Business 2 April 2026 - 22 April 2026

Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Faces a New Job-Protection Fight
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Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Faces a New Job-Protection Fight

Unilever’s European Works Council is demanding at least three years of job protections for 20,000 workers as the company prepares to merge its foods unit with McCormick. The labor push could delay or complicate the $44.8 billion deal, which would see Unilever and its shareholders retain 65% of the new group. Non-European workers have not been formally consulted. Unilever reports first-quarter results on April 30.
April 22, 2026
Reckitt Shares Tumble as Weak Cold Season Tests 2026 Growth Plan
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Reckitt Shares Tumble as Weak Cold Season Tests 2026 Growth Plan

Reckitt Benckiser shares fell as much as 7% Wednesday after first-quarter like-for-like net revenue rose just 1.3%, missing analyst expectations. The company warned first-half margins would be about 2 percentage points lower than last year. Group net revenue dropped 11.8% to £3.25 billion, hit by currency moves and asset disposals. Shares traded down 5.6% at 4,644 pence in London.
April 22, 2026
Rolls-Royce Just Won Two Navy Deals. Its Shares Are Still Falling
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Rolls-Royce Just Won Two Navy Deals. Its Shares Are Still Falling

Rolls-Royce said its MT30 turbines will power Australia’s new Mogami-class frigates and its mtu engines will equip 10 more U.S. Coast Guard cutters. The Australian government signed a contract for the first three frigates on April 18, part of a reported A$10 billion deal. Rolls-Royce shares traded at 1,149.6 pence, down 4.5% in 24 hours. The stock goes ex-dividend April 23, with payment due June 3.
April 22, 2026
AI News Today: Anthropic Faces Bank Scrutiny As Google Targets Nvidia’s Chip Turf
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AI News Today: Anthropic Faces Bank Scrutiny As Google Targets Nvidia’s Chip Turf

Australian and South Korean regulators increased scrutiny of Anthropic’s Mythos AI model on Monday, citing potential risks for banks and critical software. Anthropic said it is partnering with major tech firms to find vulnerabilities and has pledged $100 million in credits and $4 million in donations. Google is reportedly in talks with Marvell to develop new AI chips. Australia’s NEXTDC plans to raise A$1.5 billion for data center expansion.
April 20, 2026
Microsoft May Lower Xbox Game Pass Price After CEO Says Service Is Too Expensive
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Microsoft May Lower Xbox Game Pass Price After CEO Says Service Is Too Expensive

Microsoft is reviewing Xbox Game Pass pricing after a leaked memo showed gaming chief Asha Sharma told staff the subscription is “too expensive for players.” The Verge reported Sharma called for a “more flexible system” and said the current model is not final. Microsoft raised Game Pass Ultimate to $29.99 a month in October 2025. Sharma is expected to discuss possible changes with employees next week.
April 14, 2026
Google Expands Intel AI Chip Deal, Backs Xeon 6 for Data Centers as Intel Shares Rise
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Google Expands Intel AI Chip Deal, Backs Xeon 6 for Data Centers as Intel Shares Rise

Google will expand its use of Intel Xeon processors, including the new Xeon 6, across its cloud infrastructure and deepen collaboration on custom chips, both companies said Thursday. Intel shares rose 2.3% to $60.33 in morning trading. Google Cloud already uses Xeon chips in C4 and N4 instances and has committed to future generations. The agreement comes as demand for CPUs rises amid shifts in AI deployment.
April 9, 2026
Salesforce Stock Near 52-Week Low as AI Fears Drown Out Agentforce Growth
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Salesforce Stock Near 52-Week Low as AI Fears Drown Out Agentforce Growth

Salesforce shares fell 4.1% to $169.15 midday Thursday, nearing a 52-week low, as software stocks declined despite the company’s record quarterly revenue and expanded buyback. The drop followed news that Anthropic restricted access to its AI model after finding cybersecurity flaws, fueling concerns about software vulnerability. Salesforce’s fiscal 2027 revenue forecast missed Wall Street’s midpoint estimates.
April 9, 2026
BHP Group Ltd Shares Drop as Oil Shock, China Iron Ore Fight Put April Review in Focus
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BHP Group Ltd Shares Drop as Oil Shock, China Iron Ore Fight Put April Review in Focus

BHP shares fell 2.53% to A$51.23 in Sydney Monday as mining stocks dropped, with turnover at 8.7 million shares, below average. The company received US$4.3 billion from Wheaton Precious Metals in a silver streaming deal for future Antamina output. BHP reported a 22% rise in half-year profit, with copper surpassing iron ore in earnings. Iron ore sales face pressure from lower Chinese prices and shifting trade patterns.
April 6, 2026
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA Heads Into Tougher Summer as Fuel Squeeze Deepens
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International Consolidated Airlines Group SA Heads Into Tougher Summer as Fuel Squeeze Deepens

IAG, owner of British Airways, faces rising fuel costs as U.S. crude for Europe hit a record $15 premium over Brent, driven by disrupted Middle East supplies. Jet fuel prices have outpaced crude, eroding IAG’s hedging protection ahead of the busy summer season. British Airways has extended flight suspensions to several Middle East destinations through May. IAG’s 2026 fuel bill has already climbed to €7.4 billion.
April 6, 2026
Anglo American Narrows UK Gender Pay Gap Ahead of AGM, but Bonus Gap Remains Wide
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Anglo American Narrows UK Gender Pay Gap Ahead of AGM, but Bonus Gap Remains Wide

