Why Northern Star Resources Shares Fell Again as Gold Sell-Off Tests Its $500 Million Buyback
Northern Star Resources closed at A$20.50 on Friday, down 2.98%, extending a 15.6% slide over four
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Sinks as Politics, Gilts and Oil Hit London
The FTSE 100 fell 1.7% to 10,195.37 on Friday, its steepest drop in over eight weeks, as UK stocks, gilts, and sterling sold off amid political uncertainty and rising inflation fears. The
Intertek Takeover: EQT’s £9.4 Billion Bid Moves Closer After Board U-Turn
Intertek’s board said it is prepared to recommend EQT’s £60-a-share cash proposal, valuing the UK testing group at £9.4 billion, and has opened its books for due diligence. The UK Takeover Panel extended EQT’s deadline to make a firm offer to June 11. Intertek paused its strategic review and cited investor pressure for the move. Shares closed at £56.75, below the offer price, reflecting remaining deal uncertainty.
Lloyds Banking Group Shares Fall Today: Why UK Political Turmoil Is Hitting Banks
Lloyds Banking Group shares dropped over 2% Friday amid a broader UK bank selloff triggered by political turmoil and rising gilt yields. Barclays also fell more than 2%, while the FTSE 100 slipped 0.6% and sterling hit a five-week low. The 10-year gilt yield jumped nearly 12 basis points to 5.11%. Lloyds shareholders had approved all AGM resolutions the day before.
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Just Made A €1 Billion Debt Move — And The Stock Still Fell
Rolls-Royce sold €1 billion in euro bonds, its first such issue since 2020, attracting over €8.1 billion in orders. The dual-tranche sale follows credit rating upgrades and a €750 million bond repayment in February. Shares fell 2.37% in London Friday. Large-engine flying hours rose 5% in Q1 to 115% of 2019 levels.
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 company’s merger with Teck Resources awaits Chinese antitrust approval, with South Korea already clearing the deal. Anglo shareholders are set to receive a $4.5 billion special dividend before completion. First-quarter copper output rose 1% to 170,400 tons, while steelmaking coal production dropped 31%.
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 contracted offtake to 3 million tonnes per year under a 20-year deal, nearly a third of the plant’s capacity. Glencore shares fell 2.75% after the news, despite a 42.78% gain this year. Other buyers include Mercuria, PETRONAS, and Aramco Trading.
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 671,000 shares. The company cut its fiscal 2026 profit forecast by about a third, citing weaker demand, hospital bottlenecks, and currency pressures. Services revenue rose 13% in the third quarter.
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.
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.
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 671,000 shares. The company cut its fiscal 2026 profit forecast by about a third, citing weaker demand, hospital bottlenecks, and currency pressures. Services revenue rose 13% in the third quarter.
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.
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.
GSK Stock Goes Ex-Dividend Today: Why the 17p Payout Comes With a Bigger Pipeline Test
GSK shares traded ex-dividend in London on May 14, with a 17 pence first-quarter payout due July 9. The company began the final tranche of its £2 billion buyback on May 11, having repurchased £1.82 billion so far. GSK signed a deal with Chia Tai Tianqing for bepirovirsen in China, where the drug is under priority review. Bepirovirsen is not yet approved; the FDA’s target decision date is Oct. 26, 2026.
Tate & Lyle Takeover Bid: Ingredion’s $3.7 Billion Approach Sends Shares Soaring
Tate & Lyle confirmed talks with U.S.-based Ingredion over a possible £2.74 billion cash offer, valuing shares at up to 615 pence. Shares rose 52% to 569.50 pence, below the proposed price. The approach comes ahead of Tate & Lyle's full-year results on May 21. No firm bid has been made, and the Takeover Panel set a June 11 deadline for a decision.
Rolls-Royce Share Price Faces Fresh Test as £2.3bn Buyback Meets Jet-Fuel Shock
Rolls-Royce repurchased 1.83 million shares last week, bringing total buybacks under its £2.3 billion program to 52.7 million shares at an average 1,201p each. Shares traded near £12 on Thursday, below the 1,420p high. Middle East conflict and high jet-fuel prices continue to threaten engine flying hours. The company maintained 2026 profit and cash flow guidance.
