UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 25.04.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 25, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 25, 2026, 7:16 AM EDT West
PLS Group Limited Starts A$38.1 Million-Backed Lithium Plant Trial as Battery Supply Chain Shifts
PLS Group has begun commissioning a lithium processing demonstration plant at Pilgangoora, backed by A$38.1 million in government funding and an offtake deal with China’s Ningbo Ronbay. The plant aims to process
Westpac Banking Corporation Raises Mortgage Rates Again Before Crucial RBA Call
Westpac raised fixed home-loan rates by 15 basis points to a minimum of 6.29%, the second hike in three weeks, citing higher
IGO’s Greenbushes Warning Hits Lithium Stock Just as Prices Turn Higher
IGO Limited cut full-year production guidance for the Greenbushes lithium mine to 1.375–1.425 million tonnes and raised cost forecasts, citing lower feed
Northern Star Resources Starts $500 Million Buyback as KCGM Turnaround Test Looms
Northern Star Resources bought back 455,738 shares for A$10.3 million on April 23, its first move under a planned A$500 million buyback.
Woodside Energy Group Gas Tax Warning Puts LNG Growth Plans On The Line
Woodside Energy warned Australian senators a proposed 25% gas export tax could make new projects unviable, adding to existing company and resource
Google’s $40 Billion Anthropic Bet Sharpens the AI Compute Race
Google will invest up to $40 billion in Anthropic, starting with $10 billion at a $350 billion valuation and up to $30 billion more tied to performance. Anthropic’s annualized revenue has surpassed $30 billion, up from $9 billion at the end of 2025. Google and Anthropic have a five-year data-center deal that could reach $200 billion. Amazon separately announced up to $25 billion in new investment in Anthropic this week.
National Australia Bank Settles Federal Court Fight, but Credit Costs Are the Bigger Test
National Australia Bank and the Finance Sector Union settled a Federal Court case over excessive work hours, with no admission of liability.
CSL Shares Near Nine-Year Low After Pentagon Flu Shot U-Turn Tests Buyback
CSL shares closed at A$130 on Friday, near a nine-year low, after the U.S. military made annual flu shots voluntary, raising concerns
Commonwealth Bank Job Cuts: Why CBA’s AI Push Is Hitting Bankwest Now
Commonwealth Bank of Australia plans to cut about 119 jobs, including 43 at Bankwest, amid increased use of automation and artificial intelligence.
BHP Group’s China Iron Ore Truce Comes With a Pricing Catch
BHP Group has agreed to price its Jimblebar Fines iron ore using a Chinese index, settling a dispute with China Mineral Resources
Royal-Worn Russell & Bromley Shuts More Stores As Next Rescue Leaves Shoe Chain With Three Shops
Russell & Bromley has closed more UK stores this week, including Covent Garden, as part of a wider shutdown following its January administration. Next bought the brand, intellectual property, and three stores for £2.5 million, leaving 33 stores and nine concessions outside the deal. Administrators are offering discounts of up to 90% at closing sites, and gift cards are no longer accepted. The company posted an EBITDA loss of £12.1 million in 11 months to November 2025.
United Utilities Group PLC’s £34 Million River Irwell Cleanup Comes With a Bill-Payer Test
United Utilities has launched over £34 million in water-quality projects around Bury, Prestwich, and Whitefield, aiming to reduce storm overflow discharges into the River Irwell. The company is spending £28 million at Bury wastewater treatment works on new storm tanks due in June. United Utilities shares closed at 1,339.50 pence, down 0.37% on the day. Full-year results are due May 14.
ConvaTec Shares Drop Again as Wound-Care Warning Puts 2026 Growth Plan in Focus
Convatec shares fell 1.69% to £2.21 in London Friday, closing nearly 30% below their 52-week high as investors reacted to weakness in the wound-care market. The drop followed Coloplast’s cut to its 2025/26 outlook and a DKK 3 billion impairment on its Kerecis business. Convatec expects InnovaMatrix revenue to fall to $20 million in 2026 due to U.S. Medicare changes.
Bunzl Shares Rise Again After Q1 Update: What the North America Rebound Means
Bunzl shares closed up 0.91% at 2,447 pence in London on Friday, rising for a third straight session after the company maintained its 2026 outlook. First-quarter revenue rose 1.5% at constant exchange rates, while underlying revenue climbed 2.0%. North America, Bunzl’s largest region, saw underlying growth slightly ahead of the group. Adjusted operating profit met management’s expectations.
