Sainsbury stock gains with market share up ahead of update
Sainsbury’s stock rose 2.0% to 314.3 pence in London, outpacing the FTSE 100. Sales climbed 2.0%
IAG Shares Touch 52-Week High; Oil Drop Leaves €440 Million Fuel Gap
International Consolidated Airlines Group shares hit a 52-week high at 473.9 pence before easing to 473.6 pence, outpacing a quiet FTSE 100. Deutsche Bank cut its 2026 fuel bill estimate for IAG
Haleon up 2% after £47.5 million buyback set below market
Haleon bought and cancelled 14.29 million shares for about £47.5 million between June 16 and 18, cutting its share count by 1.04%. Shares rose 2.2% to 341 pence in London. First-quarter organic revenue grew 2.2%, with oral-health sales up 8.3% and respiratory health down 3.4%. The company expects 3% to 5% organic revenue growth this year, below its usual target.
London Stock Exchange Group stock slips under buyback price with gap growing
London Stock Exchange Group shares fell 2.2% to 8,188p by 09:47 BST, erasing Tuesday’s gain and underperforming the FTSE 100. The stock now trades 3.2% below the average price paid in LSEG’s recent £1.1 billion buyback. Analysts’ average target remains 48% above current levels. LSEG will report half-year earnings on July 30.
Glencore falls 6% in two days with crude discounts hitting trading
Glencore shares fell 2.2% to 523.5p Wednesday, down 6.3% since Monday and trailing other London-listed miners. Trading volume more than doubled Tuesday, with the stock now about 14% below its June 3 close. Copper futures slipped below key support, and Brent crude hit a four-month low. Glencore’s first-quarter copper output rose 19%, but most production is expected in the second half.
Unilever shares dip as food spin-off talk meets volume gains
Unilever shares traded at 4,392.5p in London early Wednesday, down from Tuesday’s close of £44.54 and nearly 20% below December’s 52-week high. Volume was less than half the 50-day average. First-quarter underlying sales rose 3.8%, led by a 2.9% increase in volumes. The planned food unit merger with McCormick, valued at $44.8 billion, is not expected to close before mid-2027.
Rolls-Royce (LON:RR) buyback paces at just 584 shares near all-time high, £1.45bn remains
Rolls-Royce Holdings shares rose 0.39% to 1,396.6p in London after disclosing it bought just 584 shares last week, sharply down from previous buyback volumes. The company has spent £848.4 million on buybacks so far, acquiring 70.59 million shares. Rolls-Royce announced a 2026–2029 framework deal with Overmarine for 64 mtu Series 2000 engines and NautIQ Bridge systems. The contract’s value was not disclosed.
Lynas Rare Earths gets stock rerating as focus shifts to Malaysia execution over price risk
Macquarie raised Lynas Rare Earths’ price target to A$22 and upgraded the stock to “Outperform,” citing a Japan supply deal that locks in nearly half of Lynas’ forecast 2029 NdPr output at US$110/kg. Lynas closed at A$18.59 Tuesday, outperforming the Australian materials sector. The broker’s new target implies about 18% upside. Lynas is set to produce 10,300 tonnes of NdPr in 2029.
Macquarie (ASX:MQG) edges higher as £300m Southern Water deal in view
Macquarie Group shares closed up 0.68% at A$249.61 Tuesday, near record highs after reporting a 30% jump in fiscal 2026 net profit to A$4.85 billion. The firm and partners finalized a £1.2 billion support package for Southern Water, with Asterion funds set to take about 20% ownership. Southern Water faces £6.7 billion in debt and ongoing regulatory scrutiny. Macquarie’s annual meeting is set for July 23.
Vodafone Shares Drop Again Under Pressure from £4.3 Billion UK Move
Vodafone shares fell 0.65% to 106.60 pence in London, extending losses as investors weigh the £4.3 billion buyout of CK Hutchison’s stake in VodafoneThree. The stock is down about 8% since June 12. VodafoneThree has overtaken rivals to become the UK’s largest mobile operator. The company still needs UK national security clearance for the deal.
Lynas Rare Earths gets stock rerating as focus shifts to Malaysia execution over price risk
Macquarie raised Lynas Rare Earths’ price target to A$22 and upgraded the stock to “Outperform,” citing a Japan supply deal that locks in nearly half of Lynas’ forecast 2029 NdPr output at US$110/kg. Lynas closed at A$18.59 Tuesday, outperforming the Australian materials sector. The broker’s new target implies about 18% upside. Lynas is set to produce 10,300 tonnes of NdPr in 2029.
Macquarie (ASX:MQG) edges higher as £300m Southern Water deal in view
Macquarie Group shares closed up 0.68% at A$249.61 Tuesday, near record highs after reporting a 30% jump in fiscal 2026 net profit to A$4.85 billion. The firm and partners finalized a £1.2 billion support package for Southern Water, with Asterion funds set to take about 20% ownership. Southern Water faces £6.7 billion in debt and ongoing regulatory scrutiny. Macquarie’s annual meeting is set for July 23.