QBE Insurance prices A$500m capital notes, spotlight shifts to 2026 guidance
Fitch Ratings assigned a “BBB” rating to QBE Insurance’s A$500 million Additional Tier 1 capital notes, priced this week at BBSW plus 2.50%. QBE reported first-quarter gross written premium up 11% to $9.2 billion, with net catastrophe claims at about $300 million through April. Shares closed at A$23.04, up 1.86% Friday. QBE Re named Montassar Cherrak as regional head for Middle East and North Africa.
Suncorp buyback close to wrapping up, weather bills in focus
Suncorp bought 555,147 shares on May 14, bringing its on-market buyback spend to about A$380.7 million out of a planned A$400 million, a filing showed. The insurer also priced A$200 million of Tier 2 notes due 2037 at 150 basis points over three-month BBSW. Suncorp shares last traded at A$17.49, up 2.16% on Friday.
Coles faces court setback on ‘Down Down’ promo, boosting fine risk
Australia’s Federal Court found Coles Group misled shoppers with “Down Down” price promotions on 245 grocery items, citing false or misleading price tickets. The ACCC said Coles sometimes raised prices, then advertised discounts at levels still higher than earlier shelf prices. Penalties will be decided later. Coles shares closed at A$20.81 on Friday, after falling 2.7% post-ruling.
Woolworths Group under pressure on pricing after losing Coles case
The Federal Court found Coles misled shoppers with “Down Down” discount claims; Woolworths now awaits judgment in a similar ACCC case over its “Prices Dropped” promotion covering 266 products. Woolworths shares closed at A$32.98, up 0.44% on May 15, but fell 1.9% after the Coles ruling. Penalties for Coles will be set later. Coles and Woolworths together sell nearly two-thirds of Australia’s groceries.
South32 Gets Alaska Copper Permit Lift, Hermosa Still in Focus
South32’s Ambler Metals joint venture with Trilogy Metals secured FAST-41 permitting status for the Arctic copper-zinc project in Alaska. South32 shares fell 5.18% to A$4.21 Friday amid a wider mining sector decline. The news comes as investors weigh delays and higher costs at South32’s Hermosa project in Arizona. The Arctic project is estimated to produce 10,000 tons of ore daily over 13 years.
Why Transurban Group Ltd Shares Are Back in Focus as ASX Investors Look Past Banks
Transurban Group closed Friday at A$14.60, unchanged, with a market value of about A$45.6 billion as the S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.11%. April traffic rose 1.6% in Melbourne and 0.7% in Brisbane but fell 1.2% in Sydney. Over 90% of Transurban’s revenue is inflation-linked. The company reported A$3 billion in liquidity and 88.6% of debt hedged.
Ampol in Spotlight With Emergency Diesel Plan Giving Fuel Company Larger Hand
Australia has secured 150 million litres of extra diesel through deals with suppliers including Ampol, as global supply strains persist. Three new cargoes will go to South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and Victoria. Ampol’s Lytton refinery margin jumped to US$25.45 a barrel in Q1, up from US$6.07 a year earlier. Ampol shares closed at A$35.05 on Friday, up 2.88%.
Lynas Rare Earths Moves as Beijing Delays, ASX Miner Back in Focus
Lynas shares closed at A$17.95 on Friday after a 9.8% drop Thursday. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China’s rare earth exports are improving, but some export licences remain slow. Prediction markets put the odds of quick rare-earth export relief from Trump-Xi talks below 20%. Lynas recently secured a Pentagon-backed supply deal and a firm annual commitment with Japan.
REA Group Buyback Pushes Towards A$100 Million While Rate Risk Lingers
REA Group bought back 49,887 shares for A$8.15 million on May 14, bringing total buybacks to about A$97.8 million. April new sale listings on realestate.com.au rose 19% year-on-year, the highest since 2021. REA shares closed at A$162.01 Friday, down 11.66% year-to-date. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised rates to 4.35% on May 5.
Aristocrat Leisure Stock Rebounds on A$1 Billion Buyback — What the HY26 Numbers Show
Aristocrat Leisure shares rose 8.74% this week after the company expanded its buyback by A$1 billion to A$2.5 billion and reported a first-half normalised NPATA of A$794 million, up 8.4%. Interim dividend increased 13.6% to 50 Australian cents. Revenue held at A$3.03 billion, with gains in North American casino market share. The buyback program now runs to May 2027.
