Wetherspoon warns on profits again as sales and costs disappoint
July 22, 2026, 5:53 AM EDT. JD Wetherspoon issued its fourth profit warning in seven months, blaming sluggish sales and higher costs tied to food, labour, energy, and business rates. The pub chain reported that sales were weaker than hoped despite the World Cup. Shares dropped 10% after the update. Chairman Tim Martin told investors to expect profits below market forecasts for the year and said sales were slightly down in the last quarter. Like-for-like sales climbed 4% in the 12 weeks to July 19, trailing others in the sector who saw a boost from football and warm weather. Net debt is now seen around £720 million, better than earlier estimates. Analysts say structural issues, including supermarket tax breaks and inflation, keep the investment picture cloudy for Wetherspoon.
Wetherspoon’s issues fourth profit warning…
Westgold Resources ASX:WGX jumps 6% after quarterly update; analysts see undervaluation
July 22, 2026, 5:40 AM EDT. Shares in Westgold Resources ASX:WGX climbed 6.13% to A$4.85 after new Q4 and full-year production numbers showed bigger gold output and better ore volumes. The stock is still down 21.65% over 90 days but returned 70.35% in the past year and 188.47% in three years. Analysts put fair value at A$8.33, about 41.8% above Thursday’s close, banking on upgrades at Bluebird South Junction, Beta Hunt, and Higginsville to lift margins and output by FY 2026. There are risks on ore grades and integrating Karora Resources. Investors weighing the upside against those hurdles before the Q4 earnings call.
Can Westgold Resources (ASX:WGX) Justify I…
CBA (ASX: CBA) Share Price Steady, Key Ratios Put Focus on Lending and Culture
July 22, 2026, 5:39 AM EDT. CBA shares are trading near $171.69. The bank scores 3.4 out of 5 on Seek for workplace culture, topping the sector and pointing to better staff retention. Its net interest margin (NIM) is 1.99%, above the ASX bank average of 1.78%, showing stronger lending profit. Lending brings in 85% of CBA’s income. Return on equity is at 13.1%, higher than the sector’s 9.35%. Both NIM and ROE help underline the value case for the stock as investors look at CBA’s numbers and market share.
2 tools to value the Commonwealth Bank of …
Micron (MU) analysts see stock doubling by 2027 as HBM demand spikes
July 22, 2026, 5:38 AM EDT.Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) is posting quick gains on demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in generative AI systems. Last quarter, revenue hit $41.5 billion, up 346% from a year ago, with net income up 1,223%. Analysts now project revenue could hit $250 billion by August 2027, almost double the current forecast of $129 billion. The average price target for the next 12 months is $1,458, about 50% higher than today. Some analysts see $2,200 as possible. That means the stock could more than double by 2027-if projections hold. The sector remains volatile, and analysts warn forecasts can be a big risk.
By mid-2027, analysts expect $2,913 in Mic…
LSE to Roll Out Overnight Trading, but Liquidity Doubts Remain
July 22, 2026, 5:22 AM EDT. The London Stock Exchange said it will offer all-night trading as it looks to pull in more global investors. The extended hours are meant to lift trading volume and accessibility, but some are questioning whether enough liquidity will show up, especially in off-peak sessions. Market watchers point to the risks of thin order flow overnight and warn that trading could be patchy without strong interest from market-makers and participants. LSE’s plan follows a push by other exchanges, but success will depend on keeping flows steady across the new trading window.
LSE Promises All-Night Trading. Where Will…
Right Resources (ASX:RRE) Gets ASX Green Light for Shareholder-Approved Capital Raise
July 22, 2026, 4:52 AM EDT. Right Resources Limited (ASX:RRE) has received a waiver from the ASX, clearing the way for its planned capital raise. The company wants to run a two-tranche share offer open to existing shareholders in a move to shore up its cash. The waiver lets Right Resources push ahead without the usual restrictions, making it easier to tap the market for fresh funds. Management is counting on shareholder backing to boost its position as current market conditions continue.
Right Resources secures ASX waiver to adva…
Bank of America Takes 3.17% Stake in Smith & Nephew Plc
July 22, 2026, 4:51 AM EDT. Bank of America Corporation reached 3.17% of the voting rights in Smith & Nephew Plc as of July 20, 2026. The bank owns 2.40% in direct equity and 0.77% through financial instruments like swaps, some going out to 2030. The update was filed July 21, showing Bank of America’s position in the UK medical tech company, including listed shares (ISIN GB0009223206) and derivatives. The voting rights give the bank influence on Smith & Nephew’s corporate moves.
REG – Smith & Nephew Plc Bank of America C…
ASX 200 Closes Up as Metal Stocks Jump, Most Sectors Slide
July 22, 2026, 4:35 AM EDT. The ASX 200 finished a bit higher, lifted by gains in gold, copper, and uranium stocks even as 8 of 11 sectors fell. Investors favored miners while other groups mostly slipped. Resource names helped offset the wider market’s drop.
