Thames Water Utilities starts allocation for next £677 million of super senior funding
July 16, 2026, 5:49 AM EDT.Thames Water Utilities Limited (TWUL) kicked off an allocation process for about £677 million in new super senior funding, the second chunk of its £1.5 billion uncommitted credit line. The facility, taken up by Thames Water Super Senior Issuer plc, is designed to boost the company’s liquidity. Thames Water Utilities Finance plc announced the plan and is handling questions through usual investor and media contacts. TWUL is moving to reinforce its capital structure in shifting market conditions.
FTSE 250 Volumes Outpace FTSE 100 as Dividend Yields Catch Investor Attention
July 16, 2026, 5:48 AM EDT. The FTSE 250 is seeing more trades than the FTSE 100-official figures show over 6 million extra trades and £80 billion more traded-though it gets less focus. Its dividend yield now stands at 3.5%, better than the FTSE 100’s 3.1%, and 54 stocks yield at least 5%. Greencoat UK Wind tops the list with a planned 10.4% forward yield, after a sharp fall in its share price lifted the discount to net asset value to 23.75%. Government policy hit electricity prices and gearing limits, but shareholder backing and hedging helped curb risks. Some FTSE 250 dividend stocks are drawing in income-focused investors hunting for value in a choppy market.
Is it time to look closer at the FTSE 250 …
Ocado Drops 15% as Losses, Cash Outflow Worry Investors
July 16, 2026, 5:47 AM EDT.Ocado Group shares dropped 15% as half-year results showed the company is still losing money and burning cash despite higher headline revenue. Revenue including fees from Kroger and Sobeys closures jumped 54% to £1.037 billion, but without those, sales ticked up only 1% to £684 million. Underlying EBITDA fell to £81 million from £92 million. Statutory pre-tax profit came in at £17 million, but adjusted results showed a £205 million loss and £147 million cash outflow. Ocado said liquidity is at £1.1 billion, enough for near-term debt needs. The update flagged growth from a new Asda UK tie-up and more business abroad, but investors stayed focused on how soon the company can reach positive cash flow.
Ocado shares sink on cash flow and profita…
Monks Investment Trust (MNKS) Narrows NAV Discount as Performance Picks Up
July 16, 2026, 5:34 AM EDT. Monks Investment Trust (MNKS) is showing better results this year, helped by names like TSMC, NVIDIA, SpaceX and Schiehallion. Managers are shifting the portfolio to handle an uncertain economy, spreading risk beyond this year’s AI rally but still eyeing strong growth stocks. MNKS trades at a mid-single-digit discount to NAV, with that gap getting tighter. The shrinking discount could keep going if investors stick with growth names and returns hold up.
FTSE 250 Dividend Stocks Outpace FTSE 100, Trading Remains Heavy
July 16, 2026, 5:33 AM EDT. Official June data shows there were 6 million more trades on the FTSE 250 than the FTSE 100, but the FTSE 250 still trades cheap. Yield on the FTSE 250 is now 3.5%, above the FTSE 100’s 3.1%. 54 names offer more than 5%. Greencoat UK Wind, a renewable fund with a £2.8bn portfolio, is aiming for a 10.7p dividend in 2026, putting its forward yield at 10.4% after the share price fell. Shares trade at a 23.75% discount to NAV. Greencoat is also up against policy risk from the end of the Carbon Price Support, which could cut power prices and the trust’s value. Still, sectors like data centres and electric vehicles help support fundamentals, and 97.08% of Greencoat shareholders back the fund.
Is it time to look closer at the FTSE 250 …
DCC Plc Delays Abbott Board Appointment as Deal Talks Get More Time
July 16, 2026, 5:32 AM EDT. DCC Plc said it put off naming John Abbott to the board, after extending talks with Energy Capital Partners and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts through July 27, 2026. Abbott had been lined up to join on July 16, 2026. The Dublin-based FTSE 100 energy group posted £15.4 billion in revenue and £634 million in adjusted operating profit for the year to March. DCC focuses on off-grid and multi-energy distribution in Europe and the US, and has raised its dividend for 32 years running. DCC said more updates on Abbott’s appointment will follow.
British Steel Nationalised by UK as Jingye Faces Possible No Payout; Labour Jabs and World Cup Banner Add Tension
July 16, 2026, 5:16 AM EDT. The UK government has taken control of British Steel, with Business Secretary Peter Kyle saying Chinese owner Jingye might get nothing in compensation. It’s up to an independent assessor to decide. Interim CEO Allan Bell called the nationalisation a landmark for UK manufacturing and thanked staff and suppliers. Labour politics stayed heated, with Green Party’s Zack Polanski slamming word that Shabana Mahmood could be Chancellor under Andy Burnham, saying it would put the City of London back in charge. Separately, Argentina’s World Cup banner drew criticism and raised the risk of FIFA action, showing how sport and politics keep colliding.
