Trade Desk stock jumps on OpenAI ad-talks report as CEO snaps up $148 million stake
The Trade Desk shares rose 18% to $29.79 after reports OpenAI held early talks to use
Caterpillar stock slides 3.6% as oil spike shakes industrial bellwethers
Caterpillar shares fell 3.6% to $706.08 on Thursday, hitting a low of $693.81 amid rising oil prices and market volatility tied to Middle East tensions. The Dow dropped as much as 1,100
XRP price today slips as Ripple expands Coinbase futures access and U.S. crypto bill stalls again
XRP fell about 3% to $1.40 Thursday, with $2.8 billion traded and a market value near $86 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. Ripple
Booking Holdings stock jumps as OpenAI backs away from ChatGPT travel checkouts
Booking Holdings shares jumped 8% after reports said OpenAI is scaling back direct travel bookings in ChatGPT, easing fears of AI bypassing
Diageo shares sink again — but RBC calls the sell-off “overdone” and sticks with a £20 target
Diageo shares closed at £15.20 on Wednesday, down nearly 32% from their 52-week high, after cutting its 2026 sales outlook and halving
Lloyds tipped as front-runner for Aegon UK business as bidders circle
Lloyds is leading the first round of bids for Aegon’s UK business, valued at £1–1.5 billion, according to Financial News. Phoenix Group
Rolls-Royce buyback rolls on: fresh share purchases and two retired U.S. generals join North America board
Rolls-Royce bought 449,629 shares across four exchanges on March 4 under its £2.3 billion buyback, with prices ranging from 1,296 to 1,347.5 pence. CEO Tufan Erginbilgic and CFO Helen McCabe had shares vest and sold portions to cover tax. The company named retired U.S. Generals Laura Richardson and Duke Richardson to its North America board, effective January 2026.
WiseTech Global share price leaps 7% — why ASX:WTC is back in play
WiseTech Global shares jumped 7.1% to A$47.57 on Thursday, leading gains among Australian tech stocks after announcing an AI-driven restructuring with about
Macquarie’s quiet ASX shuffle: new Austal stake, Nine holding cut
Macquarie Group disclosed a 5.19% stake in shipbuilder Austal as of Feb. 27, according to a Form 603 filed Wednesday. A separate
Cisco stock (CSCO) rises as Splunk lands a telecom win and investors eye the next readout
Cisco shares rose 2.1% to $80.64 in afternoon trading Wednesday after announcing TPG Telecom will use Splunk software to upgrade security and
IQE share price slides after hitting 52-week high as takeover-code filings stack up
IQE shares dropped 6.8% to 23.85p in London after hitting a 12-month high of 29.5p earlier Tuesday. The stock remains in a
Barclays PLC’s £495 Million MFS Exposure Puts Private-Credit Risks Back in Focus
LONDON, March 6, 2026, 08:54 GMT Barclays PLC is owed about 495 million pounds from its exposure to collapsed mortgage lender Market Financial Solutions, or MFS. The figure keeps the British bank in the spotlight after a lending failure that has rattled investors in London and New York. (Reuters) It matters now because MFS fell into administration last week, a UK insolvency process, after creditors alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement. The collapse has sent banks and private-credit investors, which lend outside public bond markets, back through loan books and collateral files to work out what can still be recovered. (Reuters)
Rolls-Royce CEO pay plan put to shareholders after turnaround, with package topping £18 million
Rolls-Royce proposed a pay policy that could raise CEO Tufan Erginbilgic’s maximum compensation to £18.5 million in 2026, pending shareholder approval at the April 30 annual meeting. The plan would increase his long-term incentive grant to 750% of salary and annual bonus cap to 300%. If the share price rises 50%, his package could reach £24.4 million. Erginbilgic’s base salary rose 15.6% to £1.58 million in September.
Coles Group Ltd Faces Fresh Pricing Scrutiny as Digital Shelf-Label Trial Raises Dynamic Pricing Questions
Coles is under scrutiny after confirming digital shelf labels remain on trial in 11 stores, without ruling out future dynamic pricing. The ACCC says dynamic pricing is legal if shoppers are informed, but new rules from July 1 will ban excessive grocery markups for large supermarkets. Coles recently reported a first-half net profit of A$511 million, down 11.3%. The company is also in Federal Court over alleged misleading discount claims.