Anglo American’s UK head-office unit reported women earned 79p for every £1 paid to men on a median basis, with a 24.2% mean pay gap. The median bonus gap widened to 46.7%. Women made up 54% of staff but only 41% of the top pay quartile and 38.5% of senior management. The update comes as Anglo pursues a merger with Teck and prepares for its annual meeting on April 29.
April 6, 2026
Why Rio Tinto plc Is in Focus as Oil Spike Tests Pilbara Recovery Ahead of Dividend Date
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Why Rio Tinto plc Is in Focus as Oil Spike Tests Pilbara Recovery Ahead of Dividend Date

Rio Tinto’s U.S.-listed shares fell 0.5% to $94.01 on Monday as investors weighed cyclone-hit Pilbara iron ore output against rising energy costs, with London and Australia markets closed for Easter. The miner expects to ship 8 million tonnes less iron ore after two cyclones but aims to recover half. Brent crude rose to $109.13 a barrel. Rio’s final dividend payment is set for April 16.
April 6, 2026
Why Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Still Has Investors on Edge
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Why Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Still Has Investors on Edge

Unilever shares traded at $55.45 in U.S. premarket Monday, down about 60 cents after last week's deal to merge its food business with McCormick. The $45 billion transaction gives Unilever and its shareholders 65% of the combined company and $15.7 billion in cash. The deal uses a Reverse Morris Trust structure and is expected to close by mid-2027. Some investors remain cautious due to regulatory risks and integration challenges.
April 6, 2026
OpenAI IPO Plans Hit Internal Rift as CFO Sarah Friar Questions Sam Altman’s 2026 Timeline
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OpenAI IPO Plans Hit Internal Rift as CFO Sarah Friar Questions Sam Altman’s 2026 Timeline

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar has warned internally that the company may not be ready for an IPO as soon as late 2026, citing unfinished compliance work and high spending, The Information reported. CEO Sam Altman wants to move faster. Friar has raised concerns OpenAI could burn more than $200 billion before turning cash-flow positive. OpenAI recently closed a $122 billion funding round at an $852 billion valuation.
April 6, 2026
Shell Plc Q1 Profit Outlook Climbs as Oil Holds Above $107 Before April 8 Update
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Shell Plc Q1 Profit Outlook Climbs as Oil Holds Above $107 Before April 8 Update

Shell will update investors Wednesday as Brent crude trades above $107 a barrel and supply disruptions persist near the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts have raised Shell’s first-quarter profit estimates by 15% after oil prices surged in March. The company reported $3.3 billion net profit last quarter and kept its $3.5 billion buyback. Part of Shell’s Pearl plant in Qatar was damaged in recent attacks.
April 6, 2026
National Australia Bank contacts 200,000 firms as fuel shock squeezes Australia’s supply chains
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National Australia Bank contacts 200,000 firms as fuel shock squeezes Australia’s supply chains

National Australia Bank has contacted nearly 200,000 business customers as volatile fuel prices hit agriculture, transport, and manufacturing. Diesel prices in Australia are up 88% since the Middle East conflict began, with fertiliser costs also surging. Canberra announced up to A$1 billion in interest-free loans for critical businesses. NAB reported a 100% jump in EV loans in March as firms seek to cut fuel exposure.
April 2, 2026
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA Exits TAP Sale, Leaving Lufthansa and Air France-KLM to Compete for Portugal’s Flag Carrier
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International Consolidated Airlines Group SA Exits TAP Sale, Leaving Lufthansa and Air France-KLM to Compete for Portugal’s Flag Carrier

International Consolidated Airlines Group has withdrawn from bidding for a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal, leaving Lufthansa and Air France-KLM as the only known contenders. Portugal is selling 44.9% of TAP, with non-binding offers due Thursday. IAG cited a lack of a path to majority control and will focus on internal growth. TAP’s Lisbon slots and South Atlantic routes remain the main attractions for bidders.
April 2, 2026
GSK plc simplifies ViiV Healthcare ownership as Pfizer exits and Shionogi raises stake
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GSK plc simplifies ViiV Healthcare ownership as Pfizer exits and Shionogi raises stake

GSK completed a reshaping of ViiV Healthcare’s ownership on April 1, with Shionogi raising its stake to 21.7% after Pfizer exited the HIV-focused venture. ViiV issued new shares to Shionogi for $2.125 billion and cancelled Pfizer’s holding. GSK retained a 78.3% majority and took a $250 million special dividend. The deal extinguished a put option liability tied to the old structure.
April 2, 2026
Centrica plc AGM 2026: British Gas owner seeks fresh buyback authority as 3.67p dividend vote looms
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Centrica plc AGM 2026: British Gas owner seeks fresh buyback authority as 3.67p dividend vote looms

Centrica will seek shareholder approval on May 7 to renew authority to buy back up to 460.5 million shares and approve a 3.67-pence final dividend. The company paused buybacks in February after reporting a 39% drop in annual core profit. The proposed repurchase covers about a tenth of Centrica’s voting shares. If approved, the final dividend will be paid May 14 to investors on the register as of April 10.
April 2, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) Shares: Why Investors Favor Consumer Discretionary Stocks
    May 24, 2026, 7:51 PM EDT. The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX:FLT) share price has dropped 33.2% since early 2025, yet investors are watching closely. FLT operates globally in the travel sector, offering personalized services that distinguish it from online travel agencies. The ASX Consumer Discretionary sector, which includes FLT, has underperformed the broader market with a 0.62% annual return over five years, against 4.07% for the ASX 200. Typically, these stocks perform best when interest rates are low, but FLT has impressively grown revenue by 89.8% annually over three years amid higher rates. FLT pays a 4.0% dividend yield, though its shares trade at a price-to-sales ratio of 0.76x, well below its 5-year average of 3.42x, indicating a possible undervaluation based on historical standards.