Business News 5 March 2026 - 12 March 2026

Informa stock price falls after Middle East event delays overshadow record results and bigger buyback
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Informa stock price falls after Middle East event delays overshadow record results and bigger buyback

Informa shares fell 1.36% to 768.4 pence after the company delayed events for over 10 brands in the Middle East and said it would absorb some rescheduling costs. The group reported record 2025 revenue of £4.04 billion, but statutory operating profit dropped to £141.7 million due to higher amortisation and a non-cash impairment. Informa raised its 2026 share buyback to £250 million.
March 12, 2026
Reckitt Benckiser stock price slips again as £540 million buyback fails to calm margin worries
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Reckitt Benckiser stock price slips again as £540 million buyback fails to calm margin worries

Reckitt Benckiser shares fell 0.69% to 5,351 pence by 1513 GMT Thursday, extending a drop of over 14% since January. The company repurchased 138,000 shares on March 11 as part of a £1 billion buyback, now holding 29.23 million in treasury. Investors remain wary after weak margin signals in March 5 results and no explicit 2026 margin guidance. The FTSE 100 also slipped 0.4% amid rising oil prices.
March 12, 2026
Imperial Brands Stock Price Today: Shares Rebound After Fresh Buyback Filing
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Imperial Brands Stock Price Today: Shares Rebound After Fresh Buyback Filing

Imperial Brands shares rose 0.6% to 3,112 pence Thursday after the company disclosed a new share buyback, partly recovering from a 2% drop the previous day. The firm repurchased 545,325 shares at an average 3,120.50 pence, leaving 785.2 million shares outstanding. Non-executive director Jon Stanton stepped down this week after nearly seven years on the board. Investors await a final dividend on March 31 and a trading update April 14.
March 12, 2026
British American Tobacco p.l.c. Stock Price Steadies After Fresh Buyback Filing Ahead of April AGM
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British American Tobacco p.l.c. Stock Price Steadies After Fresh Buyback Filing Ahead of April AGM

BAT bought 126,605 shares for cancellation on March 11 as part of a £1.3 billion buyback, leaving 2.17 billion shares outstanding. U.S.-listed shares rose to $59.60, up 44 cents, while London shares fell 1.2% to 4,368 pence. The company reaffirmed 2026 growth at the low end of targets and faces a new London lawsuit over its past North Korea business. The annual meeting is set for April 15.
March 12, 2026
Rolls-Royce Share Price in Focus as Stock Trades Near 1,280p After MGCS Tank Deal
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Rolls-Royce Share Price in Focus as Stock Trades Near 1,280p After MGCS Tank Deal

Rolls-Royce shares fell 1.5% to 1,280 pence in London on Thursday after Germany commissioned its Power Systems unit to build a hybrid tank drive. The stock remains about 10% below its 52-week high, despite a 40% jump in 2025 operating profit and an ongoing share buyback. Defence peers like Leonardo hit record highs as oil prices topped $100, but Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace business leaves it exposed to broader market swings.
March 12, 2026
Unilever PLC Stock Price Falls as Oil Volatility Rekindles Margin Fears
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Unilever PLC Stock Price Falls as Oil Volatility Rekindles Margin Fears

Unilever shares fell 1.37% to 4,840 pence in London Wednesday, tracking a weaker FTSE 100 as oil prices rose above $90 a barrel. The stock trades about 13% below its December peak despite a planned €1.5 billion buyback. Unilever expects 2026 sales growth at the low end of its target range, with margins under pressure from rising input costs. A regulatory filing disclosed new performance-share awards for top executives.
March 11, 2026
Vodafone Group Plc Stock Price Slips Below Latest Buyback Price as Germany Questions Linger
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Vodafone Group Plc Stock Price Slips Below Latest Buyback Price as Germany Questions Linger

Vodafone shares traded at 107.25p in London on Wednesday, below the 108.40p average paid in Tuesday’s 2 million-share buyback. The stock remains 10.8% under its Feb. 18 high despite a €1 billion VodafoneZiggo sale and €3.5 billion in buybacks. Investors are focused on Germany and VodafoneThree integration. The FTSE 100 fell 0.6% amid concerns over energy prices.
March 11, 2026
Fortescue Ltd Completes Alta Copper Deal, Deepening Peru Copper Bet
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Fortescue Ltd Completes Alta Copper Deal, Deepening Peru Copper Bet