Vodafone Shares Drop Again Under Pressure from £4.3 Billion UK Move
Vodafone shares fell 0.65% to 106.60 pence in London, extending losses as investors weigh the £4.3 billion buyout of CK Hutchison’s stake in VodafoneThree. The stock is down about 8% since June 12. VodafoneThree has overtaken rivals to become the UK’s largest mobile operator. The company still needs UK national security clearance for the deal.
Sainsbury (LON:SBRY) stock stands out as FTSE falls on grocery market data
Sainsbury’s shares held at 305.6 pence, up 0.03% by 14:03 BST, after surveys showed gains in grocery market share. Sales rose 2.0% in the 12 weeks to June 14, according to Worldpanel, and 3.5% per NielsenIQ, with market share up at 15.0%. The company is buying back up to £300 million in shares, with £200 million expected by September 11. Sainsbury’s first-quarter update is due June 30.
IAG Share Price Pulls Back From 52-Week High as Oil Drops
International Consolidated Airlines Group shares fell 0.6% to 463.1 pence in late London trade Tuesday, after hitting a 52-week high Monday. Analyst upgrades and easing fuel cost forecasts had lifted the stock, but softer markets and concerns over higher UK interest rates weighed. Brent crude slipped 0.6% to $77.47 a barrel as tanker traffic rose after U.S.-Iran peace talks. IAG’s Q2 results are due July 31.
Why SSE Shares Are Falling as Rate-Hike Fears Test Its £33 Billion Grid Bet
SSE shares dropped 1.1% to 2,320 pence in London on Tuesday, underperforming the FTSE 100 as rising interest rate expectations pressured capital-intensive utilities. The company reported an 8% drop in adjusted operating profit to £2.24 billion for the year through March, while investment rose 23% to nearly £3.6 billion. SSE is entering the most expensive phase of its £33 billion investment plan.
WiseTech Global jumps 14% after sharp drop on Richard White news
WiseTech Global surged 14.3% to A$32.86 in Sydney, rebounding after a sharp two-day selloff linked to reports of an Australian Federal Police probe into founder Richard White. The company said the investigation concerns White personally, not WiseTech, and denied knowledge of any probe. Heavy trading saw 6.95 million shares change hands. Investor groups are pressing for clearer succession plans and more board oversight.
Wesfarmers keeps climbing with strategy in focus, RBA outlook key for Australian shares
Wesfarmers closed up 0.96% at A$87.27 on Wednesday, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200’s 0.24% gain. Inflation in Australia slowed to 4.0% in May, but the trimmed mean rose to 3.6%. Blackwoods and Workwear Group will move under Bunnings Group from July 1. Wesfarmers will report full-year results on Aug. 27.
NAB up 1.1% as inflation leaves RBA rate hike in play
NAB shares rose 1.1% to A$38.75, leading major banks as the ASX 200 closed up 0.24%. Headline inflation eased to 4.0% in May, but the trimmed mean climbed to 3.6%. RBA Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser said inflation remains “far too high.” May jobs data is due Thursday.
Commonwealth Bank gains as stubborn inflation leaves RBA hike risk in play
Commonwealth Bank closed at A$164.79, up 0.35% Wednesday, trailing gains by Westpac and NAB. Australia’s annual inflation slowed to 4.0% in May, but the trimmed mean rose to 3.6%. The S&P/ASX 200 ended 0.24% higher at 8,808.4. May jobs data, seen as key for rate decisions, is due Thursday.
BHP shares fall as Port Hedland strike threat remains
BHP shares fell 0.7% to A$59.50 in Sydney and 2.15% in London Wednesday. Unions at Port Hedland are threatening joint strikes if wage talks fail by July 7, risking up to A$126 million a day in lost exports. CEO-elect Brandon Craig takes over July 1. BHP raised its Jansen Stage 2 potash project cost to US$6.9 billion and expects a US$2.3 billion impairment.
easyJet up as Castlelake buyout clock ticks
easyJet shares rose 1.9% to 539.6 pence as Castlelake faces a 5 p.m. London deadline on June 26 to make a firm takeover bid or withdraw. easyJet rejected Castlelake’s latest 625 pence per share offer, valuing the airline at £4.74 billion. The board cited concerns over valuation and ownership structure. Some shareholders are holding out for at least £7 per share.
Halma unchanged, Capital Group takes stake above 5%
Capital Group raised its Halma voting rights stake to 5.13% after crossing the 5% threshold on June 22. Halma executive Constance Baroudel sold 17,530 shares for £693,345 before her planned August exit. Halma shares traded flat near 3,904 pence, down 20% from their June 3 high. Investors will vote on a 15.11p final dividend July 23.
Persimmon gains 5% after Berkeley’s update gives housebuilders a lift
Persimmon shares rose 5.3% to 1,087 pence in late London trade after the company reaffirmed 2026 home completion guidance. Berkeley reported annual pretax profit down 15% to £451.4 million but kept its four-year profit outlook. Barratt Redrow and Taylor Wimpey also gained over 4%. Savills predicts England will miss its homebuilding target, with completions set to fall in 2026/27.
