S&P 500, Nasdaq Records Face $105 Oil Test as AI Rally Meets Iran War Risk
U.S. stocks fell Thursday, with the Dow down 180.70 points to 49,309.33, the S&P 500 off
NAB Tests Tokenised Deposits With Stablecoins in RBA Trial as Australia’s New Digital Asset Law Takes Hold
National Australia Bank completed a test issuing and maturing a tokenised term deposit using stablecoins under Project Acacia, a digital-money initiative with the Reserve Bank of Australia. The transactions took place on
Legal & General Shares Drop 5.6% as Final Dividend Ex-Date Puts £1.2 Billion Buyback Back in Focus
Legal & General Group shares fell 5.6% to 253.65 pence Thursday after trading ex-dividend for a 15.67 pence final payout due June
British American Tobacco Extends Share Buyback Through June as Velo Gains on Zyn
British American Tobacco bought 165,340 shares for cancellation on April 22 at an average price of 4,103.8172 pence each, leaving 2.17 billion
Barclays PLC says MFS funds may have been fraudulently circulated ahead of Q1 results
Barclays alleged missing funds at failed lender Market Financial Solutions were fraudulently circulated among related firms, according to Bloomberg. MFS entered administration
Unilever PLC’s McCormick Food Deal Hits Fresh Labor Snag as Q1 Update Nears
Unilever’s European employee representatives are demanding binding job protections in the planned $44.8 billion merger of its foods business with McCormick, raising
Anglo American plc Revives Coal Sale as Three Bidders Circle Australian Mines
At least three bidders, including Stanmore Resources, Mitsubishi Corp, and PT Buma Internasional Grup, remain in contention for Anglo American’s Australian steelmaking coal assets, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The sale process, managed by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, resumed after Peabody Energy abandoned a $3.78 billion deal last year following an underground fire at Moranbah North.
HSBC Hires JPMorgan Bullion Veteran as Gold Volatility Fuels London Hiring Race
HSBC has hired JPMorgan executive James Willis to lead global precious metals sales, sources told Reuters, marking its second senior metals hire
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc lands Australia frigate and U.S. Coast Guard work as defence orders build
World Star Aviation and Magellan Aviation Group completed a deal for three Boeing 737-800s leased to Eastar Jet, while Aergo Capital sold
Green Energy Tech News Today: Wind Breaks a Record While Batteries Race to Fix the Grid
Global wind power installations hit a record 165 GW in 2025, up 40% from 2024, with China adding 120.5 GW, the Global
Apple Foldable iPhone Still on Track for September as Dummy Leak, Crease Fix Reports Surface
Apple’s first foldable iPhone is still expected in September, with Bloomberg and analysts citing no major delays despite engineering challenges. TrendForce reports
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 24.04.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 24, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 24, 2026, 6:43 AM EDT ASX:NXL Shares Surge Following Major Legal Victory April 24, 2026, 6:29 AM EDT. Shares of NXL on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) jumped significantly following a **key legal win**. The positive court decision has lifted investor confidence, driving a sharp increase in NXL's stock price. While the company has not detailed the full implications, the ruling is expected to clear the way for operational or strategic advancements. Market watchers note that legal outcomes can play a critical role in shaping **shareholder value** by reducing regulatory
Lynas Rare Earths Revenue Jumps 115% as U.S., Japan Lock In Non-China Supply
Lynas Rare Earths reported March-quarter sales of A$265 million, up 115% year-on-year, as buyers sought supply outside China. Average selling price reached A$84.60 per kg, with NdPr prices up 25% from the prior quarter. The company produced 3,233 metric tons of rare earth oxides and signed new supply deals with Japan and the U.S. Rising input costs remain a concern.
Northern Star Resources’ A$500 Million Buyback Tests Gold Miner’s Kalgoorlie Turnaround
Northern Star sold 380,807 ounces of gold in the March quarter at an all-in sustaining cost of A$2,709 an ounce, generating A$2.01 billion in revenue. The company will begin a planned A$500 million share buyback around April 23 and maintained full-year guidance above 1.5 million ounces. Jarden cut its price target to A$22.30. Northern Star warned output remains heavily tied to throughput at the Kalgoorlie mill.
PLS Group’s $600 Million Bond Deal Gives the Lithium Miner a Longer Runway
PLS Group Limited closed a US$600 million senior unsecured notes offering maturing in 2031 at 6.875%, using proceeds to repay A$375 million in bank debt and reduce its credit facility. The notes were sold to institutional and offshore investors and are guaranteed by subsidiaries. Shares fell 4.05% to A$5.68 after the announcement. Sullivan & Cromwell said it was the first such high-yield bond by an Australian miner since 2021.
