New Catalyst for Macquarie Stock in Metals, but ASX Investors on Hold
The Australian Securities Exchange will close Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday, pausing Macquarie Group trading
Pearson Holds Close to Year High, Investors Eye What’s Next
Pearson shares rose 1.4% in London on Friday, closing at 1,163p after touching a one-year high of 1,175p. Trading volume reached about 3.06 million shares. The FTSE 100 was nearly flat, up
Reckitt Shares Recover Even as Uncertainty Lingers
Reckitt closed up 1.88% at £45.49 in London on Friday but remains down 0.9% for the week and over 30% below its January high. The company bought back 211,000 shares on June 4 at an average 4,490.68 pence each, holding them in treasury. Board chair Jeremy Darroch and director Tamara Ingram bought shares last week. First-quarter revenue rose 1.3%, but Europe sales fell 4.2%.
National Grid Just Beat the FTSE — The £70 Billion Question Facing Monday’s Open
National Grid closed at 1,217.5p on Friday, up 1.54%, outpacing the FTSE 100’s 0.07% gain. The company published its annual report and set a 32.14p final dividend, with scrip elections due by mid-June. Shares rose about 1.8% over the week but remain well below the March high. The London Stock Exchange is closed for the weekend, with trading set to resume Monday.
BAE Systems Shares Face Fresh Doubt as UK Defense Spending Hangs
BAE Systems shares closed Friday at 1,930.50 pence, up 0.76% for the day but still down 4.6% from May 29. The UK government has yet to release its Defence Investment Plan, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer promising it before the NATO summit on July 7. BAE’s next major update is its half-year results on July 30. Peers QinetiQ and Rolls-Royce ended Friday little changed.
Standard Chartered shares drop in London after China news
Standard Chartered shares fell 1.15% to 1,939.5p in London on Friday after reports of tighter Chinese capital controls hit banks with Hong Kong exposure. The stock, which set a 52-week high at 2,073p earlier in the week, dropped as investors worried about restrictions on cross-border wealth flows. The FTSE 100 edged up 0.07%. London markets were closed Saturday.
RELX Shares Rebound, AI Competition Stays Unsettled
RELX PLC shares rose 6.8% this week, closing Friday at 2,616 pence after a two-day rally. The gain follows a £150 million share buyback set to end June 8. The FTSE 100 was flat, while the FTSE 250 fell 1%. RELX faces rising competition in legal tech from AI startups, but maintains its data cannot be easily replicated.
GSK edges past FTSE gain; what Friday’s move means now
GSK shares rose 1.89% to 1,938p on Friday, closing the week up 3%. The stock remains 15% below its 52-week high. CEO Luke Miels is set to speak at the Citi healthcare conference in London on June 10. Investors await a U.S. decision on GSK’s hepatitis B drug bepirovirsen by Oct. 26.
BP Stock Just Recovered From Boardroom Shock. The Next Test Comes Monday
BP shares closed at 546.00p in London on Friday, up 4.6% for the week after recent boardroom upheaval and renewed scrutiny of its asset-sale strategy. The company announced a 5% stake sale in Australia’s Browse LNG project and continued efforts to divest North Sea assets, though talks with Ithaca Energy collapsed. BP’s market value stood at £84.36 billion with 28.5 million shares traded.
BAT shares rise Friday, eyes now on key vape test next week
BAT shares fell 4% Tuesday after the company kept group revenue and profit guidance unchanged, despite raising its outlook for smoking alternatives. The stock had closed up 1.94% Friday at 4,404 pence. U.S. FDA policy changes on nicotine products and ongoing Middle East tensions are influencing market reactions. Six Democratic senators questioned BAT and Altria over lobbying and campaign donations.
GSK edges past FTSE gain; what Friday’s move means now
GSK shares rose 1.89% to 1,938p on Friday, closing the week up 3%. The stock remains 15% below its 52-week high. CEO Luke Miels is set to speak at the Citi healthcare conference in London on June 10. Investors await a U.S. decision on GSK’s hepatitis B drug bepirovirsen by Oct. 26.
BP Stock Just Recovered From Boardroom Shock. The Next Test Comes Monday
BP shares closed at 546.00p in London on Friday, up 4.6% for the week after recent boardroom upheaval and renewed scrutiny of its asset-sale strategy. The company announced a 5% stake sale in Australia’s Browse LNG project and continued efforts to divest North Sea assets, though talks with Ithaca Energy collapsed. BP’s market value stood at £84.36 billion with 28.5 million shares traded.
BAT shares rise Friday, eyes now on key vape test next week
BAT shares fell 4% Tuesday after the company kept group revenue and profit guidance unchanged, despite raising its outlook for smoking alternatives. The stock had closed up 1.94% Friday at 4,404 pence. U.S. FDA policy changes on nicotine products and ongoing Middle East tensions are influencing market reactions. Six Democratic senators questioned BAT and Altria over lobbying and campaign donations.