Severn Trent Plc Faces Fresh Test as Shropshire Water Outages Hit Amid Bill Hikes
Severn Trent Water customers in parts of Telford and Bridgnorth lost water or saw low pressure Friday after two pump failures, according to Shropshire Live. The disruption comes as water bills in England and Wales are set to rise to fund a £104 billion upgrade program, with Severn Trent’s average household bill for 2026-27 listed at £587.
Jet2 Makes Major Summer Flight Price Promise As Fuel Fears Hit UK Holidays
Jet2 said Friday it will no longer add post-booking surcharges to flights or package holidays, guaranteeing the price paid at booking, with resort taxes excluded. The move comes as rivals including British Airways owner IAG raise fares to offset rising jet fuel costs. The UK government said airlines are not yet facing a jet fuel shortage but relaxed airport slot rules in case of future disruptions. Jet2 has 20 million seats on sale for summer 2026, up 8% from last year.
Prudential plc India Bet Grows as Bharti Insurance Sale Talks Surface
Bharti Group is in talks to sell up to 85% of its life insurance business to Prudential plc, valuing the unit at ₹70–80 billion, The Economic Times reported Friday. Both companies declined to comment. Separately, Prudential will issue over 5.7 million new shares in Hong Kong for its 2025 second interim scrip dividend and has begun buybacks to offset dilution.
Tesco PLC Buyback Starts: £750 Million Return Moves Ahead as War Risk Clouds Grocery Outlook
Tesco bought 415,797 shares for cancellation on April 23 as part of a new £750 million buyback, paying an average 481.00 pence each. The company has acquired 822,350 shares for about £4 million since the programme began. Tesco shares closed up 0.89% while the FTSE 100 fell 0.75%. The grocer reported £66.59 billion in annual sales and a 28% market share.
Rio Tinto plc’s ERA Court Fight Puts Ranger Mine Cleanup Back in Focus
A Federal Court decision is pending on Rio Tinto’s attempt to compulsorily acquire the remaining shares of Energy Resources of Australia, after 123 shareholders filed objections above the legal threshold. ERA spent $47 million on Ranger uranium mine rehabilitation in the March quarter, with Pit 3 capping work delayed by weather and permit issues. ERA reported $211.5 million in cash at March 31.
Australia Stock Market Today: ASX 200 Slides Again as Oil Shock Hits Miners, Banks and Risk Appetite
The S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.08% at 8,786.50 on Friday, capping a 1.8% weekly drop—its worst since mid-March. Miners and gold stocks fell, offsetting gains in energy and utilities. Fortescue dropped 5.7% after cutting Iron Bridge guidance and announcing a $680 million Pilbara investment. Brent crude traded above $105 a barrel, fueling investor caution amid Middle East tensions.
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Slides as Oil Shock, Iran Tensions and BoE Warning Bite
The FTSE 100 fell 0.8% to 10,379.08 on Friday, erasing gains made after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, while the FTSE 250 also dropped 0.8%. Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden warned that asset prices may not reflect global risks. Wizz Air lost 3.3%, AstraZeneca dropped 3.7%, and Mondi plunged 11.1% after a cost warning. Retail sales rose 0.7% in March, mostly due to higher fuel purchases.
Intertek Takeover Bid: EQT’s £54-a-Share Offer Puts May 14 Deadline in Focus
Intertek Group is reviewing a revised £54-a-share cash takeover proposal from EQT, valuing the company’s equity at £8.3 billion. EQT must make a firm offer by May 14. Intertek shares closed Friday at 4,810p, about 11% below the bid. Activist investor Matt Peltz’s Lost Coast Collective disclosed a 1.14% stake worth over £87 million.
Standard Chartered’s $2 Billion India Energy Mandate Puts StanChart Back in the Deal Spotlight
Standard Chartered Bank has been appointed by Actis to advise on the sale of BluPine Energy, an Indian renewable energy platform valued at around $2 billion, according to The Economic Times. BluPine has about 4 GW of capacity. Standard Chartered also bought 832,000 of its own shares on April 23 as part of an ongoing buyback. Its shares closed down 0.82% in London on Friday.
Compass Group Shares Rise Before May Results as Investors Weigh AI Risk and U.S. Growth
Compass Group shares rose 0.96% to $30.075 in London on Friday, outperforming the FTSE 100. Trading volume reached about 2.86 million shares. Investors are watching for half-year results due May 11, as strong North American demand faces concerns over AI’s impact on office catering. Compass shares now trade in U.S. dollars after a recent currency switch.
Hiscox Stock Slips After Dividend Cutoff as $300 Million Buyback Takes Focus
Hiscox shares closed at 1,560 pence in London on Friday, down 0.19%, after going ex-dividend for a $0.359 final payout. The record date for the dividend is April 24, with payment due June 8. The insurer is running a $300 million buyback, having repurchased 279,904 shares in April. Hiscox’s next trading statement is set for May 7.
