WH Smith (LON:SMWH) high-street sale faces investor focus after TG Jones court delay
TG Jones, which bought WH Smith’s high street stores, was still waiting on a High Court
South32 Ltd (ASX:S32) share price bounce leaves June selloff intact before quarterly update
South32 Ltd entered Tuesday’s pre-open after a 1.79% rise on Monday, but the bounce did little to repair June’s damage. The miner closed at A$3.98; since June 22 it is down 4.1%,
Lloyds (LON:LLOY) buyback questioned as mortgages drop, stock eyes 109p
Lloyds Banking Group plc shares saw a slight gain in late-morning trade in London on Monday. The move came as new data showed UK mortgage approvals dropped about 15% in May, raising questions for Lloyds, given its heavy reliance on home loans. Lloyds traded up on delayed UK quotes, with two other local bank stocks down.
easyJet (LON:EZJ) stock trails Castlelake offer on deal terms snag
easyJet plc shares remain priced with a takeover discount, after the airline gave Castlelake access to only limited commercial information. The delayed quote showed the stock at 580.2p to sell, 580.6p to buy, off 0.51% for the day. Shares opened at 587p and closed previously at 583p. The discount figure is what investors are watching. Castlelake put forward a fourth offer at 650p a share in cash. easyJet turned it down, calling it too low, but said more access to data could bring a “more attractive proposal”.
IAG shares dip on Heathrow cost dispute, offsetting oil price drop and dividend
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA shares dropped Monday. But for investors, fuel wasn’t the only concern. The British Airways parent is trading close to its old highs, as a new dispute about who pays for Heathrow’s expansion brings attention to a costly item the company can’t hedge. IAG was last at 473.25 pence, off 9.45 pence, as of 0946 BST. Volume was 2.24 million shares. The stock is trading 3.99% under its 52-week high of 492.90 pence from June 25, but it's still up 39.5% for the year, per delayed market data.
BAE Systems (LON:BA) buyback case looks better after shares fall with UK defence review coming
BAE Systems plc had a mixed week, bouncing on Friday while the broader market slumped, but still posted a lower finish over five days. The dip means its fresh buyback program will pick up more shares with the same money. BAE closed at 1,808p in London, up 0.89% for the day, Hargreaves Lansdown data said. The FTSE 100 lost 0.21% on Friday. But BAE finished the week 2.1% lower than last Friday's close.
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 07.08.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: August 7, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: August 7, 2026, 6:04 PM EDT Building $100,000 Passive Income from ASX Shares Takes Time, Growth, and Income Picks August 7, 2026, 5:59 PM EDT. Generating $100,000 a year in passive income with ASX shares means you need a $2 million portfolio with a 5% yield. Early on, focus on capital growth stocks like Xero, Pro Medicus, and Goodman Group, looking for compounding returns over dividends. Put in steady monthly amounts-$1,000 to $3,000-and hitting that $2 million can take between 19 and 30 years. As you get closer, switch towards income-focused
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 06.08.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: August 6, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: August 7, 2026, 3:58 AM EDT Ratio Petroleum Energy Lifts Bid for Pharos Energy to 32.8p a Share August 7, 2026, 3:58 AM EDT. Ratio Petroleum Energy raised its recommended offer for Pharos Energy to 32.8183p per share, topping Serica Energy PLC’s bid. The new price is meant to win over shareholders as takeover interest in the sector stays high. Pharos Energy (LSE:PHAR) is now in the middle of a contested process as oil and gas deal activity continues. Ratio makes improved bid for Pharos Energy Goodwin Jumps 13% After Strategic
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 03.08.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: August 3, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: August 4, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT Frasers Group CEO Could Get £100m Payout on 50% Share Jump as Deals Stack Up August 4, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT. Frasers Group (LSE:FRAS) chief Michael Murray stands to pocket a £100m bonus if shares reach £12 by 2030, a 50% climb from the current £8. The remuneration committee called the target a ‘realistic stretch.’ As organic growth slows in retail, Frasers is piling into acquisitions, taking stakes in Debenhams, Asos, and pushing to own all of Hugo Boss in Germany, which trades at about
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 02.08.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: August 2, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: August 3, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT S&P 500 Delivers Strong 2026, But Dell (NYSE:DELL) Triples Investment August 3, 2026, 3:58 AM EDT. A £100,000 stake in the S&P 500 turned into £109,000 in 2026 as the index gained 8.3%, or 9% including dividends. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) did far better, with a 206.8% jump pushing the same amount to £306,800. Dell’s sharp move came as it took the lead in AI-focused servers. The company said AI server revenue for Q1 fiscal 2027 was up 757% year-on-year to $16.1 billion. The numbers put