Lloyds Stock Drops Under £1 as Investors Weigh Buyback, Outage and Rate Bets
Lloyds Banking Group shares closed at 99.16p on Friday, down 1.33% on the day and 2.7% for the week. The bank bought back 5 million shares on June 5 as part of a £1.75 billion programme. An IT outage on Wednesday left thousands unable to make payments. Peers Barclays and NatWest also fell Friday.
Vodafone shares muted as market waits for Monday move
Vodafone shares closed at 110.40p Friday, down 0.14% on the day and 0.9% for the week, after going ex-dividend June 4. The company will pay a final dividend of 2.3625 euro cents per share on July 30. Vodafone is set to take full control of VodafoneThree in the UK for £4.3 billion, pending regulatory approval. Analyst ratings remain mixed, with a median 12-month target price of 112.27p.
Glencore Dips on Friday, But Still Closes Week Up
Glencore shares fell 3.4% to 589.20 pence Friday in London, tracking losses in other mining stocks. Despite the drop, the stock remains up 3.8% from May 29. Operations at Glencore’s Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia remain halted due to ongoing blockades, with force majeure declared. The FTSE 100 closed up 0.07% Friday but fell for the week.
Pro Medicus jumps 25% in quick rebound but ASX index to test strength after new U.S. deals
Pro Medicus will be removed from the S&P/ASX 50 later this month, S&P Dow Jones Indices said late Friday. Shares surged 25% this week to A$165.64 after U.S. contract wins and a five-year renewal with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The ASX is closed Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday, delaying trader reaction. ALS Ltd will replace Pro Medicus in the index on June 22.
Woolworths Outpaced ASX Last Week, Tuesday Session in Focus
Woolworths shares closed Friday at A$35.69, up 1.22%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200’s 0.70% drop. The ASX is closed Monday for the King’s Birthday, with trading to resume Tuesday. Woolworths’ April quarter sales rose 4.5% to A$18.1 billion, but the company warned of margin pressure from higher fuel and customer costs. Coles shares gained 1.9% Friday to A$22.21.
Mineral Resources stock drops into ASX break as lithium rally heads for another test
Mineral Resources Ltd shares fell 5.09% to A$67.57 on Friday, outpacing losses in BHP, Fortescue, and IGO ahead of a trading pause for the King’s Birthday holiday. The company will restart its Bald Hill lithium mine in July and approved a A$490 million investment at Mt Marion with Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium. Liquidity rose to A$1.8 billion, while net debt dropped to A$4.5 billion.
Coles Group Shares Rose Ahead of ASX Holiday Pause, Tuesday in Focus
Coles Group shares closed at A$22.21 on Friday, up 1.9%, ahead of the King’s Birthday holiday, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200, which fell 0.70%. The Fair Work Commission will raise minimum wages by 4.75% from July 1, adding cost pressure for supermarkets. Australia’s GDP rose just 0.3% in the March quarter. Wall Street losses on Friday may weigh on Tuesday’s trading when the ASX reopens.
Why Transurban Shares Face a Tuesday Test After the ASX Holiday
Transurban last traded at A$15.08 on the ASX before the King’s Birthday holiday closed markets Monday. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7% to 8,625.10 on Friday. Transurban’s next full-year results are due August 13. The company reported first-half FY26 average daily traffic up 2.5% and proportional revenue up 6.0% to A$2.02 billion.
Fortescue Stock’s Long-Weekend Problem: Iron Ore Is Slipping, China Talks Are Tightening
Fortescue shares fell 2.33% to A$20.53 Friday, capping an 8% weekly drop ahead of the ASX holiday. Iron ore futures slid for a fourth week to US$101.96 a tonne, pressuring major miners; BHP lost 2.48% and Rio Tinto 1.86%. The ASX 200 dropped 0.70% as banks and miners weighed on the index. Investors await Tuesday’s open after the King’s Birthday closure.
Telstra Loses Key Backstop Ahead of ASX Open
Telstra closed at A$4.97 on June 5, down 4.6% from A$5.21 a week earlier, after completing a A$1.25 billion on-market buyback. The ASX will remain shut Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday, with trading to resume Tuesday. Telstra bought back nearly 246 million shares, paying between A$4.78 and A$5.40 each. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.70% on Friday as banks and miners weighed on the index.
Goodman shares head for Tuesday re-open as AI data-centre play pauses for ASX holiday
Goodman Group closed at A$31.10 Friday, down 0.38% for the day and 1.8% for the week, ahead of the ASX holiday. Data centres made up 73% of its A$14.5 billion development pipeline as of March 31. The company is targeting at least 9% growth in operating earnings per security for FY26. Morningstar flagged uncertainty around leasing after March-quarter results.