PLS Group Shares Slide as China Lithium Prices Tumble, Putting July Restart Under Scrutiny
PLS shares fell 1.04% to A$4.76 on Friday after China’s most-active lithium carbonate futures dropped nearly 13% this week. PLS plans to restart its Ngungaju plant in July 2026, maintaining cost guidance but warning second-half costs will be high as restart work ramps up. First-half net profit was A$33 million, reversing a year-earlier loss.
Orica buyback nears A$500 million cap as March deadline closes in
Orica repurchased 211,686 shares for A$4.95 million on March 4, bringing total buybacks to 23.23 million shares at about A$483.7 million. The on-market buyback program, capped at A$500 million, is set to end March 27. Orica said it may vary or suspend the program depending on market conditions.
DroneShield Flags Staff Selling After 1.3 Million New Shares Hit ASX
DroneShield has issued 1.335 million new shares after staff exercised options, raising its total to 922.2 million ordinary shares. Some employees are expected to sell, with the new shares not subject to lock-up. The move follows last year’s insider selldowns and new board trading rules. The company recently reported 2025 revenue up 276% to A$216.5 million and disclosed six contracts worth A$21.7 million.
Ampol Limited Faces Fresh Scrutiny as ACCC Warns on Petrol Pricing, EG Australia Decision Nears
Ampol’s proposed takeover of EG Australia faces continued ACCC scrutiny as fuel prices surge amid Middle East tensions. Brent crude jumped 16.4% for the week, and the ACCC warned it may act if companies mislead consumers. Queensland retailers raised prices sharply, prompting an RACQ referral. The ACCC’s final decision on the merger is due by June 5.
ANZ Group Holdings Limited Moves 2026 Half-Year Results Forward, Resets Interim Dividend Dates
ANZ Group has moved its 2026 half-year results announcement to May 1, ahead of major rivals NAB and Westpac. The bank also reset its interim dividend dates and set August 13 for its third-quarter update. ANZ’s first-quarter cash profit rose to A$1.94 billion, with expenses down 8%. The lender still faces scrutiny over net interest margin management and ongoing regulatory issues.
CSL Limited Wins Canada Pandemic Vaccine Contract as Buyback Tops 4 Million Shares
CSL’s Seqirus unit has secured a Canadian government contract to supply up to 15 million pandemic flu vaccine doses from its Tullamarine plant if a pandemic is declared. The deal follows an 81% drop in CSL’s half-year profit and a leadership change. Financial terms were not disclosed. CSL has spent about A$738.8 million on share buybacks since launching its on-market program.
Telstra Group Limited becomes first Australian telco live with anti-fraud APIs as Optus joins, TPG waits
Telstra has launched GSMA Open Gateway anti-fraud APIs, starting with Number Verification, becoming the first Australian carrier to do so. Optus is collaborating with Telstra on network APIs, while TPG is not yet participating. Telstra reported a 9.4% rise in first-half profit to A$1.12 billion and will pay a 10.5 cent interim dividend on March 27.
Woolworths board change: Tracey Fellows exits as ex-Walmart product boss joins WOW
Woolworths Group said director Tracey Fellows left its board on March 1, according to a stock exchange filing. The company has named Jon Alferness, a former Walmart and Google executive, as a new non-executive director. Woolworths shares traded at A$35.99 late Friday afternoon.
Northern Star Resources cracks S&P/ASX 20 in March rebalance, replacing Santos
Northern Star Resources will join Australia’s S&P/ASX 20 index on March 23, replacing Santos, after a quarterly rebalance by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The move follows Northern Star’s acquisition of De Grey Mining and a 34% rise in half-year EBITDA to A$1.876 billion. Regis Resources and Westgold Resources will enter the ASX 100. The changes come as gold prices climb and sector stocks gain weight in local benchmarks.
BHP Group Ltd Faces Wider China Iron Ore Curbs as Contract Standoff Deepens
China Mineral Resources Group has expanded restrictions on BHP iron ore cargoes, now including Mac fines, Newman fines, and Newman lumps, amid a contract dispute. Stocks of BHP’s Jimblebar cargoes at Chinese ports hit a record 9.8 million tons by Feb. 26, up 457% since September. Canberra is monitoring the situation as iron ore is Australia’s top export. BHP declined to comment; CMRG did not respond.
Why Santos Limited CEO Kevin Gallagher Sold A$5.6 Million in Shares
Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher sold 830,132 shares for about A$5.6 million on Feb. 27, citing tax obligations and personal financial reorganisation, according to a Friday filing. Gallagher still holds 2.7 million shares indirectly after the sale and a transfer to his family account. The sale follows a 25% profit drop, job cuts, and new production targets for Barossa LNG and Alaska’s Pikka project.
