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

0343 GMT - NRW's announcement of roughly 313 million Australian dollars in contract awards adds to earnings visibility and confidence the contractor can meet FY27 guidance, says bull Euroz Hartleys. "The existing order book provides a high degree of visibility, while upside remains from stronger activity across electrical and HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] services, resources civil work, mining ramp-ups and further margin improvement," it says. The broker keeps a buy rating and A$9.06/share price target on the stock. Shares are up 0.1% at A$7.70. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

0321 GMT - Gold investors could be looking beyond the next Federal Reserve move, says UBS Global Economics and Strategy Research's Joni Teves in a note. The precious metals strategist expects the market to have largely absorbed rate tightening expectations and place greater weight on other reasons to buy gold, such as the asset's diversification appeal and intact official-sector buying. The peak gold demand season is also approaching in India, while investment activity in China appears supportive, she adds. Gold prices are likely to remain volatile but increasingly likely to rise toward the year-end, she says. She flags that a September Fed rate increase could still result in a "knee-jerk correction" without derailing the broader recovery. Spot gold declines 0.3% to $4,332.84 a troy ounce. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0259 GMT - Iron ore falls in early Asian trading. Prices are dragged by weak demand due to poor profitability at steel mills, Tongguan Jinyuan Futures analysts say in a note. Traders are watching for the impact on iron ore's demand from steel mills' preholiday restocking, they add. The most actively traded January iron ore contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange is 1.4% lower at 710.0 yuan a ton.(amanda.lee@wsj.com)

0241 GMT - Palm oil rises in Asian trading amid bargain hunting, with the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives contract for November delivery up 37 ringgit at 4,851 ringgit a ton. However, the crude palm oil market could remain under pressure as rising Malaysian inventories and weaker export demand weigh on sentiment, AmInvestment Bank says in a note. Technical analysis suggests CPO futures remain bearish, with technical rebound facing resistance around 4,891 ringgit-4,920 ringgit a ton, it adds. AmInvestment Bank expects palm oil prices to face support at 4,740 ringgit a ton. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

0219 GMT - Copper falls in early Asian trading. Prices are lower after recent reports suggested that the Trump administration has delayed a decision on import tariffs on refined copper, ANZ Research analysts say in a note. Traders have been stockpiling a large amount of copper in the U.S. in anticipation of potential tariffs. Still, rising concerns about inflation are making the White House hesitant on tariff plans, ANZ says. The three-month futures on the LME down 0.35% at $14,190.00 a metric ton.(amanda.lee@wsj.com)

0101 GMT - Malaysian consumer sector could see seasonally softer 3Q sales, as cautious spending and persistent inflationary pressures weigh on demand, CIMB Securities analyst Walter Aw Lik Hsin says in a note. Consumers are expected to prioritize essentials and value-for-money purchases, while discretionary spending remains subdued, he says. He expects consumer spending to recover in 4Q, supported by year-end festivities, government cash assistance and potential fiscal measures, he reckons. Companies are expected to manage higher costs through selective price increases and tighter cost controls rather than broad-based price hikes, he adds. CIMB maintains a neutral rating on the Malaysian consumer sector, pegging QL Resources, Nestle (Malaysia), Empire Premium Food and Life Water as its top picks to capture defensive spending and consumer downtrading. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

0012 GMT - Gold edges lower in Asian trade. U.S. core inflation, a measure that strips out food and energy which gauges underlying price trends, rose 0.3% on month in August, beating expectations, data from the Labor Department showed on Friday. This likely strengthens the case for the Federal Reserve to raise its benchmark rate at its meeting this week, says Commonwealth Bank of Australia's Belinda Allen in a note. A higher interest-rate environment typically weighs on nonyielding assets such as gold. Spot gold slips 0.05% to $4,345.45 a troy ounce.