Starmer nationalises British Steel and vis…
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) Shares: 4 Valuation Metrics Traders Watch
July 16, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) last traded near $173.13. Valuation numbers eyed here are net interest margin (NIM), return on equity (ROE), workplace culture, and market share. CBA posts an NIM of 1.99%, topping the 1.78% average for ASX majors, so lending margins are solid. ROE lands at 13.1%, ahead of the sector’s 9.35%. The bank counts more than 15 million customers and leads the local market on mortgages, credit cards, and personal loans. Workplace culture scores 3.4 out of 5, a notch above the ASX banking sector average.
4 best numbers to value CBA shares
London Stock Exchange Lists New AIM Securities, Including Europa Oil & Gas Holdings
July 16, 2026, 4:48 AM EDT. New securities joined AIM trading on the London Stock Exchange today, with Europa Oil & Gas Holdings Plc putting 96.2 million ordinary shares on the board. The list also included Frontier IP Group Plc, Galantas Gold Corporation, Great Western Mining Corporation Plc, NEXT 15 Group Plc, and Quadrise PLC. All shares are fully paid, with different nominal values and classes. The new admissions expand the AIM roster, giving investors more stocks to choose from. Questions can go to the Market Operations team. AIM is London’s platform for smaller, growing companies raising capital and looking for investor attention.
ASX Ends Lower as Mining Drag Offsets Gains in Banks
July 16, 2026, 4:47 AM EDT. The ASX lost ground even after upbeat leads from Wall Street. Heavyweight miners fell, dragging on the index, while the big four banks saw gains that couldn’t lift the overall market. Losses in resources outweighed bank moves, and the index finished down.
‘Caught off guard’: ASX falls on mining st…
Morgan Stanley Lifts International Personal Finance Stake to 7.01%
July 16, 2026, 4:46 AM EDT.Morgan Stanley upped its voting rights in International Personal Finance Plc to 7.01%, crossing the disclosure threshold on July 13, 2026. The bank now holds 15,600,291 shares and notified the London Stock Exchange two days after the move. The previous stake was 6.99%. Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc in London is listed as shareholder. The filing follows disclosure rules for voting thresholds in public companies. No report of financial instruments that affect voting rights in this update.
REG – Intnl Personal Fin Morgan Stanley
Shell Buys Back 3.075 Million Shares Across Three Exchanges for Cancellation
July 16, 2026, 4:45 AM EDT. Royal Dutch Shell LON:SHEL bought back 3,075,000 shares for cancellation on July 15, 2026, as part of its buy-back programme. Trades hit the London Stock Exchange, Chi-X, and BATS, with a VWAP around £31.62. Purchase prices ranged from £31.31 to £31.87 per share, with Goldman Sachs International as the broker. Shell said the repurchases fall in line with UK and EU rules and continue through July 24, 2026. Market reaction was muted. Short interest stayed low. Traders looked to Shell’s Q2 2026 numbers and headlines in the energy sector.
Shell Bought Shares Across Three Trading V…
Australian Banks Accused of Discrimination Over Transgender Customer Update
July 16, 2026, 4:35 AM EDT. Laura Mitchell, a transgender woman who transitioned in 2024, says she faced discriminatory and humiliating experiences trying to update her details at major Australian banks and institutions, despite supplying all legal documents. Commonwealth Bank accepted her update fast, but Bankwest took almost a month and kept asking for a birth certificate that wasn’t needed, causing distress. Experts say this could be a breach of anti-discrimination laws, blaming both admin errors and attitudes. Bankwest said it is looking into the matter and repeated its promise of inclusive services. Mitchell’s story points to broader problems trans people face with misgendering and bank policies.
Transgender woman's 'humiliating' experien…
ASX 200 Flat as Early Rise Fades, Sector Moves Mixed
July 16, 2026, 4:34 AM EDT. The ASX 200 ended unchanged at 8,841 on Thursday after giving up early gains, with mixed moves across sectors. Gains in consumer non-durables, utilities and consumer services just offset falls in tech and energy. Australia’s consumer inflation expectations dropped to 4.7% in July, their lowest in six months, but underlying inflation stayed over the RBA’s 2-3% range. Markets are watching for U.S.-China trade talks expected in late September. BHP Group fell 2.2% after copper production missed, Rio Tinto dropped 0.9%. Big banks put on 0.3% to 1.5%, and Reece, ASX Ltd., WiseTech Global also finished up. U.S. futures rose a bit as cooling inflation numbers eased bets on quick Fed rate moves.
ASX 200 Finishes Muted After Early Gains
ABB to Buy Rotork in £4.1bn Deal; Delisting Planned
July 16, 2026, 4:33 AM EDT. Rotork agreed to a £4.1 billion takeover from Swiss engineering group ABB, with ABB set to pay 506p per share including dividend. That’s a 73% premium to Rotork’s last close on 15 July 2026. Rotork’s board backed the bid unanimously and the company will come off the London Stock Exchange. ABB CEO Morten Wierod said the acquisition brings strategic value. Another UK-listed firm goes to a foreign buyer, adding to deal activity in the sector.
