Suncorp Stock Price Back in Focus as Buyback Builds, June Note Payouts Set
Suncorp Group disclosed a daily share buyback of 214,848 shares for A$3.36 million, bringing total repurchases
ANZ Share Price Falls Today After Mortgage Rate Move, Worldline Buyout Report
ANZ shares fell 2.3% to A$36.67 by 11:08 a.m. AEDT after the bank announced a 0.25 percentage point rise in Australian variable home-loan rates from March 27, adding about A$80 a month
BHP stock price rises as miner files $5 billion Escondida plan, advances Arizona copper project
BHP shares closed up 1.1% after the company filed for environmental approval to build a $4.4–$5.9 billion copper concentrator at Escondida in
Centrica plc Share Price Hits New 12-Month High Amid Hive Deal and Energy-Stock Lift
Centrica shares rose 1.78% Tuesday, hitting a 12-month high at 214 pence. The gain followed news that Hive, its connected-home unit, partnered
BT Group plc stock price climbs after Ofcom extends Openreach rules and widens price cap
BT Group shares climbed 2.5% to 220 pence after Ofcom set new five-year rules for Openreach and expanded a wholesale price cap.
Diageo Stock Price Holds Near 52-Week Low as Investors Await Dave Lewis Strategy
Diageo shares closed at 1,450p in London Tuesday, just above their 12-month low, after cutting its 2026 organic sales forecast and halving
Lloyds Banking Group Stock Price Climbs Despite Glitch Scrutiny as Rate Bets Lift Shares
Lloyds Banking Group shares rose 1.37% to 96.20 pence Tuesday despite new questions from lawmakers over a recent app glitch. The bank bought back 8.94 million shares the same day. UK bank stocks led the FTSE 100, as traders focused on interest rate expectations ahead of the Bank of England meeting. Lloyds has not disclosed how many customers were affected by the March 12 outage.
BAE Systems Stock Price Holds Near Record High After New U.S. Air Force Contract
BAE Systems shares rose 0.4% to about 2,331 pence Tuesday after announcing new U.S. Air Force work on the U-2’s electronic warfare
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA Stock Price: IAG Shares Rise on EU Jet Fuel Rules Challenge
IAG shares rose 0.9% to 355.65 pence in late London trading as investors reacted to reports that major European airlines plan to
Rolls-Royce Share Price Today: Why the Stock Rose on UltraFan Funding and Atlas Air Order
Rolls-Royce shares rose 1.6% to near 1,250 pence in delayed London trading after the company secured €64 million in EU funding for
BP Stock Price Climbs as Oil Reclaims $100, Putting Buyback Pause Back in Focus
BP shares climbed over 1% in London as Brent crude topped $100 a barrel after renewed Iranian attacks on the UAE disrupted
Technology News 18.03.2026
LIVETechnology news rolling coverageStarted: March 18, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: March 18, 2026, 3:36 AM EDT SDT launches Korea's first commercial quantum-AI hybrid data center via NVIDIA NVQLink March 18, 2026, 3:20 AM EDT. SDT said it has launched Korea's first commercial hybrid data center that combines **quantum** and **AI** workloads. The facility uses **NVIDIA NVQLink** to connect quantum processing units with conventional servers, aiming to accelerate optimization, simulation and certain machine-learning tasks. Officials described the center as serving enterprise customers in finance and logistics, as well as research on software ecosystems and security. Experts cautioned that real gains hinge
Suncorp Stock Price Back in Focus as Buyback Builds, June Note Payouts Set
Suncorp Group disclosed a daily share buyback of 214,848 shares for A$3.36 million, bringing total repurchases to nearly 59% of its A$400 million target. The insurer also set June 17 payments on three listed capital-note securities and reaffirmed its interim dividend of 17 cents per share due March 31. Shares closed at A$15.71 on Tuesday, up 0.38%.
ANZ Share Price Falls Today After Mortgage Rate Move, Worldline Buyout Report
ANZ shares fell 2.3% to A$36.67 by 11:08 a.m. AEDT after the bank announced a 0.25 percentage point rise in Australian variable home-loan rates from March 27, adding about A$80 a month to a A$500,000 loan. Investors are also watching a possible buyout of Worldline’s stake in ANZ’s merchant-payments venture.
Macquarie Share Price Today Climbs After Group Exits $7 Billion Kuwait Pipeline Deal
Macquarie Group shares rose 0.8% to A$197.3 after Reuters reported the company exited bidding for Kuwait’s $7 billion oil pipeline sale, citing conflict and uncertainty. Macquarie made no ASX announcement and declined to comment. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation has declared force majeure and cut output as the Strait of Hormuz remains the only export route. BlackRock and KKR’s involvement in the sale remains unclear.