Imperial Brands stock up with £1.45 billion buyback ongoing
Imperial Brands shares rose 1% to 2,790 pence Wednesday, marking a third straight gain. The company bought back 343,070 shares this week as part of its £1.45 billion buyback and will pay a 41.68p interim dividend on June 30. British American Tobacco gained 1.5%. Imperial’s net revenue from tobacco and next-generation products rose 1.8% in the first half.
Sainsbury stock gains with market share up ahead of update
Sainsbury’s stock rose 2.0% to 314.3 pence in London, outpacing the FTSE 100. Sales climbed 2.0% in the last 12 weeks, raising market share to 15.3%. The company will release its first-quarter trading update on June 30. UK grocery inflation eased to 3.0% for the four weeks ending June 14.
DCC Plc stock up but stays 5% under KKR-ECP bid
DCC shares rose 0.8% to 6,205.59p in late London trading, still 4.9% below the 6,525p cash offer from KKR and Energy Capital Partners. The consortium has until July 8 to make a firm bid or walk away. Allianz Global Investors cut its stake to 2.62% after selling 65,704 shares on June 23. DCC’s board indicated support for the offer if final terms are met and paperwork completed.
Informa trades higher for sixth day as Citi sticks with 990p target
Informa shares rose 1.6% to 884.8p after Citi upgraded the stock to “buy” and raised its price target to 990p. The company bought back 992,560 shares last week as part of its ongoing £250 million buyback. Underlying revenue grew 6.4% in the first five months, with B2B Live Events up 7.6%. Informa reaffirmed its double-digit earnings growth forecast for the year.
Compass Group stock bounces after 2026 profit outlook stays above 11%
Compass Group shares rose 0.8% to about $32.25 in London trading Wednesday, recovering from a 1.6% drop the previous day. The company forecasts 2026 revenue of $50.7 billion and underlying operating profit of $3.743 billion, up 11.2% excluding currency effects. Compass posts its next trading update July 21. Shares remain 11% below their 52-week high.
SSE unit says £29 billion plan in Scotland may support 24,000 jobs
SSE’s transmission unit said its £29 billion northern Scotland upgrade could support up to 24,000 jobs. A study estimated grid and generation investment may boost UK output by £60 billion. SSE shares rose 0.3% to 2,346 pence by mid-afternoon in London. The company’s capital plan and earnings guidance remain unchanged.
Shell stock slides as Brent slips under $74, buyback remains on hold after ARC decision
Shell shares fell 1.7% to around 2,947 pence as Brent crude dropped 4.3% to $73.76 a barrel, its lowest since February. BP shares slid nearly 3%. Shell paused its $3 billion buyback until after ARC Resources’ July 14 shareholder vote, citing securities-law rules. The FTSE 100 edged up 0.3%.
Tesco lets teens join Clubcard as UK grocery sales lag competitors
Tesco will allow 16- and 17-year-olds to get in-store Clubcards from Wednesday if invited by an adult member. The grocer reported 1.2% sales growth for the 12 weeks to June 14, while Sainsbury’s saw 2.0%. Tesco has used £376.7 million of its £750 million share buyback program after purchasing 6 million shares on Tuesday. Tesco shares rose 0.1% to 445.3 pence in London.
Legal & General buyback pace drops as shares trade near 2026 high
Legal & General shares fell 0.2% to 285.2p on Wednesday, about 6% below their 2026 high. The insurer spent £5.62 million on buybacks last week, 92% less than its April peak, bringing total buyback spending to £395.2 million since March. The company’s Solvency II ratio dropped to 203% for 2025. Half-year results are due August 5.
Beazley trades close to Zurich’s £8.1 billion offer with EU review ongoing
Zurich Insurance raised its stake in Beazley to 5.64% after buying 263,884 shares at around 1,284 pence. The European Commission listed Zurich’s planned Beazley buyout for a simplified merger review, with a provisional deadline of July 15. Beazley shares traded flat at 1,284.5 pence, about 2% below Zurich’s 1,310-pence cash offer. The deal still requires court and regulatory approvals.
3i holds ground ahead of Action exposure limit vote
3i Group shares rose 0.15% to 2,279.5p in London on Wednesday, ahead of a shareholder vote to raise its Action investment cap to 30% from 15%. The firm has spent £216.8 million on buybacks since May, about 29% of its £750 million plan. Action accounted for 75% of 3i’s portfolio by value at March 31. Action’s like-for-like sales growth slowed to 2.4% this year from 6.8% a year earlier.
Prudential plc drops under £10, buyback average still above last trades
Prudential plc shares fell 2.3% to 989.8p in London on Wednesday, trading below £10 and about 10% under the average price paid in its ongoing £459 million buyback program. The insurer bought back 396,528 shares for £4.0 million on June 23, with cancellations pending. Market cap stood at £24.7 billion. Hong Kong remains a key profit driver but faces risks from tighter Chinese capital controls.