Unilever’s McCormick Deal Gets Awkward After Terry Smith Walks Away
Fundsmith, led by Terry Smith, has sold its entire Unilever stake, citing concerns over the company’s
Shell Plc Just Put a $23.8 Billion Number on Its Global Tax Footprint
Shell Plc reported $23.84 billion in payments to governments for 2025, including $10.04 billion in taxes and $8.04 billion in production entitlements. Brazil received the largest share at $4.25 billion. The disclosure
Anglo American Stock Slides From High as $53 Billion Teck Deal Faces China Test
Anglo American shares fell 4.45% to 3,882p in early London trading Friday, retreating from a 52-week high hit earlier this week. The
National Grid plc’s £70 Billion Grid Bet Just Hit a Storm-Cost Test
National Grid plc shares dropped 2.79% to 1,254.50 pence in early London trading after missing annual profit forecasts, citing higher U.S. storm
Reckitt Benckiser’s AI Push Faces a Bigger Test After Dettol Maker’s Growth Miss
Reckitt Benckiser highlighted its use of digital science and generative AI to speed product development and boost innovation across brands like Dettol
Glencore plc’s $9.75 Billion LNG Catalyst Just Landed. Why the Stock Still Fell
Caturus approved construction of the $9.75 billion Commonwealth LNG export plant in Louisiana, set to begin operations in 2030. Glencore increased its
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 15.05.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: May 15, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: May 15, 2026, 6:45 AM EDT London Market Falls on Oil Price Hike and Political Concerns May 15, 2026, 6:45 AM EDT. The London stock market declined sharply due to a surge in **oil prices** and growing **political uncertainties**. Higher crude costs often increase expenses for businesses, dampening investor sentiment. Meanwhile, political jitters added to concerns over the economic outlook. The combination weighed heavily on shares, pushing the market lower. Investors are closely watching these developments as they evaluate risks associated with energy volatility and geopolitical instability. The downturn reflects apprehension
CAR Group Shareholder Shake-Up: Why the Carsales Owner Is Back in Focus
CAR Group Ltd published a notice late Thursday stating Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is no longer a substantial holder. A new First
Transurban Group Ltd Shares Rise: Why ASX Toll-Road Giant Is Back in Focus
Transurban shares closed up 1.04% at A$14.60 on Thursday, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200’s 0.12% gain. April traffic rose in Melbourne and Brisbane
Why Evolution Mining Limited Stock Slipped as Gold Pullback Tests EVN’s Net-Cash Rally
Evolution Mining shares closed down 1.27% at A$13.23 on Thursday as weaker gold prices hit Australian gold miners. The company reported A$406
Cochlear Shares Drop Again As Investors Question the Profit Shock
Cochlear Ltd shares fell 4.64% to A$95.42 on Thursday, extending losses after last month’s record 40.7% plunge. Trading volume nearly doubled to
Woolworths Group Ltd Faces Discount-Price Reckoning After Coles Court Loss
Woolworths faces a pending Federal Court ruling over alleged misleading “Prices Dropped” promotions after rival Coles lost a similar case. The ACCC claims Woolworths misled shoppers on 266 products from 2021 to 2023. Woolworths’ shares fell 1.9% after the Coles verdict. The court has not yet delivered its judgment in the Woolworths case.
REA Group Buyback Faces a Hard Test After Shares Slide 5.7%
REA Group bought back 33,457 shares for A$5.74 million Wednesday, bringing total buybacks to 554,112 shares worth about A$89.6 million. REA shares closed Thursday at A$161.24, down 5.7%. April new buy listings on realestate.com.au rose 19.4% year-on-year, while total listings fell 5.3%. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised rates to 4.35% on May 5.
Coles Group Faces Costly Fallout After Court Says ‘Down Down’ Discounts Misled Shoppers
Australia’s Federal Court found Coles misled shoppers with 13 of 14 sampled “Down Down” discount tickets, breaching consumer law. The ACCC will seek penalties; Coles is reviewing the ruling. Coles shares fell 2.7% after the decision, while Woolworths, facing a similar case, dropped 1.9%. Judgment in the Woolworths case is still pending.
Megaport Stock Jumps 28% After $254 Million AI Contracts — The Capex Catch
Megaport Ltd shares jumped 27.72% to A$12.58 after its Latitude.sh unit won three contracts worth A$254 million with two unnamed U.S. tech firms. The deals will add about A$90.6 million in annualised recurring revenue after hardware is deployed by mid-2027. Megaport will spend about A$140.3 million on Nvidia GPUs and related equipment, funded by cash and a larger debt facility. FY26 revenue and EBITDA guidance was reaffirmed.