Evening Wrap: ASX 200 gains despite 8 of 1…
SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) slips after IPO debut, trimming returns on early investments
July 22, 2026, 4:34 AM EDT. SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) made its market debut on 12 June at $135, but first trades hit $150 as buyers jumped in. The stock has since dropped back to $123.54, so a £5,000 stake at the open would now be about £4,120. That puts early investors needing a 21% rise just to break even. It’s a move seen before with recent IPOs like Airbnb, Snowflake and Cerebras, where shares pop then slide below their issue price. SpaceX’s value has pulled back to $1.6 trillion from almost $3 trillion at its high, which could draw investors looking for a better entry. There’s still caution in markets with uncertainty around global tensions and tariffs.
£5,000 invested in SpaceX stock after the …
Beetaloo Energy Targets $40B NT Data Centre, Taps Beetaloo Gas for Power
July 22, 2026, 4:21 AM EDT. The Northern Territory government has pointed to Weddell, just outside Darwin, for a planned $40 billion hyperscale data centre that would run on gas from the Beetaloo Basin. Beetaloo Energy is behind the project, which would use about two gigawatts-more than six times the power demand of Darwin and Katherine put together. If built, it would mean major spending on energy and digital infrastructure. The plan is still in early days and faces a string of approvals and financing hurdles. The company said it will hold talks with the community and wants to send extra power into Darwin’s grid, with a possible effect on local prices.
Rural suburb flagged as home for proposed …
UK Inflation Slows, ASX 200 Gains as Middle East Risks Linger
July 22, 2026, 4:20 AM EDT.UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped to 2.6% in June, missing forecasts largely as fuel and food got cheaper, the Office for National Statistics said. Lower oil prices are cutting input costs for manufacturers, but the outlook is clouded by Middle East tensions that could affect inflation again. The Bank of England is still weighing if energy-driven inflation will stick or spread. The ASX 200 index gained 0.3%, with mining and energy names leading, as copper stayed firm on Chinese demand. Lynas Rare Earths slid 3.6%, hit by cost overruns and softer sales. A Reserve Bank of Australia survey found many Australians unclear about how interest rates and inflation link, making it harder for policymakers to explain moves.
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 22.07.202…
BT Group shares: Choppy trading and analyst split before Q1
July 22, 2026, 4:19 AM EDT.BT Group Plc shares have swung between 173p and 242p in the past year, now trading just under 192p. Investors eye the Q1 trading update set for 23 July as the market looks for details on cash flow and savings plans. Analyst calls are mixed, with some urging a buy while others are more cautious; the average price target sits around 220p-225p, putting the implied upside near 15%-17%. For the latest full year, BT reported £19.6bn revenue, adjusted EBITDA of £8.23bn, and a dividend yield at 4.2%, with dividends rising but only slightly. The stock’s trailing P/E is 17.3. Buyers are weighing steady growth and yield against sector risks and global uncertainty.
Are BT shares a buy ahead of tomorrow’s Q1…
UK CPI Falls to 2.6% in June as Cheaper Food, Fuel Ease Pressure
July 22, 2026, 4:06 AM EDT. UK inflation came in softer than forecast, with the June CPI at 2.6%, down from 2.8% in May, the Office for National Statistics said. The main drag was lower prices at the pump-diesel in particular-alongside falling prices for chocolate, margarine, beef, and some clothing tied to summer discounts. Input costs for manufacturers also slipped for the first time since January as crude oil dropped. Some economists warn that higher oil, driven by Middle East risk, could push inflation up again. The Bank of England remains uncertain if inflation will stay tied to energy swings or start to set in more broadly, a key question for rate policy.
UK inflation cools faster than expected to…
ASX 200 Up 0.3% as Miners, Energy Stocks Climb; Middle East Tension in Focus
July 22, 2026, 4:05 AM EDT. The ASX 200 picked up 30 points, or 0.3%, to close at 8,823 as miners and energy names pushed higher. Miners jumped 2.5% after copper prices got a boost from Chinese demand and falling inventories-BHP rose 2.3%, Rio Tinto was up 2.5%. Energy stocks added 1.7%, with gains from Woodside and Santos. Evolution Mining rallied 4.3%, Northern Star was up 3.5%. Lynas Rare Earths slipped 3.6%, touching a five-month low, after its Malaysian expansion ran over budget and sales slowed. Market tone stayed steady even with weaker U.S. futures and news of U.S. strikes on Iran.
Miners, Energy Stocks Drive ASX Higher Des…
RBA survey shows Australians struggle with interest rates, inflation link
July 22, 2026, 4:04 AM EDT. The Reserve Bank of Australia surveyed 9,000 Aussies and found many don’t get how interest rates connect to inflation. About 60% said they understand the economy, but most – especially young people, women and those on lower incomes – got key parts of monetary policy wrong. Just a quarter knew that higher rates tend to lower inflation. More than half thought rates would actually push inflation up. Inflation is still a big worry, but confusion is high. The RBA says this confusion could hurt public trust and make its job harder as it lifts rates to deal with rising living costs.