Qantas Beats Virgin On Punctuality As Fuel Shock And Fare War Bite
Qantas and QantasLink led Virgin Australia in March on-time arrivals and departures, according to new federal data. Qantas posted 81.9% on-time departures and 80.1% arrivals, ahead of Virgin’s 78.7% and 77.7%. Virgin had a lower cancellation rate at 1.8%, compared to Qantas’ 3.2%. The results come as Qantas launches a domestic fare sale and manages higher fuel costs.
S&P 500, Nasdaq Records Face $105 Oil Test as AI Rally Meets Iran War Risk
U.S. stocks fell Thursday, with the Dow down 180.70 points to 49,309.33, the S&P 500 off 0.41%, and the Nasdaq dropping 0.89%, as Brent crude settled at $105.07 and investors reacted to renewed U.S.-Iran tensions. ServiceNow shares plunged 17.7%, IBM lost 8.3%, and Tesla slid 3.6% after announcing higher capital spending. Japan’s Nikkei briefly topped 60,000 before closing lower.
NAB Tests Tokenised Deposits With Stablecoins in RBA Trial as Australia’s New Digital Asset Law Takes Hold
National Australia Bank completed a test issuing and maturing a tokenised term deposit using stablecoins under Project Acacia, a digital-money initiative with the Reserve Bank of Australia. The transactions took place on a marketplace licensed by ASIC. The update comes as new digital asset laws take effect and the RBA prepares to release its final Acacia report. NAB said the project highlighted both opportunities and risks for tokenised banking.
Macquarie Group’s €125 Million Lyntia Deal Lands as Private Credit Jitters Grow
Macquarie Asset Management has provided €125 million to lyntia as part of a €1.4 billion refinancing for the Iberian telecom infrastructure operator. The funding extends lyntia’s debt maturities up to 12 years and adds a new investment facility. The deal comes as private credit fundraising slumps, with first-quarter direct-lending totals at a three-year low. Macquarie remains active in European private debt markets.
Woodside Energy CEO Survives Pay Revolt as LNG Expansion Faces Investor Test
Woodside Energy shareholders approved CEO Liz Westcott’s 2026 long-term incentive grant, but 34.52% voted against it at the annual meeting in Perth. The remuneration report passed with 81.69% support. HESTA opposed the pay package, citing governance and transition risk concerns. Westcott became permanent CEO in March after Meg O’Neill left for BP.
ANZ’s First AI Chief From HSBC Lands Days Before a Crucial Earnings Test
ANZ Group has hired Kai Yang from HSBC as its first chief data and AI officer, with Yang set to join in July. The move comes days before ANZ’s May 1 first-half results, a key moment for CEO Nuno Matos’ restructuring plan. Yang previously held senior data roles at both HSBC and Commonwealth Bank. Rivals Commonwealth Bank and Westpac are also expanding AI use in banking operations.
Westpac Banking Corporation Raises Fixed Mortgage Rates Again as Borrowers Face RBA Test
Westpac has raised fixed home-loan rates by 15 basis points, taking its lowest two-year fixed offer to 6.29%. All major Australian banks have increased fixed rates since the March RBA decision. Westpac economists expect three more RBA rate hikes by August. The bank’s net interest margin fell to 7 basis points in Q2, and transaction costs from a mortgage portfolio sale will cut net profit by A$75 million.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Set to Cut 119 Jobs Again as AI Push Deepens, Bankwest Hit
Commonwealth Bank of Australia will cut 119 jobs, according to the Finance Sector Union, as it increases automation and AI use. The bank did not confirm the figure but acknowledged some roles are being reduced. The move follows record first-half cash profit of A$5.45 billion in February. Other major Australian banks have also announced job cuts tied to technology changes in recent months.
Cochlear Shares Extend Rout After FY26 Profit Cut, Weak Demand Warning
Cochlear slashed its fiscal 2026 profit forecast to A$290 million–A$330 million, down from A$435 million–A$460 million, citing weaker implant demand and Middle East conflict uncertainty. Shares plunged 40.7% Wednesday and fell another 4.6% Thursday to A$95.00. The company warned of flat developed-market revenue and possible order cancellations. Analysts called the downgrade “far worse than anticipated.”
BHP Group Ltd Adds China’s COREX Index in Iron Ore Deal That Ends Months-Long Standoff
BHP has agreed to use China’s COREX iron ore benchmark for Jimblebar fines contracts, ending a dispute with China Mineral Resources Group that had restricted some purchases. The contract runs through BHP’s 2027 financial year and includes a 1.8% rebate per vessel, sources said. BHP’s March-quarter Western Australia iron ore output beat estimates at 69.8 million tons. BHP shares rose up to 1.8% after the news.