Mineral Resources’ Bald Hill Watch: Job Ads Put a Lithium Restart Back in Play
Jefferies flagged a rise in job ads near Kambalda as a sign Mineral Resources may restart its Bald Hill lithium mine, possibly in Q2 fiscal 2027. Spodumene concentrate prices climbed to $2,435 a tonne in April, up from $2,043 in March. MinRes has not confirmed a restart. The company’s net debt fell to about A$4.5 billion, with liquidity at A$1.8 billion.
Northern Star Resources Stock Slips as Cyber Outage Delays Supplier Payments
Northern Star Resources expects supplier payments to be delayed until May 21 after a cyber incident took part of its ERP system offline. Shares fell 2.36% to A$21.13, underperforming peers, as the company shifted to manual procurement processes. Northern Star said backups were intact and no supplier data had been compromised. The KCGM mill expansion remains on track for early FY27 commissioning.
Telstra Buyback Nears A$1.25 Billion Cap as Mobile Price Rises Face Their First Test
Telstra bought 1.14 million shares for A$6.05 million on May 14, moving within A$140 million of its A$1.25 billion buyback cap, a market filing showed. The program, set to end June 30, has covered about 219.38 million shares so far. Telstra raised most mobile plan prices this month, intensifying competition with Optus and TPG. The company reported A$1.1 billion half-year profit in February, up 9%.
Suncorp Group Limited’s A$200 Million Debt Sale Pulls Six-Times Demand From Investors
Suncorp Group priced a A$200 million Tier 2 subordinated note issue after demand topped six times the offer size, with notes maturing in June 2037 and priced at 150 basis points over the three-month bank bill swap rate. The insurer also updated its share buyback program and recently secured up to A$2.4 billion in five-year reinsurance protection. Suncorp shares closed at A$17.12, up 2.27% on Thursday.
Woodside Energy Stock Faces New Test As $35 Billion Browse LNG Fight Deepens
Woodside Energy’s Browse LNG project faces renewed scrutiny after leaked documents showed Western Australia may avoid near-term emissions cuts. The project’s estimated cost has risen to A$48.7 billion, with carbon capture added. A federal environmental decision is pending as investors watch closely. Woodside shares closed at A$30.62, down 0.8% on Thursday.
Goodman Group’s Data Centre Bet Faces a Crucial May Test as ASX:GMG Shares Rise
Goodman Group shares closed at A$31.40 Thursday, up 0.32% after a 1.39% rise Wednesday, as investors focused on its data-centre pipeline ahead of a Q3 FY26 update due May 26. Data centres accounted for 73% of its A$14.4 billion work in progress in February. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.12% Thursday, while the RBA cash rate stands at 4.35%. Goodman reported first-half operating profit of A$1.20 billion.
Wesfarmers Limited Just Put ASX:WES Investors on Notice: Bunnings, Kmart and Rates Are the Test
Wesfarmers will hold its Strategy Briefing Day in Sydney on June 10, with presentation materials set for release before an 8:30 a.m. AEST webcast. Shares closed at A$71.73 on May 14, near recent lows, as the Reserve Bank of Australia’s rate hike to 4.35% dampens hopes for retail relief. February’s half-year net profit rose 9.3% to A$1.603 billion, but shares fell after the result missed trading expectations.
Lynas Rare Earths Stock Slumps as Trump-Xi Rare Earth Talks Test Its Rally
Lynas Rare Earths shares fell 9.8% to A$17.95, erasing recent gains as investors reacted to ongoing U.S.-China rare earth tensions. Chinese exports of some heavy rare earths remain down about 50% since April 2025 controls. Polymarket traders put the odds of a U.S.-China tariff deal by May 31 at 53%. Lynas reported quarterly sales of A$265 million, more than double a year earlier.
ANZ Group Holdings Bonus Shake-Up Puts Managers on Notice After Bank Rout
ANZ is overhauling manager bonuses to link pay more closely to conduct and performance, affecting thousands of managers, The Australian reported. Shares rose 0.8% to A$34.84 Thursday after a week of sector volatility. The move follows shareholder dissent over pay and recent misconduct findings. Rate and housing-policy risks remain, with markets pricing a high chance of no RBA change in June.
Aristocrat Leisure Stock Jumps as $1 Billion Buyback Puts ASX Gaming Giant Back in Focus
Aristocrat Leisure raised its share buyback by A$1 billion to a possible A$2.5 billion after first-half NPATA climbed 8.4% to A$794 million. Shares surged 13.3% on May 15 before easing to A$51.39. Revenue was steady at A$3.03 billion, with gaming division profit up 3% to A$1.06 billion. The interim dividend increased to 50 cents per share, unfranked.
CSL Limited Share Price Slides Again as $5 Billion Writedown Puts Biotech Turnaround on the Clock
CSL Limited shares closed at A$97.26 on Thursday, down 1.55%, extending losses after a profit downgrade and plans for US$5 billion in writedowns. The stock hit its lowest level since January 2017 earlier in the week. CSL cut its FY26 revenue outlook to US$15.2 billion and expects further pressure from U.S. immunoglobulin inventory and lower albumin prices in China.