Santos Stock in Focus After Australia Shelves Winter Gas Export Curbs
Australia will not activate emergency gas export controls for the third quarter after LNG exporters, including Santos, assured domestic supply. Resources Minister Madeleine King said east coast storage is near full. Santos shares rose 2.7% to A$7.88. A 20% domestic gas reservation scheme remains scheduled for July 2027.
Liontown Shares Fall 6% as Lithium Rally Faces a Hard Test
Liontown shares fell 6% to A$2.35 in Friday trading, tracking a broader mining selloff as lithium prices slipped. The company’s market value stood at A$7.47 billion. Liontown reported its strongest quarter since production began, with A$33 million net cash flow and 96,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate produced. An expansion at Kathleen Valley remains under early works, with a final investment decision due by early 2027.
Wesfarmers Strategy Day Puts Bunnings, Kmart Cost Squeeze In Focus
Wesfarmers will hold its 2026 Strategy Briefing Day in Sydney on June 10, with presentation materials set for ASX release before an 8:30 a.m. webcast. The event comes as the Reserve Bank of Australia raised rates to 4.35% and CEO Rob Scott warned of rising costs, especially from fuel surcharges. Wesfarmers shares closed at A$71.67 on May 15, down 0.08%. The company reported half-year net profit of A$1.603 billion in February.
Telstra Group Limited Buyback Nears A$1.25 Billion Finish Line as TLS Shares Climb
Telstra has repurchased 220.5 million shares for A$1.116 billion under its on-market buy-back, using 89% of the A$1.25 billion program set to end June 30, a filing showed. The company has about A$134 million capacity left. Telstra shares closed at A$5.38 on Friday, near their 52-week high. Recent price increases for mobile plans began May 5.
Mineral Resources Stock Sinks After Chris Ellison’s $122 Million Sale—What Comes Next for ASX:MIN
Mineral Resources shares dropped as much as 7.1% Friday after founder Chris Ellison sold A$122.5 million in stock, according to a company filing. Ellison sold 1.75 million shares between May 11 and 14 at an average A$69.98 each, citing personal financial planning. The stock closed at A$64.77, down 7.7%. Ellison remains the largest shareholder with 10.54% of issued capital.
Why Northern Star Resources Shares Fell Again as Gold Sell-Off Tests Its $500 Million Buyback
Northern Star Resources closed at A$20.50 on Friday, down 2.98%, extending a 15.6% slide over four weeks as gold prices dropped more than 2%. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.12%, while the materials sector lost 2.85%. Investors remain focused on KCGM mill throughput, FY26 guidance, and the company’s A$500 million buyback.
Xero Stock Rebounds After $550 Million Buyback Pledge, But Melio Costs Bite
Xero shares jumped 8.1% to A$79.67 after announcing up to A$550 million in share buybacks, following a 27% annual profit drop to NZ$167.4 million. Operating revenue rose 31% to NZ$2.75 billion, with adjusted EBITDA up 18% to NZ$757.4 million. The company ended the year with 4.92 million customers and reaffirmed its push into the U.S. market after acquiring Melio.
Evolution Mining Shares Slide 5.5% as Gold Pullback Tests ASX:EVN Cash-Flow Rally
Evolution Mining shares fell 5.5% to A$12.50 on Friday as gold and copper prices dropped, with COMEX copper futures down 3.2% and gold 1.6% lower in Asian trade. The selloff hit other miners, including Northern Star and BHP. Evolution reported A$406 million in March-quarter cash flow and held A$1.371 billion in cash, with no major debt due until fiscal 2029. No new company disclosures accompanied the share decline.
Woodside Energy Group Ltd Stock in Focus After LNG Strike Threat, Inpex Browse Deal
Woodside faces new strike action at its Karratha and Pluto LNG sites in Western Australia starting Wednesday, the Offshore Alliance union said. Talks between the union and Inpex over the Ichthys LNG facility in Darwin also broke down. Inpex separately agreed to buy PetroChina’s 10.67% stake in the Browse gas project, pending approvals. Woodside shares closed up 2.06% at A$31.25 on Friday.
ANZ Group Holdings Dividend Update: $248 Million Share Purchase Sets Up July Payout
ANZ will buy about A$248 million of its own shares on market to meet its 2026 interim dividend reinvestment plan, appointing UBS Securities Australia to handle the purchase. The interim dividend remains at 83 Australian cents a share, payable July 1. DRP participation stands at 9.9% of shares, BOP at 2.4%. If the buyback is not completed, ANZ will issue new shares to meet obligations.