3i Group Shares Slide Again as Action Growth Worries Test FTSE 100 Firm
3i Group shares closed down 1.83% at 2,627.50 pence in London on Friday, extending a three-day slide and leaving the stock 41.57% below its 52-week high. The drop comes ahead of 3i’s annual results on May 14, as investors focus on softer like-for-like sales growth at Action, its largest holding, which reported a 4.0% rise in comparable sales for early 2026, with France up just 0.9%.
GSK plc Shares Slide Before Q1 Results as Buyback Tailwind Fades
GSK shares fell 2.7% to 2,020p on Friday, lagging the FTSE 100, as its £450 million buyback neared completion and investors awaited first-quarter results due April 29. A Thursday filing showed GSK bought 965,671 shares on April 22. Broker consensus sees Q1 turnover at £7.58 billion and EPS at 43.3p, with investors watching vaccine and specialty medicine sales closely.
Legal & General Shares Slip as LGEN Dividend, CEO Pay Vote Put Investors on Alert
Legal & General shares fell 0.81% to 252.60p after going ex-dividend for a 15.67p payout. Shareholders will vote May 21 on executive pay, climate strategy, board elections, and a capital reduction that would boost distributable reserves but not return cash immediately. The AGM follows weaker March results and a lower Solvency II ratio.
Anglo American Coal Sale Back In Play As Three Bidders Circle Australia Mines
Anglo American has attracted at least three bidders, including Stanmore Resources, Mitsubishi Corp, and PT Buma Internasional Grup, for its Australian steelmaking coal assets, Bloomberg reported. The revived sale follows Peabody Energy’s withdrawal from a $3.78 billion deal last year. Anglo shares fell 1.44% in London trading. The sale comes as Anglo seeks to exit non-core businesses and pursue a merger with Teck Resources.
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA to Raise Fares as Jet Fuel Shock Hits British Airways Owner
IAG will raise ticket prices to offset higher jet fuel costs but reports no supply interruptions. Shares in the British Airways owner fell 1.6% in late London trading. The move comes as airlines face rising fuel prices linked to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz blockage. IAG is 62% hedged on fuel for 2026 but says it is “not immune” to the wider market impact.
Nvidia Stock Is Back Near a Record, But the $300 Path Just Got Harder
Nvidia shares rose 4.8% to $209.15 Friday morning, nearing their 52-week high ahead of the company’s May 20 earnings report. The chipmaker has guided for $78 billion in quarterly revenue, excluding China data-center sales. Rival chipmakers and cloud firms, including Google and Broadcom, have posted stronger gains this year as investors diversify AI bets. Nvidia’s Vera Rubin system remains a focus for future demand.
Glencore Stock Slips Before Big Copper Test as Q1 Production Update Looms
Glencore shares dropped to 555.10 pence in London on Friday, down 7.40 pence, ahead of its April 30 first-quarter production report. Benchmark copper prices hit $13,448.50 a ton this week, but Goldman Sachs maintained a 2026 forecast below current levels, citing a surplus and sulphuric acid supply risks. Glencore’s copper output last year fell 30% in the first quarter. Peers Teck and BHP reported strong copper results.
Haleon Shares Edge Higher as Supplier Cut Puts Sensodyne Maker Under Fresh ESG Scrutiny
Haleon PLC shares rose 0.48% to 353.30 pence in London on Friday after the company cut ties with packaging supplier Asia Symbol, following reports linking the supplier to Indonesian rainforest clearance. The move comes days before Haleon’s Q1 2026 trading statement and annual meeting on April 29. Haleon said its investigation found no evidence of deforestation-linked material in its supply chain.
St. James’s Place Plc Faces Q1 Test as Buyback Shrinks Share Count
St. James’s Place shares dropped 2.4% to 1,261.5p in London Friday, with investors awaiting its first-quarter business update on April 29. The company bought 231,044 shares for cancellation this week at an average 1,298.45p. SJP ended 2025 with £220 billion in funds under management and reported a post-tax profit of £531.4 million.
NatWest Group plc’s Big Startup Banking Push Lands Before a Q1 Profit Test
NatWest Group has launched a venture banking arm aimed at high-growth UK companies, partnering with Amazon Web Services. The move comes days before NatWest reports first-quarter results on May 1, with Citi forecasting pretax profit about 7% above consensus. Company-compiled consensus expects net interest income of £3.41 billion and operating profit before tax of £1.94 billion. Barclays, Lloyds, and HSBC will report results in the same period.