Tesla Earnings: Profit Beat Faces a $25 Billion AI and Robotaxi Test
Tesla raised its 2026 capital spending plan to over $25 billion, citing investments in AI, robotaxi, and Optimus robot projects. First-quarter net income rose 17% to $477 million on revenue of $22.39 billion. Deliveries climbed 6% to 358,023 vehicles, while capital expenditure jumped to $2.49 billion from $1.49 billion a year earlier. Tesla shares fell 3.5% despite higher profit and free cash flow.
CSL Limited Stock Hits 2017 Low After Pentagon Flu Vaccine Shift Shakes Seqirus Outlook
CSL shares hit their lowest since 2017 after the U.S. military ended its mandatory flu vaccine rule, threatening demand for CSL’s Seqirus vaccines. The company disclosed a new A$19.4 million share buyback as it faces weaker U.S. flu immunisation rates and ongoing earnings pressure. Shares have dropped over 25% in 2026.
Legal & General Shares Drop 5.6% as Final Dividend Ex-Date Puts £1.2 Billion Buyback Back in Focus
Legal & General Group shares fell 5.6% to 253.65 pence Thursday after trading ex-dividend for a 15.67 pence final payout due June 4. The drop followed a record £1.2 billion buyback and £2.4 billion in planned shareholder returns. L&G reported 2025 core operating profit up 6% to £1.623 billion. Investors remain focused on the group’s solvency ratio and capital-return plans.
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc Misses Q1 Sales Forecast, Warns on Margins as Oil Shock Bites
Reckitt Benckiser missed first-quarter sales forecasts and warned first-half margins will fall about 2 percentage points from last year due to higher oil costs and weak cold-and-flu demand. Shares dropped 4.6% Wednesday. Core like-for-like revenue rose 1.3%, below expectations, with reported group revenue down 11.8% to £3.25 billion. Seasonal OTC sales fell 10.8%, while germ protection grew 9.5%.
British American Tobacco Extends Share Buyback Through June as Velo Gains on Zyn
British American Tobacco bought 165,340 shares for cancellation on April 22 at an average price of 4,103.8172 pence each, leaving 2.17 billion shares outstanding. Merrill Lynch International will run the buyback through June 29, with disclosures shifting to weekly under new UK rules. BAT continues buybacks as it invests in newer products and faces regulatory scrutiny over nicotine pouches in the U.S.
London Stock Exchange Group Sees 2026 Revenue Growth in Upper Half of Range After Record Q1
London Stock Exchange Group reported first-quarter total income up 9.8% on an organic constant-currency basis, beating its 8% market expectation. Markets revenue jumped 15.5%, driven by record Tradeweb volumes. The company now expects 2026 revenue growth at the upper end of its 6.5%-7.5% target range. LSEG shares rose up to 4% after the update.
WH Smith Profit Warning: Retailer Suspends Dividend as Iran War Hits Airport Spending
WH Smith cut its full-year profit forecast to £90–£105 million, suspended its dividend, and reported a statutory pre-tax loss of £25 million for the half-year. Shares closed down 9.15% after falling as much as 17%. The company cited weaker passenger numbers and spending, particularly at airports affected by Middle East conflict. WH Smith said it is cooperating with a UK regulator’s probe into past accounting issues.
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Falls Again as Oil Shock and Rate Fears Hit London Shares
London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.2% to 10,457.01, its fourth consecutive decline, as oil stayed above $100 a barrel and hopes faded for renewed U.S.-Iran talks. Sainsbury’s dropped 3.4% after warning the Iran war could hit profits, while WH Smith slumped 9.2% on a profit warning. Consumer confidence hit a six-month low, and traders now see a 70% chance of a June Bank of England rate hike.
Barclays PLC says MFS funds may have been fraudulently circulated ahead of Q1 results
Barclays alleged missing funds at failed lender Market Financial Solutions were fraudulently circulated among related firms, according to Bloomberg. MFS entered administration in February after creditors claimed financial irregularities, with court documents showing only £230 million in collateral for £1.16 billion in loans. Barclays is owed £495 million. UK regulators are investigating, with creditors facing a shortfall over £1.3 billion.
Australia Stock Market Today: ASX 200 Hits Two-Week Low as Oil Tops $100, Santos Jumps
Australian shares closed at a two-week low Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.6% to 8,793.40 as stalled U.S.-Iran talks and oil above $100 a barrel weighed on sentiment. Energy stocks rose, led by Santos and Woodside, but losses in banks and miners offset gains. Healthcare hit an eight-year low after CSL and Cochlear slumped. Traders now see a 75% chance the Reserve Bank will raise rates in early May.
Self-Checkout Crackdown Spreads Across U.S. With 15-Item Caps, New Staffing Rules
U.S. cities and states are advancing limits on self-checkout, with Long Beach and Costa Mesa enforcing new rules and measures pending in New York City, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Ohio. Connecticut’s bill failed last week. Target now restricts self-checkout to 10 items at most stores, reporting faster transactions. Proposed laws include item caps, staffing ratios, and fines for violations.