Business 24 April 2026 - 25 April 2026

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Wins Fresh Europe SMR Deal as Czech Nuclear Bet Moves Forward
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Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Wins Fresh Europe SMR Deal as Czech Nuclear Bet Moves Forward

Rolls-Royce SMR signed an early works contract with ČEZ Group to begin preparatory work for the Czech Republic’s first small modular reactor at Temelín, with the first unit now expected in the late 2030s. The deal follows a similar UK contract signed this month. Rolls-Royce shares closed down 2.65% at 1,129.40 pence on Friday. The Czech state is moving to take full control of ČEZ.
April 25, 2026
PLS Group Limited Starts A$38.1 Million-Backed Lithium Plant Trial as Battery Supply Chain Shifts
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PLS Group Limited Starts A$38.1 Million-Backed Lithium Plant Trial as Battery Supply Chain Shifts

PLS Group has begun commissioning a lithium processing demonstration plant at Pilgangoora, backed by A$38.1 million in government funding and an offtake deal with China’s Ningbo Ronbay. The plant aims to process 27,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate into 3,000 tonnes of lithium phosphate annually. PLS reported record March-quarter production and closed a US$600 million bond issue. The project remains in validation, not full commercial phase.
April 25, 2026
Telstra Group Limited’s AI Bet Has a New Number: 30% of Customer Queries
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Telstra Group Limited’s AI Bet Has a New Number: 30% of Customer Queries

Telstra CEO Vicki Brady said AI now handles 30% of customer queries on the company’s website and app, following the rollout of a generative AI assistant last November. Brady told Microsoft’s AI Tour in Sydney that 75% of Telstra teams use AI tools weekly, with a target of 85% this year. Microsoft separately announced a A$25 billion Australian investment in AI infrastructure and cloud services by 2029.
April 25, 2026
Google’s $40 Billion Anthropic Bet Sharpens the AI Compute Race
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Google’s $40 Billion Anthropic Bet Sharpens the AI Compute Race

Google will invest up to $40 billion in Anthropic, starting with $10 billion at a $350 billion valuation and up to $30 billion more tied to performance. Anthropic’s annualized revenue has surpassed $30 billion, up from $9 billion at the end of 2025. Google and Anthropic have a five-year data-center deal that could reach $200 billion. Amazon separately announced up to $25 billion in new investment in Anthropic this week.
April 24, 2026
BHP Group’s China Iron Ore Truce Comes With a Pricing Catch
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BHP Group’s China Iron Ore Truce Comes With a Pricing Catch

BHP Group has agreed to price its Jimblebar Fines iron ore using a Chinese index, settling a dispute with China Mineral Resources Group, according to sources cited by Energy News and Reuters. The deal includes a weighted average of four price indices and a 1.8% discount on some cargoes. BHP’s Western Australia Iron Ore unit produced 69.8 million tons in the March quarter, beating estimates. BHP declined to comment on the reported terms.
April 24, 2026
United Utilities Group PLC’s £34 Million River Irwell Cleanup Comes With a Bill-Payer Test
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United Utilities Group PLC’s £34 Million River Irwell Cleanup Comes With a Bill-Payer Test

United Utilities has launched over £34 million in water-quality projects around Bury, Prestwich, and Whitefield, aiming to reduce storm overflow discharges into the River Irwell. The company is spending £28 million at Bury wastewater treatment works on new storm tanks due in June. United Utilities shares closed at 1,339.50 pence, down 0.37% on the day. Full-year results are due May 14.
April 24, 2026
ConvaTec Shares Drop Again as Wound-Care Warning Puts 2026 Growth Plan in Focus
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ConvaTec Shares Drop Again as Wound-Care Warning Puts 2026 Growth Plan in Focus

Convatec shares fell 1.69% to £2.21 in London Friday, closing nearly 30% below their 52-week high as investors reacted to weakness in the wound-care market. The drop followed Coloplast’s cut to its 2025/26 outlook and a DKK 3 billion impairment on its Kerecis business. Convatec expects InnovaMatrix revenue to fall to $20 million in 2026 due to U.S. Medicare changes.
April 24, 2026
Bunzl Shares Rise Again After Q1 Update: What the North America Rebound Means
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Bunzl Shares Rise Again After Q1 Update: What the North America Rebound Means

Bunzl shares closed up 0.91% at 2,447 pence in London on Friday, rising for a third straight session after the company maintained its 2026 outlook. First-quarter revenue rose 1.5% at constant exchange rates, while underlying revenue climbed 2.0%. North America, Bunzl’s largest region, saw underlying growth slightly ahead of the group. Adjusted operating profit met management’s expectations.
April 24, 2026
Tesco PLC Buyback Starts: £750 Million Return Moves Ahead as War Risk Clouds Grocery Outlook
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Tesco PLC Buyback Starts: £750 Million Return Moves Ahead as War Risk Clouds Grocery Outlook