Fortescue Ltd has acquired all remaining shares of Alta Copper for C$1.40 each, valuing the Peru-focused copper developer at about C$139 million. Alta shares will be delisted from Toronto, Lima, and OTCQX exchanges. Fortescue’s Cañariaco copper project in Peru is not expected to start production until next decade. The company posted a 23% rise in first-half profit to $1.91 billion in February.
March 11, 2026
Entain PLC Draws Barclays 5% Stake as UK Gambling Tax Shake-Up Hits Rivals
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Entain PLC Draws Barclays 5% Stake as UK Gambling Tax Shake-Up Hits Rivals

Barclays disclosed a 5.02% stake in Entain, making it one of the bookmaker’s largest reported shareholders, according to a TR-1 filing late Monday. Most of Barclays’ holding is via swaps and derivatives, not direct shares. Entain shares fell 1.57% after results showed a statutory loss due to a £488 million impairment tied to UK tax changes. The company ended 2025 with £3.64 billion in adjusted net debt.
March 10, 2026
Diageo plc Shares Stay Near Lows After Dave Lewis Slashes Dividend and Cuts Forecast
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Diageo plc Shares Stay Near Lows After Dave Lewis Slashes Dividend and Cuts Forecast

Diageo shares closed down 0.29% at 1,521 pence Monday after the company cut its 2026 organic sales forecast and halved its interim dividend to 20 cents a share. The group expects 2026 organic sales to fall 2%-3% and reported a 2.8% drop in first-half organic net sales and profit. CEO Dave Lewis plans to present a new strategy later this year. Net debt stood at $21.7 billion as of Dec. 31.
March 10, 2026
Glencore plc weighs ASX listing after Rio Tinto talks collapse
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Glencore plc weighs ASX listing after Rio Tinto talks collapse

Glencore is considering a secondary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange to attract new investors, CEO Gary Nagle told the Australian Financial Review. The move follows failed merger talks with Rio Tinto, which Glencore said undervalued its copper business. No timetable has been set, and shareholder consultation is required before any decision. Glencore declined further comment.
March 9, 2026
ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Q4 Profit Falls 93% as Hapag-Lloyd Deal Freezes 2026 Outlook
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ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Q4 Profit Falls 93% as Hapag-Lloyd Deal Freezes 2026 Outlook

ZIM Integrated Shipping reported fourth-quarter net income of $38 million, down sharply from $563 million a year earlier, with revenue falling 32% to $1.48 billion. The company declared a $0.88 dividend but withheld 2026 guidance due to its pending $4.2 billion sale to Hapag-Lloyd. Average freight rates dropped 29% and carried volume slid 9%. Shares rose 1.8% to $28.32 in New York trading.
March 9, 2026
IAG Faces Fresh Pressure as British Airways Keeps Middle East Flights Grounded
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IAG Faces Fresh Pressure as British Airways Keeps Middle East Flights Grounded

British Airways remains unable to operate flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, and Tel Aviv due to restricted airspace, adding extra Muscat-London flights for stranded passengers. IAG shares dropped 3.6% in London Thursday, while Wizz Air and Lufthansa warned of profit hits from the Middle East conflict. Over 25,000 flights in and out of the region were canceled between Feb. 28 and March 5.
March 6, 2026
ANZ Group Holdings Limited Moves 2026 Half-Year Results Forward, Resets Interim Dividend Dates
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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.
March 6, 2026
Plug Power stock jumps again as new CEO Crespo steps in and targets 2026 EBITDA
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Plug Power stock jumps again as new CEO Crespo steps in and targets 2026 EBITDA

Plug Power shares surged 11.2% to $2.48 on Wednesday, capping a three-day rally after naming Jose Luis Crespo as CEO and reporting improved margins. Trading volume reached 129 million shares, well above average. The company posted a fourth-quarter gross profit of $5.5 million and swung to a 2.4% gross margin. Analysts remain divided on the stock’s outlook as Plug plans asset sales and aims for positive EBITDAS by end-2026.
March 5, 2026
JD.com earnings miss: China e-commerce giant slips to Q4 loss as price war bites
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JD.com earnings miss: China e-commerce giant slips to Q4 loss as price war bites

JD.com reported fourth-quarter revenue of 352.3 billion yuan ($51.12 billion), up 1.5% but below analyst expectations, and posted a net loss of 2.7 billion yuan versus a 9.9 billion yuan profit a year earlier. Service revenue rose 20.1% while product revenue fell 2.8%. The board approved an annual cash dividend and reaffirmed its share repurchase plan. Marketing expenses jumped 50.6% as the company invested in new initiatives.
March 5, 2026
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