Fortescue Ltd’s A$150 Million Hit Isn’t Over: Yindjibarndi Weighs Appeal
A Federal Court ordered Fortescue to pay A$150 million to Yindjibarndi traditional owners for cultural loss tied to its Solomon Hub iron ore mine. Yindjibarndi leaders are considering an appeal after the court rejected their royalties-based economic claim. Fortescue said it accepts compensation is owed and could pay quickly. The case is Australia’s largest native title compensation award to date.
Xero Limited Shares Sink 9% as A$550 Million Buyback Fails to Blunt Melio Profit Hit
Xero shares fell 9.04% in Sydney after the company reported a 27% drop in annual net profit to NZ$167.4 million, despite a 31% revenue increase and a planned A$550 million share buyback. The company cited NZ$50.6 million in Melio acquisition costs. Xero forecast FY27 revenue of up to NZ$3.73 billion and adjusted EBITDA up to NZ$920 million.
Westpac Banking Corporation Stock Faces New Test as Bad-Loan Fears Hit Australia’s Banks
Westpac shares rose 0.4% to A$35.72 on Thursday but remain down 8.3% over the past week after a sector-wide selloff triggered by Commonwealth Bank’s record 10.43% drop. Westpac reported a A$443 million credit impairment charge for the half, up from A$250 million a year ago, and a 12.4% common equity tier 1 ratio. Stressed exposures fell to 1.16% of total commitments.
National Australia Bank Limited Just Bought Banked — Why NAB’s Payments Bet Matters Now
National Australia Bank has acquired payments platform Banked to expand real-time account-to-account payments for business clients; terms were not disclosed. NAB shares closed down 1.19% at A$36.42 after Australian banks fell on concerns over higher provisions and budget-driven housing policy changes. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate to 4.35% on May 5, citing inflation pressures. Business confidence remains negative, according to NAB’s April survey.
Macquarie Shares Jump Near Record as Profit Beat Puts Its Commodities Desk Back in Focus
Macquarie Group shares closed at A$244.53, up 3.26% and near a record, after reporting a 30% rise in annual net profit to A$4.847 billion, driven by strong commodities trading and asset sales. Turnover exceeded recent averages. The S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.12% amid broader market uncertainty. Macquarie’s Commodities and Global Markets unit posted a 49% profit jump to A$4.221 billion.
BHP’s Incoming CEO Opens Door to Copper Deals as Shares Hit Record
BHP incoming CEO Brandon Craig said the miner will pursue smaller acquisitions and partnerships to drive growth beyond 2035. BHP shares hit record highs this week, buoyed by copper exposure, closing at A$62.06 in Australia. China’s port stocks of BHP’s Jimblebar iron ore dropped 3.1% after Beijing lifted purchase curbs, but inventories remain elevated. Former BlueScope CEO Mark Vassella joins BHP’s board June 1.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Shares Bounce After Record Rout as Budget Shock Tests Mortgage Growth
Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares rose 1.79% to A$156.42 on Thursday after a record 10.43% drop erased nearly A$30 billion in value. The rebound followed a federal budget move to restrict negative gearing and raise capital gains tax for property investors. CBA reported a quarterly cash net profit of A$2.7 billion and increased loan loss provisions by A$200 million. Analysts expect mortgage growth to slow as new tax rules take effect.
Australia Stock Market Today: ASX 200 Snaps Losing Run as CBA Bounces — But Rally Looks Thin
The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.12% to 8,640.7 on Thursday, breaking a four-day losing streak as bank stocks rebounded late, led by Commonwealth Bank’s 1.8% recovery after a record drop. Decliners outnumbered advancers, with tech and staples falling sharply. BHP and Rio Tinto closed at record highs, but rare earths and consumer staples slumped. Investors remain focused on budget-driven tax changes and recent interest rate hikes.
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Rises as GDP Surprise Offsets Starmer Turmoil
The FTSE 100 closed up 0.5% at 10,372.93 and the FTSE 250 rose 1.3% to 22,828.07 after UK GDP grew 0.6% in Q1, beating forecasts. Sterling slipped 0.1% and 10-year gilt yields hovered near 5.02% as political uncertainty grew following Health Minister Wes Streeting’s resignation and doubts over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s future. Prediction markets put Andy Burnham at 47% to become the next UK prime minister in 2026.
BT Group plc’s BAE Systems Deal Lands at a Crucial Moment for Its Turnaround
BT signed a five-year secure-connectivity contract with BAE Systems, covering operations in 40 countries. The deal was announced a week before BT’s full-year results, due May 21. BT shares fell 0.72% after the London close but remain near multi-year highs. The contract can be extended by up to three years.