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 01.08.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: August 1, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: August 2, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT Sydney Auction Clearance Rate Drops to 48% as Price Pressure Builds August 2, 2026, 3:53 AM EDT. The auction clearance rate in Sydney dropped to 48% last week, off 5 points, Domain Group said. That’s well below the 60% mark seen as balanced, pointing to more price falls ahead. A two-bedroom semi in Leichhardt was bought by a young couple for the reserve price of A$1.7 million after getting passed in. Sydney house prices slid 3.3% over the June quarter. Agents reported more buyer interest,
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 31.07.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: July 31, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: August 1, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT Rentokil Drops 20% After Margin Cut, Slower Q2 Growth August 1, 2026, 3:52 AM EDT. Shares of Rentokil Initial (LSE:RTO) tumbled about 20% after the pest control giant lowered its 2027 North America operating margin goal and posted weaker organic growth at 2.4% for Q2 against 2.8% in Q1. First-half revenue and adjusted operating profit still climbed 6.7% and 6.6%. The stock is now trading at a forward P/E near 19. Debt improved, with leverage at 2.4. CEO Mike Duffy said he expects North America
Stock Market Today: Live Updates 28.07.2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: July 28, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: July 29, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT ResMed CDI (ASX:RMD) falls 16.78% for the year as 2026 value outlook stays mixed July 29, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT. ResMed CDI (ASX:RMD) shares have dropped 16.78% year-to-date as investors weigh the stock’s outlook. The company, which is based in San Diego and started in Australia, makes CPAP machines for sleep apnea and cloud-linked software. ResMed posted annual revenue of $4.685 billion, which gave it a 13.6% compound annual revenue growth over three years. Gross margin was 57.4%, and profits hit $1.021 billion, rising at
London stocks lagged Tuesday as FTSE 100 missed surge in other corners
The FTSE 100 edged lower Thursday, though the main index drop didn’t tell the whole story. A big pharmaceutical stock weighed on the benchmark, but banks, miners, tech names and mid-cap shares all moved up in the background. FTSE 100 slipped 0.2% to 10,472.5. Gains in banks, up 2.2%, and miners, both industrial and precious-metal names, up over 4%, couldn’t make up for AstraZeneca’s trial news. The FTSE 250 added 1.0%, breaking a three-day losing streak and suggesting investors aren’t just pulling out of UK names.
Adnams Shares Trade in £300,000 Block as Small Brewer Runs Turnaround Math
Adnams plc Class B got a jolt of activity Thursday, as a single £300,000 chunk traded in the afternoon and ended up making up nearly all of the session’s turnover. The mid-price held steady at 1,600p after the AQSE close. Aquis data showed 18,851 shares moved in three trades, about 6.6% of Adnams’ B ordinary shares. The final trade came at 15:43 BST. Liquidity mattered more than price here. The main trade was 18,750 shares at 1,600p, almost all the day’s volume at 99.5%. The spread stayed so wide it could take out half the mid-price. For a stock this illiquid, that’s the story—not momentum, at least not now.
Northern Star Resources Shares Slide as Gold Selloff Puts CEO Reset Under Pressure
Northern Star Resources heads into Thursday’s ASX session on the back foot after its shares fell 1.69% to A$20.31 in the previous session, caught in a broader selloff in Australian gold names as bullion retreated. The S&P/ASX 200, the main local share benchmark, closed 0.21% lower at 8,785.10 on Wednesday. The market had not yet opened at the dateline time. With July 9 not listed among ASX’s 2026 market closures, regular cash trading was due to start at 9:59 a.m. Sydney time and run to 4 p.m.
FTSE 100 slips after Trump ends Iran deal, oil surges
FTSE 100 drops even as oil majors BP and Shell climb. Crude prices rose, energy was the standout sector, but the main index still logged its steepest loss in almost eight weeks. Investors saw that London’s exposure to oil couldn’t shield the broader market once crude shifted into a rates and inflation story. London markets were closed at the time of writing. The LSE runs from 8:00 to 16:30 local. Moves below show closes or the last confirmed trades, not live prices.
Wolfram Resources PLC (LON:WFR) stock analysis: thin trade leaves cash and deal risk in control
Wolfram Resources PLC gave investors a cleaner signal through its lack of trade than through its price. The London Stock Exchange’s normal session runs to 16:30, and by the 17:09 BST dateline the market had closed. Hargreaves Lansdown showed WFR unchanged, with a 1.50p sell price, a 2.00p buy price, a 1.75p previous close, volume of 300 shares and a £1.44 million market value. The same page showed the FTSE 100 down 1.66%, while Reuters had reported broader London weakness earlier on Wednesday. WFR’s flat print should not be read as defensive strength. It was a low-volume quote. The spread is the main technical indicator. A buyer paying 2.00p and selling at 1.50p would start 25% down on the purchase
Aviva shares tick higher after Tesco deal aims at parents’ insurance gap
Aviva plc ticked up Tuesday after tying up a distribution deal with Tesco plc, offering a new sign on Aviva’s push to grow protection sales. Protection still trailed the insurer’s wealth and general insurance business in the first-quarter update. Aviva’s investor page had the shares trading at 677.80 pence, up 0.30%, at 15:40 UK time. Market cap on the same page was 20.3 billion pounds as of Monday’s close. Hargreaves Lansdown listed the bid-offer spread at 677.60p/678.00p with a prior close at 675.80p, volume of 3.22 million shares, a 5.80% dividend yield and P/E of 25.12.