Engineering group picked off London Stock …
Perpetual (ASX:PPT) shuffles equities team as Aboud exits, Windflower bid adds pressure
July 16, 2026, 4:32 AM EDT. Perpetual (ASX:PPT) moved to name Sean Roger, Nathan Hughes and Louise Sandberg to key equities roles after deputy head Anthony Aboud resigned. The management changes are expected to impact equity strategy and sentiment, though sources call the shift operational, not a full overhaul. Fee pressure and asset outflows continue to weigh, with the group still working through cost cuts. Perpetual’s share price is pinned to a A$2.5 billion takeover offer from Windflower. The deal clouds the outlook for its high-margin equity products. Broker forecasts are mixed. Some see Perpetual earning A$121 million as far out as 2029, while other calls put fair value at about A$19.51, leaving some room for upside. Investors are left to track these management moves alongside deal noise and market pressure.
How Perpetual’s (ASX:PPT) Equities Leaders…
XRF Scientific (ASX: XRF) up 2.38% with no news, trading heavier
July 16, 2026, 4:31 AM EDT. Shares of XRF Scientific (ASX: XRF) picked up 2.38% to A$1.720 on 16 July 2026, giving the company about A$245 million in market value. Trading was busy but didn’t reach average volume. XRF, which supplies precious-metal products and sample analysis tech to miners, didn’t put out any statements to explain the move. The price action likely points to sector flows or portfolio reshuffling. XRF’s business is tied to economic cycles and costs in mining and construction. No clear catalyst for this bounce, so the move may not stick.
XRF Scientific (ASX:XRF) Rallies on ASX: K…
Downing Street Calls In Private Equity Chiefs As London Listings Slow
July 16, 2026, 4:30 AM EDT.Downing Street has called top private equity firms in for talks after a drop in listings of British portfolio companies on the London Stock Exchange. A long lull in IPOs has put pressure on the Treasury and Number 10 to step up work on reviving London’s markets. People familiar with the talks said the government is trying to pin down why more firms are skipping London, and how to bring activity back.
Downing Street calls in private equity bos…
SigmaRoc Set for Interim Trading Update; Shares Sit at 123p
July 16, 2026, 4:29 AM EDT. SigmaRoc (LON:SRC) is due to post its H1 Interim Trading Update on July 22. The lime and limestone producer has been hit by weak conditions in Europe’s construction sector but is still seen turning in a solid half-year. Despite some pressure, the group may stick to its 2026 targets. The stock last traded at 123p, down from a 153p peak this year. Some think this points to an undervalued share price and possible recovery.
SigmaRoc: could next week’s Interim Tradin…
UK Presses Private Equity on London Listings Slowdown
July 16, 2026, 4:15 AM EDT. The UK government has questioned private equity firms in the past two months about why they are holding back from listing British companies in London, the Financial Times said. The line of inquiry comes as London faces a dry spell for new listings and officials look for ways to lift volumes and keep the city a top financial center. Private equity firms often exit through either sales or public listings. The government is concerned about the falling number of IPOs on the London Stock Exchange.
UK Presses Buyout Firms Over London Listin…
ASX 200 flat as BHP drops, banks CBA and MQG draw flows
July 16, 2026, 4:14 AM EDT. The ASX 200 stayed flat with selling in BHP sending some investors toward banks. Macquarie Group (MQG) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) both traded higher as money moved out of miners and into financials. The switch shows investors looking to bank stocks while mining shares stay choppy.
Evening Wrap: ASX 200 steady as BHP sell-o…
BHP Hit by Unusual Port Hedland Strike, Ore Shipments Stalled
July 16, 2026, 4:13 AM EDT. Ore exports at Port Hedland stopped after about 200 BHP workers went on an eight-hour strike starting at 2pm July 16. The action, a rare disruption at Australia’s biggest bulk export port, puts millions in revenue and state royalties at risk. BHP has been locked in drawn-out talks with the Electrical Trades Union and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union. The company says it’s disappointed, but will keep talking now that the Fair Work Commission is involved. Locals and mining communities are worried about the fallout as tensions rise during a busy production period. The strike stands out as one of the biggest labor actions the sector has seen in years.
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 16.07.202…
BHP Hit by Rare Strike at Port Hedland, Disrupting Ore Shipments
July 16, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT.BHP workers at Port Hedland started an eight-hour strike, halting operations at Australia’s biggest bulk export port. About 200 staff walked off the job at 2pm, stopping shipments and putting millions in BHP revenue and state royalties at risk. The Electrical Trades Union and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union have been locked in talks with BHP for months. BHP said it was disappointed but wants to keep bargaining, and is turning to the Fair Work Commission. Locals are divided, worried about the economic fallout during what’s been a big production run for BHP. The strike is one of the sector’s biggest in decades as tensions rise in mining towns.
BHP staff down tools for historic strike i…