Tesco bought 415,797 shares for cancellation on April 23 as part of a new £750 million buyback, paying an average 481.00 pence each. The company has acquired 822,350 shares for about £4 million since the programme began. Tesco shares closed up 0.89% while the FTSE 100 fell 0.75%. The grocer reported £66.59 billion in annual sales and a 28% market share.
April 24, 2026
Anglo American Coal Sale Back In Play As Three Bidders Circle Australia Mines
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Anglo American Coal Sale Back In Play As Three Bidders Circle Australia Mines

Anglo American has attracted at least three bidders, including Stanmore Resources, Mitsubishi Corp, and PT Buma Internasional Grup, for its Australian steelmaking coal assets, Bloomberg reported. The revived sale follows Peabody Energy’s withdrawal from a $3.78 billion deal last year. Anglo shares fell 1.44% in London trading. The sale comes as Anglo seeks to exit non-core businesses and pursue a merger with Teck Resources.
April 24, 2026
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA to Raise Fares as Jet Fuel Shock Hits British Airways Owner
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International Consolidated Airlines Group SA to Raise Fares as Jet Fuel Shock Hits British Airways Owner

IAG will raise ticket prices to offset higher jet fuel costs but reports no supply interruptions. Shares in the British Airways owner fell 1.6% in late London trading. The move comes as airlines face rising fuel prices linked to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz blockage. IAG is 62% hedged on fuel for 2026 but says it is “not immune” to the wider market impact.
April 24, 2026
Haleon Shares Edge Higher as Supplier Cut Puts Sensodyne Maker Under Fresh ESG Scrutiny
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Haleon Shares Edge Higher as Supplier Cut Puts Sensodyne Maker Under Fresh ESG Scrutiny

Haleon PLC shares rose 0.48% to 353.30 pence in London on Friday after the company cut ties with packaging supplier Asia Symbol, following reports linking the supplier to Indonesian rainforest clearance. The move comes days before Haleon’s Q1 2026 trading statement and annual meeting on April 29. Haleon said its investigation found no evidence of deforestation-linked material in its supply chain.
April 24, 2026
Reckitt Benckiser Shares Claw Back Losses, But Cold Season Miss Puts 2026 Targets on Trial
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Reckitt Benckiser Shares Claw Back Losses, But Cold Season Miss Puts 2026 Targets on Trial

Reckitt shares rose 0.3% in London Friday after missing first-quarter sales forecasts and warning first-half operating margin would fall about 200 basis points from last year. Core like-for-like revenue grew 1.3%, below the 2.9% analyst estimate. Group net revenue dropped 11.8% to £3.25 billion, partly due to the sale of its Essential Home business. The company maintained its 2026 core sales outlook.
April 24, 2026
Southern Co-op’s 300-Branch Warning: Back Co-op Group Deal Or Face Administration
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Southern Co-op’s 300-Branch Warning: Back Co-op Group Deal Or Face Administration

Southern Co-op warned members it will likely enter administration if they reject a merger with Co-op Group at votes set for May 6 and 21. The co-op reported a £23.5 million operating loss for the year ended Jan. 25, 2026, and said it cannot secure enough funding to continue alone. The merger would fold over 300 Southern Co-op branches into Co-op Group’s network. About 4,500 jobs are at stake.
April 24, 2026
BP Shareholder Revolt: Climate Vote Blow Puts New CEO Meg O’Neill on the Spot
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BP Shareholder Revolt: Climate Vote Blow Puts New CEO Meg O’Neill on the Spot

BP shareholders rejected two board-backed proposals on virtual-only meetings and revoking climate disclosure rules at the annual general meeting, with over 52% voting against each. Chair Albert Manifold was re-elected with 81.77% support, while new CEO Meg O’Neill received 96.76%. BP will report first-quarter results on April 28 after signaling strong oil trading.
April 24, 2026
JD Sports Boardroom Fight: Chair Quits After Failed Move Against CEO
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JD Sports Boardroom Fight: Chair Quits After Failed Move Against CEO

JD Sports chair Andy Higginson resigned after failing to oust CEO Regis Schultz and secure full board support, the Financial Times reported. Shares fell in London following his departure. JD said there was no board split and majority shareholder Pentland continues to back Schultz. Higginson will step down after the July 21 AGM; Kath Smith is leading the search for a new chair.
April 24, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • ASX 200 Set to Rise After Dow Hits Record High; Brent Crude Eases
    May 24, 2026, 6:57 PM EDT. The ASX 200 is poised to rise following Wall Street's strong finish, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high of 50,579.70, up 0.58%. The S&P 500 recorded its longest eight-week winning streak since December 2023, buoyed by gains across nine of its 11 major sectors, led by healthcare, utilities, industrials, and technology. Semiconductor stocks mixed, with Qualcomm surging 12% while Nvidia fell 1.9%. Long-dated U.S. Treasury yields eased, with the 10-year note yield dropping to 4.558%, suggesting cooling bond markets. Market optimism is supported by solid earnings and economic data, despite geopolitical risks.