Telstra Share Price Nears 52-Week High as Buyback Tops A$713 Million — Why TLS Stock Is in Focus
Telstra closed Tuesday at A$5.25, just below its 52-week high, after disclosing a buyback of 640,803 shares for A$3.36 million on March 17. Total repurchases now stand at about 144.9 million shares worth roughly A$713.7 million. The company plans to pay a 10.5-cent interim dividend on March 27. Telstra and regulators remain A$1.3 billion apart on spectrum renewal valuations.
Santos Stock Price Today: Why ASX STO Held Firm as Oil Hit $103 and Rates Rose
Santos shares rose to A$7.71 on March 17 as Brent crude hit $103.42 after Iranian attacks on the UAE raised supply fears. The company expects a 25–30% production boost by 2027 from Barossa and Pikka projects, despite a 25% drop in 2025 profit and plans to cut 10% of staff. Australia’s central bank raised rates to 4.1% citing energy-driven inflation risks. Santos loaded its first Barossa cargo from Darwin LNG.
National Australia Bank Limited Share Price Today: NAB Stock Rises After RBA Hike
National Australia Bank shares rose 0.85% to A$47.46 after the Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.10% in a split decision. NAB said it will lift variable home-loan rates by 0.25 percentage point from March 27. Westpac shares also climbed 1.39%. Core inflation stands at 3.4% as oil prices remain elevated.
UK Petrol Prices Jump Again as Iran Conflict Opens a 49p Gap Between M1 Pumps and London’s Cheapest Stations
UK petrol prices climbed Tuesday, with a 49p-per-litre gap between the priciest M1 motorway stop and the cheapest London station as Brent crude topped $101 a barrel amid Iran conflict disruptions. RAC data showed unleaded averaging 142.29p and diesel 162.06p per litre. Motorway sites charged up to 172.9p for petrol, while Morrisons Camden offered 123.9p. Ministers warned retailers against unjustified price hikes.
Northern Star Resources share price steadies after second fiscal 2026 downgrade
Northern Star Resources shares closed up 0.39% at A$20.66 Tuesday after a two-day, 23% slide triggered by a fiscal 2026 production downgrade. The company now expects output above 1.50 million ounces, down from its previous 1.6–1.7 million ounce forecast. JPMorgan and RBC cut their target prices sharply. Evolution Mining rose 3.66% the same day, highlighting investor concerns specific to Northern Star.
Evolution Mining Stock Price Jumps 3.7% as Gold Miners Recover, JPMorgan Upgrades
Evolution Mining shares rose 3.7% to A$13.58 on Tuesday, rebounding with the gold sector after Monday’s sharp drop. JPMorgan upgraded Evolution to Overweight and raised its target to A$15.50, while UBS maintained a sell rating. Gold steadied near $5,005 an ounce after recent volatility. Evolution’s March-quarter results are due April 15.
Westpac Stock Price Rises After RBA Hike as Lender Lifts Mortgage Rates
Westpac shares closed up 1.39% at A$41.49 after the Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.10% in a 5-4 split decision. Westpac and other major banks said they will pass the full rate increase to variable home loan customers from late March. Westpac’s first-quarter net profit reached A$1.9 billion, beating analyst forecasts. Consumer sentiment remains subdued, with the latest survey still below 100.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Share Price Rises After RBA Hike, but Split Vote Clouds Outlook
Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares closed at A$176.12 Tuesday, up 0.34%, after the bank said it will raise variable home-loan rates by 25 basis points from March 27. The move follows the Reserve Bank of Australia’s quarter-point rate hike to 4.1%. CBA posted record first-half cash net profit of A$5.45 billion last month. Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest since early 2020.
BHP stock price rises as miner files $5 billion Escondida plan, advances Arizona copper project
BHP shares closed up 1.1% after the company filed for environmental approval to build a $4.4–$5.9 billion copper concentrator at Escondida in Chile and advanced its Resolution Copper project in Arizona. Resolution, owned with Rio Tinto, secured 2,400 acres for development but faces opposition from Native groups. Copper accounted for 51% of BHP's operating earnings in the latest half, overtaking iron ore.
Centrica plc Share Price Hits New 12-Month High Amid Hive Deal and Energy-Stock Lift
Centrica shares rose 1.78% Tuesday, hitting a 12-month high at 214 pence. The gain followed news that Hive, its connected-home unit, partnered with Daikin to expand heat pump compatibility. The FTSE 100 closed up 0.83%, while Brent crude jumped 3.2% to $103.42 a barrel amid Middle East tensions.
Babcock International Group PLC share price today: stock edges up as buyback continues, but a bigger trigger is missing
Babcock International shares closed at 1,366p Tuesday, up 0.44% after extending its buyback, while the FTSE 100 rose 0.83%. The company repurchased 13,784 shares on March 16, part of an ongoing programme totaling 8.125 million shares since July 2025. Shares remain below their 52-week high despite an 80.7% gain over the past year. Investors weighed recent gains against inflation and interest rate concerns.