Lloyds Banking Group (LON:LLOY) stock: buybacks near 52-week high test BoE capital boost
Lloyds Banking Group plc fell 0.6% to 114.65 pence at 11:59 BST on Tuesday, lagging a 0.2% gain in the FTSE 100. The stock still sat just 1.2% below its 116.00p 52-week high, putting the day’s fall in a narrower frame: Lloyds is no longer trading like a cheap recovery bank, even as capital rules turn friendlier. The fresh data point is the buyback price. Lloyds said it bought 6,986,031 ordinary shares on July 6 from Goldman Sachs International at a volume-weighted average price of 115.2851p, with the shares to be cancelled. That was about 0.6% above Tuesday’s late-morning quote and within touching distance of the 52-week high.
Barclays PLC (LON:BARC) slips as rally leaves less room against analyst targets
Barclays PLC was weaker in an open London session on Tuesday, with the stock last shown at 519.50p at 11:30 BST, down 10.00p on the day. The FTSE 100 was up 20.98 points at 10,672.75 at 12:01 BST. London Stock Exchange hours run from 0800 to 1630 local time. The sharper point is the target gap. Using the latest Barclays quote and LSEG consensus data compiled by Investors Chronicle, the 575p median target now gives about 10.7% upside. That is still positive, but less forgiving for a stock that is 56.7% above its 52-week low of 331.55p.
Unilever rallies, closing in on analyst targets ahead of July earnings
Unilever PLC shares jumped more than 3% on Tuesday, outpacing gains on the FTSE 100 ahead of the consumer group's half-year earnings later this month. Hargreaves Lansdown delayed data had Unilever at 4,695.75p, up 139p. The FTSE 100 was up 0.47% at 10,701.46. The stock is now sitting about 9.9% below the median 12-month analyst target of 5,160.27p on Investors Chronicle, after starting the week with a 13.2% gap from Monday’s 4,557p finish. That shift puts pressure on the next set of results, since the story is looking cleaner but tighter—investors now have to bet on volume growth, emerging markets and buybacks, with less of a cushion from a cheap price.
Diageo gains ground, but sales reset could last through 2028
Diageo plc added close to 3% on Tuesday, beating gains in the FTSE 100 after shares slipped at Monday’s close. Davy had the stock at 1,562p by 11:09 BST, up 50p on the session, trading between 1,528.5p and 1,566p so far. Hargreaves Lansdown quoted 1,559.5p/1,560.5p, showing a 3.21% move. The FTSE 100 was ahead 0.45%. The gain erased Monday’s 1.43% drop to £15.12, when Diageo lagged the FTSE 100, which slipped 0.26%. After Tuesday, the stock is still down about 27% from its 52-week peak of £21.42.
FTSE 100 rises as Shell, Unilever mask flat UK mid-caps; forecasts test rally
Britain’s FTSE 100 rose on Tuesday, but the cleaner trade was the split between global earners and the domestic tape. The blue-chip index was up 0.44% at 10,698.60 on delayed quotes, while the more UK-exposed FTSE 250 was up just 0.04% at 23,513.85. The London Stock Exchange was open for its normal Tuesday cash session, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. BST. That gap matters for investors. The headline FTSE move looked firm, but it leaned on oil, consumer staples and stock-specific upgrades rather than a broad UK demand trade. Trading Economics’ GB100 gauge, used as a FTSE 100 proxy, was near 10,698, about 2.2% below its February all-time high of 10,934.94, yet still above the forecaster’s end-Q3 and 12-month
Rolls-Royce shares push past median target, spotlighting cash-flow test
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc shares dropped on Tuesday. The real issue for investors now is how much of the 2028 cash-flow plan is already priced into the stock. Rolls-Royce shares slipped 1.3% to 1,483.4p as of 9:57 BST, while the FTSE 100 was up 0.6% just after 09:26 BST. Google Finance showed the company's market cap at £123.86 billion, with a 52-week high of 1,532.6p, set in late June.
OpenAI, Anthropic eye IPOs while $1 trillion talk tests token prices
OpenAI and Anthropic are lining up for public debuts, and Wall Street is already looking at the numbers. OpenAI’s most recent private valuation sits at about 1.7 times Anthropic’s when you compare annualized revenue. If OpenAI were to go public at $1 trillion, that lead would jump to nearly two times. The company marks are from their own statements. In March, OpenAI said it finished a $122 billion round, putting its post-money value at $852 billion and said monthly revenue had hit $2 billion. Anthropic said in May it raised $65 billion at a $965 billion post-money valuation, with run-rate revenue above $47 billion.