As you’re likely aware, on Wednesday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released the latest Australian inflation data for the year to July at 11:30am AEST.

And many investors buying ASX shares chose that moment to reach for their sell buttons.

Indeed, at 11:30am, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was up a healthy 0.8%. By the time the closing bell rang, the ASX 200 was down 0.4%.

Much of that selling pressure came as investors fear that stubborn inflation levels will lead to yet another interest rate hike from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in 2026.

That’s because headline inflation of 3.5% for the year to July came in materially higher than consensus expectations of 3.3%.

And trimmed mean inflation – which takes out certain volatile items, like automotive fuel and is the RBA’s preferred gauge – remained stuck at 3.6%, and was up 0.5% for the month of July. The trimmed mean figure also exceeded consensus expectations. And it remains well above the RBA’s target inflation range of 2% to 3%.

Now ASX share investors have already had to endure three RBA interest rate increases in 2026. Although the central bank kept rates on hold at 4.35% at its last two meetings, this still sees the cash rate back at its 2024 peak, and matching the highest levels seen since 2011.

So, what can ASX investors expect from interest rates now?

What the experts are saying on Aussie inflation and the RBA’s interest rate path

Josh Gilbert, lead analyst for APAC at eToro, said that the trimmed mean inflation figure is what’s likely to worry RBA governor Michele Bullock.

Gilbert noted:

It suggests underlying price pressures are not easing quickly enough, despite three rate hikes this year and a labour market that is beginning to soften. The board paused in August because it wanted more evidence, and this is not the evidence it was hoping for.

The trimmed mean has now sat at 3.5% or above for three months running, after holding at 3.3% in February and March. That number isn’t drifting back towards the 2-3% target band, it’s moving away from it.

He added that another interest rate hike isn’t locked in for ASX share investors yet.

“One hotter print does not make another hike inevitable, particularly with unemployment rising to 4.5%,” he said.

However, Gilbert added, “The RBA has repeatedly warned it will act if inflation looks like becoming embedded, and this read today will have the board feeling a little nervous.”

CreditorWatch chief economist Ivan Colhoun sounded a more bearish note on the RBA’s next interest rate move following the latest ABS data.

According to Colhoun:

It really leaves the RBA board no option but to raise Australian interest rates further at the upcoming September board meeting. The board is dealing not with upside inflation risks and cost pressures, but with upside inflation reality.

And we’ll leave off with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) economist Belinda Allen (quoted by The Australian Financial Review).

“We judge the broad-based upside surprise in the July CPI as having crossed that threshold and materially increased the likelihood of another RBA hike,” she said.

Stay tuned!

The post Buying ASX shares? Here’s what the latest inflation data means for interest rates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Waypoint REIT Ltd (ASX: WPR) share price is on the move today after posting distributable EPS of 8.59 cents, up 3.4% on the prior period, and announcing a quarterly distribution per security of 8.50 cents, a 3.2% increase.

What did Waypoint REIT report?

• Distributable earnings per security (DEPS): 8.59 cents, up 3.4% vs 1H25
• Distribution per security: 8.50 cents, up 3.2% vs 1H25
• Statutory net profit: $65.8 million ($71.3 million lower than 1H25, due to lower property revaluations)
• Portfolio valuation uplift: $10.7 million, with book value at $2.86 billion
• NTA per security: $2.92, up 0.7% since December 2025
• Gearing: 32.4%, at the lower end of target range

What else do investors need to know?

Waypoint REIT reported that all FY26 lease expiries have now been resolved, with 26 of 28 leases renewed or extended, achieving a strong 97% retention rate and an average rental reversion of 10.3%. The business completed a major refinancing during the half, issuing a new $250 million, 6-year medium term note and repaying the same amount of bank debt, further strengthening its debt profile.

The company also highlighted asset sales, including the settlement of the Nowra property for $6.1 million, and continued progress on its OTR conversion program, with 19 conversions completed—all funded by Viva Energy Australia, their major tenant. Management reaffirmed prioritisation of prudent capital management, strong hedging, and maintaining high occupancy (currently 99.9%).

What’s next for Waypoint REIT?

Looking ahead, Waypoint REIT has reaffirmed full-year guidance for distributable earnings per security at 17.14 cents, a 3% increase over FY25. The company expects quarterly distributions to increase to 4.32 cents per security in the second half of FY26, reflecting a 100% payout ratio.

Management will continue to focus on optimising debt facilities, progressing non-core asset sales (targeting $10–20 million in 2H26), and engaging on upcoming lease expiries in 2027. The outlook remains cautious on transaction activity, with interest rates still the key driver of market sentiment.

Waypoint REIT share price snapshot

Waypoint REIT shares have underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO) over the past 12 months with a decline of 5.5%.

View Original Announcement

The post Waypoint REIT posts distributable earnings growth and confirms FY26 outlook appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) shares are moving higher on Thursday after the airline released its FY26 results.

At the time of writing, the Qantas share price is up 2.71% to $9.47.

The result was a mixed one, with revenue rising but profit falling as the Middle East war pushed fuel costs higher.

For income investors, though, one part of the result that may stand out is the latest dividend.

So, how much will Qantas shareholders receive?

Qantas delivers another fully-franked dividend

Qantas has declared a fully-franked final dividend of 19.8 cents per share, with around $300 million set to be returned to shareholders.

This matches the 19.8 cent interim dividend paid earlier this year and takes the company’s FY26 base dividends to 39.6 cents per share.

That’s 20% higher than the 33 cents in base dividends paid in FY25.

However, shareholders also received a 19.8-cent special dividend last year, which took the total FY25 payout to 52.8 cents per share.

At the current Qantas share price of $9.47, the FY26 base payout represents a trailing dividend yield of around 4.2% before franking credits.

When will Qantas pay its dividend?

Qantas shares are scheduled to trade ex-dividend on 15 September, with the record date falling on 16 September.

The airline will then pay the final dividend on 14 October.

The dividend will be fully franked, giving eligible investors the added benefit of attached franking credits.

There was also an update on Qantas’ capital returns, with the airline deciding not to go ahead with the additional $150 million on-market share buyback it announced in February.

Management said fuel volatility linked to the Middle East war no longer supported keeping the buyback open.

What did Qantas report?

Qantas reported FY26 revenue and other income of $25.52 billion, up 7.1% from the previous year.

Underlying profit before tax fell 13.8% to $2.06 billion, while statutory profit after tax declined 19.7% to $1.29 billion.

The airline said the Middle East conflict had a $420 million net impact on earnings, with its fuel bill increasing by around $610 million.

Qantas International was hit particularly hard, although its loyalty division was a stronger part of the result. This segment achieved underlying EBIT rising 12% to $625 million.

What next?

The higher base dividend gives shareholders something positive to take from the result, particularly with the payment fully franked.

However, investors will also need to weigh this against lower earnings and the decision to cancel the planned buyback.

Qantas said travel demand remains resilient heading into FY27, while domestic and international unit revenue is expected to improve in the first half.

Fuel costs are expected to stay elevated, so investors will be watching to see if stronger revenue can help offset some of those higher costs.

The post Own Qantas shares? Here’s how much the latest dividend will pay appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.