Business News 10 March 2026 - 18 March 2026

Virax Biolabs Stock Faces a Make-or-Break Nasdaq Vote After a Wild Week
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Virax Biolabs Stock Faces a Make-or-Break Nasdaq Vote After a Wild Week

Virax closed Friday at $0.2775, down 9.31%, but up 81% from May 15. Shareholders will vote June 5 on a 10-for-1 to 30-for-1 reverse share consolidation as the company faces a July 11 Nasdaq deadline to regain $1 minimum bid compliance. U.S. markets are closed Monday for Memorial Day, with trading to resume Tuesday. Armistice Capital disclosed a 4.99% stake in Virax earlier this month.
May 25, 2026
3i Group plc share price falls 4.8% before March 26 Action seminar. (3i)
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3i Group plc share price falls 4.8% before March 26 Action seminar. (3i)

3i Group shares dropped 4.8% to 2,875 pence in London on Wednesday, nearing a 52-week low and underperforming the FTSE 100. The stock closed about 5.2% below estimated net asset value, a reversal from its usual premium. Action, which makes up most of 3i’s value, reports next on March 26. Broker targets remain split, with RBC at 3,000 pence and Deutsche Bank at 4,300.
March 18, 2026
Primark Raises Pay to £13 for Great Britain Staff, Expands Repair Service as Retail Wage Race Intensifies
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Primark Raises Pay to £13 for Great Britain Staff, Expands Repair Service as Retail Wage Race Intensifies

Primark will raise pay for over 27,000 retail workers in Great Britain to at least £13 an hour from April 1, with London staff earning at least £13.71. The company also expanded its clothing-repair service to three stores after a successful Manchester pilot. The pay hike comes as British retailers face higher labour costs and weak sales, with Primark’s like-for-like sales down 2.7% in the 16 weeks to Jan. 3.
March 18, 2026
GSK Share Price Today: Stock Slips as Buyback Rolls On, Arexvy in Focus
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GSK Share Price Today: Stock Slips as Buyback Rolls On, Arexvy in Focus

GSK shares slipped 0.5% to 2,015 pence in London Tuesday after the company disclosed buying 628,000 shares on March 16 under its £2 billion buyback plan. Total repurchases since February 17 reached 10.55 million shares. The current tranche, worth up to £450 million, runs until April 24. Investors are also watching the expanded U.S. approval for GSK’s RSV vaccine Arexvy.
March 17, 2026
Sunbelt Rentals Stock Price Rebounds After Forecast Lift, New $1.5 Billion Buyback
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Sunbelt Rentals Stock Price Rebounds After Forecast Lift, New $1.5 Billion Buyback

Sunbelt Rentals Holdings shares rose about 3% Friday after the company tightened full-year rental-revenue growth guidance to 2%-3% and launched a new $1.5 billion share buyback. Third-quarter revenue increased 2.7% to $2.637 billion, but net income fell to $290 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin narrowed to 41.0% from 43.5%. The stock traded near $72, recovering from Thursday’s decline.
March 13, 2026
Haleon PLC Stock Price Rises After £500 Million Buyback Starts, but U.S. Demand Risk Lingers
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Haleon PLC Stock Price Rises After £500 Million Buyback Starts, but U.S. Demand Risk Lingers

Haleon shares rose 1.26% to 377.7 pence after launching a £500 million buyback, with all repurchased shares to be cancelled. The programme, executed by HSBC, will run until August 19 across three exchanges. Haleon is investing £65 million in a new Shanghai oral-health plant as it seeks growth in China. The buyback follows Pfizer’s final exit from Haleon in March 2025.
March 13, 2026
Halma plc stock slips after trading update keeps 23-year record-profit run on track
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Halma plc stock slips after trading update keeps 23-year record-profit run on track

Halma shares fell 1.3% to 3,898 pence after the company reiterated its full-year outlook, disappointing investors hoping for another upgrade. The FTSE 100 group said it remains on track for mid-teens organic revenue growth and a 22% adjusted EBIT margin, with order intake ahead of last year. Halma has completed five acquisitions this year, investing £451 million. Results for the year ending March 31 are due June 11.
March 13, 2026
British American Tobacco Stock Price Rises as Buyback Rolls On Despite U.S. Vape Setback
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British American Tobacco Stock Price Rises as Buyback Rolls On Despite U.S. Vape Setback

British American Tobacco shares rose 1.5% Friday, trading near 4,515 pence, but remained below last year’s high. The company bought and will cancel 125,855 shares as part of an ongoing buyback. U.S. regulators rejected a key BAT trade complaint over vape imports, while a separate U.S. case continues. BAT also faces a London shareholder lawsuit over alleged failures to disclose U.S. sanctions breaches.
March 13, 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
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Stock Market Today

  • ASX 200 Rally Defies Oil Market Challenges
    May 25, 2026, 3:57 AM EDT. The ASX 200 index rallied despite ongoing oil market turbulence, driven by robust performances in key sectors such as financials and materials. Investors appeared to shrug off concerns about oil price volatility, focusing instead on positive corporate earnings and economic data. The index's resilience highlights a broader market confidence amid global energy uncertainties, with traders seeking opportunities in sectors less exposed to energy price swings. This divergence underscores the complexity of market dynamics where commodity fluctuations do not uniformly impact stock performance.