Prudential plc Stock Price Rises Ahead of 2025 Results as Cash-Flow Test Nears
Prudential plc shares closed up 0.46% at 1,095 pence in London on Tuesday ahead of its full-year 2025 results, due at 10 p.m. UK time. The insurer repurchased 370,360 shares on March 16 for about £4 million, set for cancellation. Analysts expect 2025 adjusted operating profit before tax of $3.32 billion and a total dividend of 26.23 cents per share. The FTSE 100 rose 0.83%.
BT Group plc stock price climbs after Ofcom extends Openreach rules and widens price cap
BT Group shares climbed 2.5% to 220 pence after Ofcom set new five-year rules for Openreach and expanded a wholesale price cap. Ofcom said full-fibre broadband now reaches 78% of UK homes, with a cap on prices for speeds up to 80 Mbit/s. BT shares are up nearly 37% over the past year. Openreach will review the changes, while rivals urged continued oversight.
Informa Share Price Today: Why the Stock Lagged the FTSE Despite a Bigger Buyback
Informa shares closed down 0.21% at 759.2 pence Tuesday, underperforming the FTSE 100’s 0.83% gain, as investors weighed Middle East disruption risks. The company raised its 2026 share buyback to £250 million and reported record 2025 free cash flow of £884.8 million. CEO Stephen Carter said 45% of 2026 revenue is already secured. Informa TechTarget posted a £64.3 million pre-tax loss in 2025.
Diageo Stock Price Holds Near 52-Week Low as Investors Await Dave Lewis Strategy
Diageo shares closed at 1,450p in London Tuesday, just above their 12-month low, after cutting its 2026 organic sales forecast and halving its interim dividend. CEO Debra Crew and finance chief Hannah Brooks received new share awards under a long-term incentive plan. First-half net sales fell 4% to $10.46 billion, with U.S. and China demand weak. The next trading update is set for May 6.
Haleon PLC Stock Price Rises After Buyback Launch and Berenberg Target Hike
Haleon shares rose Tuesday after Berenberg raised its target price and the company disclosed its first purchases under a new £500 million buyback. The buyback began March 12, with 2.75 million shares already bought for cancellation. U.S. sales remain pressured by weak consumer demand, while Haleon is investing £65 million in a new Shanghai plant and expanding Parodontax across China.
Standard Chartered PLC Stock Price Jumps 3.5% as Buyback Advances, Middle East Risks Linger
Standard Chartered shares closed up 3.45% at £16.04 on Tuesday, outperforming the FTSE 100 ahead of the Bank of England’s rate decision. The bank disclosed it bought back 977,000 shares on March 16, bringing total buybacks to $230.3 million. Investors remain focused on the bank’s exposure to Middle East tensions and oil price swings.
Lloyds Banking Group Stock Price Climbs Despite Glitch Scrutiny as Rate Bets Lift Shares
Lloyds Banking Group shares rose 1.37% to 96.20 pence Tuesday despite new questions from lawmakers over a recent app glitch. The bank bought back 8.94 million shares the same day. UK bank stocks led the FTSE 100, as traders focused on interest rate expectations ahead of the Bank of England meeting. Lloyds has not disclosed how many customers were affected by the March 12 outage.
Vodafone Share Price Today: Stock Rises as Buyback Rolls On, New UK Broadband Rules Land
Vodafone shares closed up 1.4% at 111.1 pence in London after a new filing tied to its ongoing buyback plan, which has now lifted treasury stock to 1.7657 billion shares. The company bought 2 million shares from Goldman Sachs at an average 110.29 pence on March 16. Ofcom set new price caps for BT’s Openreach, affecting Vodafone’s wholesale costs. Vodafone’s buyback programme runs through May 11.
BAE Systems Stock Price Holds Near Record High After New U.S. Air Force Contract
BAE Systems shares rose 0.4% to about 2,331 pence Tuesday after announcing new U.S. Air Force work on the U-2’s electronic warfare system. The stock held near record highs despite a broader pullback in European defence shares. BAE’s backlog hit £83.6 billion last month, with 2026 sales and profit growth forecast. Sector peers saw mixed moves as investors focus on delivery and margins.
LSEG Share Price Today: London Stock Exchange Group Stock Rises as Buyback Builds Ahead of AGM
London Stock Exchange Group shares rose about 1% Tuesday after the company disclosed further purchases under its £3 billion buyback, with 343,251 shares bought March 16 at an average 8,736.31 pence. LSEG spent nearly £60 million across two recent sessions. The company also published its AGM notice for April 23. Sixteen analysts rate the stock a buy, with no holds or sells.