active users reached 102.4 million and paying circles grew 27% to 3.2 million. The sell-off reflected expectations rather than a collapsing business.
Net income fell 18%, the net margin contracted from 6% to 3%, hardware shipments dropped 18%, and full-year EBITDA guidance was merely maintained. After a strong valuation run, investors wanted a larger upgrade and clearer evidence that heavy investment in advertising, international expansion and artificial intelligence would generate additional earnings.
3. PEXA Group (ASX:PXA): –17.0%
PEXA reported a 7% increase in continuing-operations revenue and 12% EBITDA growth to $152 million, accompanied by a two-percentage-point margin expansion. Free cash flow increased 39%, suggesting the core Australian electronic-conveyancing platform remained highly profitable. Investors instead concentrated on management’s warning that property-transfer volumes could decline, alongside regulatory uncertainty surrounding the fees PEXA can charge.
The company is also continuing to invest heavily in its loss-making international expansion. Morningstar considered the market reaction excessive, arguing that structural transfer-volume assumptions had not materially changed, but the combination of softer near-term activity and regulatory risk overwhelmed the respectable headline numbers.
4. SEEK (ASX:SEK): –14.3%
SEEK produced solid FY26 figures, including 10% revenue growth to $1.20 billion, a 15% rise in EBITDA and 28% growth in adjusted earnings per share. It also lifted its fully franked annual dividend by 13% to a record 52 cents. Those achievements were overshadowed by falling paid job-ad volumes and cautious FY27 assumptions.
The statutory accounts included a $201 million loss from the SEEK Growth Fund and $377 million of significant items, making the headline result considerably less attractive. Investors were particularly concerned that economic weakness could limit volumes while the company continued investing in platform integration and artificial-intelligence products.
5. JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH): –12.3%
JB Hi-Fi’s full-year result was broadly respectable, with group sales rising 5% to $11.1 billion and underlying earnings per share increasing 6% to $4.48. The damage came from its current-trading update. Australian sales were almost flat during the June quarter and deteriorated further in July, while earnings in the core Australian electronics business fell 3.6%.
Housing-related categories were particularly weak as higher living costs and interest rates constrained household budgets. With JB Hi-Fi entering the season on a demanding valuation, an in-line historic result was not sufficient: the loss of sales momentum prompted investors to rapidly reduce their expectations for FY27.
Overall, the season showed that share prices react less to whether profits rose or fell than to the gap between results and expectations. Bapcor was rewarded for being less troubled than feared, while several fundamentally profitable companies were punished because their outlooks failed to justify elevated valuations.
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