Northern Star Heads Into Long Weekend With Elliott’s $1 Billion Move in Play
Northern Star Resources shares closed at A$19.88 Friday, down 2.5% for the day but up 5.69% for the week, after Elliott Investment Management disclosed a stake above 4% and called for a strategic review. The company is considering asset sales, a merger, or a full sale, and is conducting an on-market buyback. Market value stands at A$28.37 billion, with shares still 37% below their March peak.
Delta’s New SkyMiles Card Perk Targets $110 Second-Bag Charge
Delta Air Lines and American Express added a free second checked bag for Gold, Platinum, and Reserve SkyMiles cardholders on Delta-operated domestic flights, with annual card fees unchanged. The move follows Delta’s April increase in checked-bag prices to $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second. New card applicants approved by July 15 can qualify for higher sign-up bonuses. Delta also introduced new rideshare and vacation perks for cardholders.
CSL Shares Up 5.75%, What Comes Next May Be Tougher
CSL Limited shares jumped 5.75% to A$97.91 on Friday, leading health care gains on the S&P/ASX 200 ahead of the King’s Birthday holiday. The rally followed a volatile week and a May downgrade, with CSL warning of US$5 billion in non-cash impairments and forecasting about US$3.1 billion net profit after tax. The ASX is closed Monday. Full-year results are due August 18.
Megaport shares jump on AI move, retail traders weigh in
Megaport shares jumped 11.26% to A$18.48 Friday after raising A$827.3 million and announcing four AI infrastructure contracts worth A$458.9 million. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.70% to 8,625.10. The ASX will close Monday for the King’s Birthday. Megaport’s retail entitlement offer opens June 11.
New Catalyst for Macquarie Stock in Metals, but ASX Investors on Hold
The Australian Securities Exchange will close Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday, pausing Macquarie Group trading after shares ended Friday at A$236.42. Cargill is in talks to sell its metals business to Macquarie, sources told Reuters, but no deal is certain. The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.70% Friday, ending at 8,625.10. Macquarie’s Commodities and Global Markets division posted a near 50% profit jump last year.
ANZ Ends Holiday Session Down 3% With Mortgage Rate Move in Focus
ANZ shares closed at A$34.12 Friday, down 3.07% for the week, as the bank cut some fixed home-loan rates. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.70% to 8,625.10, with banks weighing on the index. The ASX will be closed Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday. ANZ’s two-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to 6.29% amid mixed moves from rival banks.
Wesfarmers This Week: Eyes on Bunnings Test for WES Stock
Wesfarmers shares fell 1.1% last week, closing Friday at A$78.93, as the ASX remained shut Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday. Investors await a strategy briefing Wednesday after Wesfarmers shifted Blackwoods and Workwear Group under Bunnings. The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.70% Friday. New director Kenneth MacKenzie disclosed an indirect interest in 8,148 shares.
PLS Stock Drops Ahead of ASX Open With Lithium Plant Tests Underway
Pilbara Minerals shares fell 3.75% Friday to A$5.91, closing the week down 8.51%. The drop came as the company launched its Pilgangoora mid-stream lithium facility, with first product expected in the September quarter. ASX cash trading will be closed Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday. About 36.2 million PLS shares traded Friday.
Westpac Shares Flat Ahead of Consumer Update
Westpac shares closed at A$34.81 on Friday, down 1.22%, capping a week-long slide of 3.31%. The ASX 200 fell 0.70% as banks and miners retreated. Westpac will update investors on its consumer banking Thursday, after announcing a new mobile branch model and A$10 million for regional upgrades. The ASX is closed Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday.
NAB Shares Trade Close to Year Lows After Holiday Pause
NAB shares closed Friday at A$36.59, down 1.13% and near a 52-week low, as investors sold off big banks ahead of the ASX holiday on Monday. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.70% to 8,625.10, with banks and miners weaker. NAB missed first-half cash earnings forecasts last month and flagged “very challenging” conditions. The ASX cash market will be closed Monday for the King’s Birthday.
BHP shares stall as iron ore drop weighs on copper gains
BHP shares fell 2.5% Friday to A$61.24, retreating from a record high as iron ore prices dropped for a fourth straight week. The S&P/ASX 200 index lost 0.7% to 8,625.10. The ASX will be closed Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday. Labour action at BHP’s Port Hedland export hub could threaten iron ore shipments before June 30.
CBA Drops as ASX Banks Slide Ahead of Long Weekend
Commonwealth Bank of Australia closed at A$160.90, down 2.5% for the week, as the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.70% to 8,625.10 on Friday, pressured by banks and miners. The ASX will be shut Monday for the King’s Birthday holiday. CBA continues to face fallout from its May market value drop and rising loan impairment charges. The Reserve Bank of Australia holds its cash rate at 4.35%, with the next decision due June 16.