London, Feb 15, 2026, 11:53 GMT — Market closed
- Experian shares last closed up 5.4% at 2,538p after a rebound in London-listed data names
- The company disclosed another share buyback tranche, part of its recently launched repurchase programme
- UK January inflation data on Feb. 18 is the next near-term macro test for rate-cut bets
Experian shares ended Friday up 5.4% at 2,538 pence (£25.38), clawing back ground after a bruising stretch for data and analytics stocks. (Reuters)
The move matters because investors are still trying to price a fast-shifting risk: whether new artificial intelligence tools can nibble at parts of the data value chain, or just make incumbents sharper. Experian has been dragged into that debate more than most.
Rates are the other lever. The credit bureau earns a large share of its revenue from credit checks, mortgage inquiries and fraud screening in North America — activity that can rise and fall with borrowing costs and lenders’ appetite. (Reuters)
In London, the broader backdrop turned friendlier on Friday. The FTSE 100 rose 0.4% as takeover talk and expectations of easier monetary policy helped counter AI-related jitters, with Experian rebounding alongside RELX and London Stock Exchange Group, Reuters reported. (Reuters)
The wider “AI loser” trade has been blunt. Barclays equity strategist Emmanuel Cau said investors were in “sell first think later” mode, asking “who is next” and showing little mercy to stocks seen as exposed. (Reuters)
On the company side, Experian on Friday reported another purchase under its share repurchase plan. It said it bought 434,207 shares on Feb. 12 at prices between 2,358p and 2,436p, at a weighted average of 2,403.8894p. (Investegate)
The buyback sits inside a $1 billion programme the company announced on Jan. 30, as it tries to return cash while investors digest a choppier narrative around data businesses. (Reuters)
Friday’s session was busy. About 7.1 million shares traded, with the stock ranging from 2,402p to 2,567p and ending well above the prior close of 2,408p, Thomson Reuters data showed. (Charles Stanley Direct)
Experian also pushed product news in mortgage marketing. Susan Allen, chief product officer for Experian Housing, said its Self-Service Prescreen tool was built to give lenders “greater control, agility and confidence” in how they target borrowers. (Experian plc)
But the rebound could prove short-lived if the rate story turns. Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill said underlying inflation was around 2.5% and rates were “a little bit too low,” language that can cool expectations for near-term cuts. (Reuters)
The next domestic catalyst is January inflation. The Office for National Statistics is due to publish the UK CPI release at 0700 GMT on Feb. 18, a datapoint that can shift rate-cut pricing and spill into lending-sensitive names. (Office for National Statistics)
For Experian-specific dates, the next scheduled major update is its preliminary full-year results on May 20, according to the company’s financial calendar. (Experian plc)
