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

0737 GMT - Ether stays under pressure after reaching a two-week low Tuesday when the Senate failed to pass the Clarity Act, aimed at establishing a regulatory framework for digital assets, in a procedural vote. The market is also largely pricing in an interest-rate rise by the Federal Reserve in a decision at 1800 GMT. While ether exchange-traded funds are attracting inflows, large holders of ether--known as "whales"--have recently sold the cryptocurrency, Zaye Capital Markets analyst Naeem Aslam says in a note. If whale selling accelerates and ETF inflows weaken, ether could fall further, he says. Ether drops 0.4% to $2,398 after reaching as low as $2,359 Tuesday, LSEG data show. (renae.dyer@wsj.com)

0736 GMT - London's miners rise in opening trade Wednesday as oil prices fall and commodities gain. Oil prices slip as immediate supply concerns are eased by an unexpected jump in U.S. inventories. Miners are some of the world's largest consumers of diesel. Gold prices also rebound 1% on easing oil prices and a fall in Treasury yields. Silver is up 2.3% while three-month LME copper futures are 0.8% higher. Anglo American gains 1.8% while BHP's London shares rise 1.4%. Copper miner Antofagasta is nearly 3% higher while silver and gold miner Fresnillo trades up 3.1%, and peer Endeavour Mining moves 2.6% higher. (adam.whittaker@wsj.com)

0735 GMT - Barratt Redrow's cut to sales guidance will likely cascade down the income statement and put further pressure on operating margins and earnings per share expectations, Quilter Cheviot analyst Oli Creasey says in a note. Although the home builder said the lower volume outlook was due to planning delays and a smaller number of sales outlets opening over the year rather than wider market troubles, the effect is nevertheless negative, Creasey says. "While not a huge reduction, it isn't helpful for investors looking for green shoots," he says. Despite the trim to sales guidance, shares rise 6.8% to 295.30 pence after revenue beat expectations for fiscal 2026. (anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)

0724 GMT - European stock indexes are in green across the board, as banks and AI-linked stocks recoup some of the week's losses. The Europe-wide Stoxx 600 is 0.4% higher. London's FTSE 100 adds 0.35%, led by housebuilder Barratt Redrow--up 6.15% after earnings. Miners also gain as metals prices increase. In Paris, the French CAC 40 nudges up 0.2%. Chip maker STMicroelectronics leads the index, gaining 1.75%, though software group Capgemini falls back 1.5%. Luxuries also falter--Hermes loses 0.85%. The German DAX adds 0.35%, led by AI-linked industrials group Hochtief--up 3.5%. Italy's FTSE MIB and Spain's IBEX 35 both rise by around 0.5%. The Dutch AEX rises 0.3% as ASML jumps 2.25%.(josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)

0711 GMT - Posco Future M could see its plant utilization rise sharply from 2027, Kiwoom Securities' Kwon Joon-soo says. The analyst expects the South Korean battery-material producer's contract wins for lithium-iron-phosphate cathode materials to remain solid through 2H 2026. Kiwoom, which expects robust shipments of LFP cathode materials in 2027, raises its 2028 earnings estimate for the company. Kwon is also positive about the company's continuing discussions with many clients on potential supply deals for graphite anode materials. Kiwoom upgrades its rating on the stock to buy from outperform and raises its target price to 290,000 won from 155,000 won. Shares fell 0.6% to close at 188,200 won. (kwanwoo.jun@wsj.com)

0700 GMT - Stellantis' recovery is taking time, Berenberg's Romain Gourvil and Tommy Whitfield write as they downgrade the stock to hold from buy and cut the target price to 5.10 euros from 7.80 euros. There are now legitimate questions over the carmaker's margin trajectory over the remainder of the year, especially as inventory destocking could become a volume headwind, they say. Management say improving pricing in North America, stabilizing pricing in Europe and accelerating cost-savings will help offset this, they say. However, intensifying raw material costs and still-competitive pricing conditions could offer more challenges, they add. Shares closed at 4.49 euros on Tuesday. (adam.whittaker@wsj.com)

0530 GMT - BMW's new models provide momentum that help offset a challenging Chinese market, Berenberg's Romain Gourvil and Tommy Whitfield write as they upgrade the stock to buy from hold. They increase its target to 75 euros from 69 euros. The analysts had downgraded the stock in January as they believed it faced significant near-term earnings risk from its overly optimistic stance on China. With this passed, investors will focus on BMW's ability to improve profits as it rolls out a new generation of electric vehicles under its Neue Klasse platform, they say. The carmaker also has untapped cost-saving opportunities and there is credible evidence its research and development spend has peaked, they say. (adam.whittaker@wsj.com)

0525 GMT - Nippon Steel's plan to build an electric arc furnace at its Slovakian plant is a step forward in its efforts to lower carbon dioxide emissions. The Japanese company is investing about 900 million euros at its Slovakian operating unit to build an electric arc furnace and an air separation unit. The Slovakian unit is the Japanese company's biggest production hub in Europe. The new furnace would have an annual production capacity of about 1.6 million tons. While blast furnaces use coal-based fuel and are a major source of industrial CO2 emissions, electric arc furnaces melt recycled steel, resulting in lower carbon emissions. Nippon Steel aims to lower CO2 emissions by 30% in 2030, compared with 2013 levels. (kosaku.narioka@wsj.com; @kosakunarioka)

0516 GMT - The market underappreciates Newmont's recent deal with Barrick on its Fourmile project, according to UBS. Newmont has performed broadly in line with senior gold peers--excluding Barrick--since the deal, despite a significant improvement in visibility on cash returns and implied growth in gold equivalent ounces per share, the bank says. "A potential large cash payment from NEM to Barrick to equalize the ownership of [Barrick's] Fourmile project in the Nevada JV had been the key overhang for NEM's investment case," says UBS. It has a buy rating on Newmont's Australian shares, with a price target of 210.00 Australian dollars. The stock is up 2.6% at A$175.20.