Macquarie Rolls Out PayID on DEFT, Taking Aim at Rent Fees as NSW Rules Tighten
Macquarie Bank has added PayID to its DEFT payments platform, letting tenants pay rent in near real time without third-party fees. The move comes days after New South Wales banned landlords from forcing tenants onto specific apps and required a free electronic payment option. DEFT serves over 1,200 agencies and processes 1.2 million rental payments monthly. Macquarie says most DEFT reference numbers are being auto-enrolled for PayID.
Woodside Energy filing shows fresh executive share rights — here’s who got them
Woodside Energy issued 643,995 unquoted equity rights to executives, including acting CEO Liz Westcott, under incentive plans, according to an ASX filing. The awards, granted without shareholder approval under Listing Rule 7.1, could dilute existing shares by about 0.03% if vested. Westcott has served as acting CEO since December after Meg O’Neill’s resignation.
Commonwealth Bank’s A$1.85 billion subordinated deal is out — here are the rates and the fine print
Commonwealth Bank of Australia issued A$1.85 billion in subordinated securities across three tranches due 2036 and 2046. The 2046 fixed-rate tranche pays 6.40% annually; other tranches price off fixed and floating structures with a 1.28% margin. The securities may convert to ordinary shares if regulators deem the bank non-viable. CBA also updated its dividend notice and currency arrangements.
Technology News 06.03.2026
LIVETechnology news rolling coverageStarted: March 6, 2026, 12:00 AM ESTUpdated: March 6, 2026, 4:12 AM EST
Trade Desk stock jumps on OpenAI ad-talks report as CEO snaps up $148 million stake
The Trade Desk shares rose 18% to $29.79 after reports OpenAI held early talks to use its platform for selling ads on ChatGPT. CEO Jeff Green disclosed buying 6 million shares through a partnership, according to a regulatory filing. Analysts said it is too soon to estimate potential revenue impact. No deal has been announced.
Caterpillar stock slides 3.6% as oil spike shakes industrial bellwethers
Caterpillar shares fell 3.6% to $706.08 on Thursday, hitting a low of $693.81 amid rising oil prices and market volatility tied to Middle East tensions. The Dow dropped as much as 1,100 points, with Caterpillar and Goldman Sachs accounting for about 443 points of the decline. Deere & Co. also fell 3.8%. Caterpillar said it may need over 38,000 new technicians by 2028 as infrastructure demand grows.
Costco earnings beat as tariff refunds loom; CEO flags possible price cuts
Costco reported fiscal second-quarter net sales of $68.24 billion, up 9.1%, and net income of $2.04 billion, beating Wall Street estimates. CEO Ron Vachris said the company could cut prices if it receives refunds from struck-down Trump-era tariffs, but timing remains uncertain. A federal judge has ordered the U.S. government to begin refunding importers, with up to $182 billion at stake.
Strategy Inc Stock Drops as Bitcoin Rally Cools After $204 Million Buy
Strategy Inc shares fell 4.5% Thursday as bitcoin dropped 2.5% to about $70,880. A March 2 filing showed Strategy bought 3,015 bitcoin for $204.1 million, raising its holdings to 720,737 tokens. The company also increased the March annual dividend rate on its STRC preferred shares to 11.50% from 11.25%. Recent bitcoin declines left Strategy’s holdings worth about $3.7 billion less than its cost basis.
ServiceNow stock jumps after new EmployeeWorks, Autonomous Workforce push into government AI
ServiceNow launched EmployeeWorks and an Autonomous Workforce suite for public sector clients, introducing its first Level 1 IT service desk AI specialist in controlled release. Shares climbed 5.8% to $120.38 after the announcement. The new tools target government agencies seeking to automate service desks and HR tasks. Broader rollout of the AI specialist is expected in Q2.
Intuit QuickBooks Index flags small-business job losses as U.S. payrolls report nears
U.S. small businesses cut 45,300 jobs in February and average inflation-adjusted revenue fell 1.03% to $53,580, according to Intuit’s QuickBooks Small Business Index. Leisure and hospitality lost 11,300 jobs. The index draws on data from over 533,000 businesses and is adjusted to reflect broader trends. The government’s official February jobs report is due March 6.
Oracle to cut thousands of jobs as AI data-center spending bites, report says
Oracle is preparing to cut thousands of jobs as it increases spending on AI data centers for clients like OpenAI, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The reductions could begin this month and affect multiple divisions. Oracle declined to comment. Third-quarter results are due March 10.