Business 15 May 2026 - 18 May 2026

Unilever Shares Up as Magnum Sale Chatter Puts Focus on Break-Up Talk
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Unilever Shares Up as Magnum Sale Chatter Puts Focus on Break-Up Talk

Unilever shares rose 0.12% to 4,212 pence in early London trade Monday, outperforming a weaker FTSE 100, as investors considered private equity interest in its former ice-cream unit Magnum. Jefferies analyst David Hayes cut his Unilever target price to £37, citing doubts about volume growth and U.S. sales trends. Unilever reported 3.8% underlying sales growth in its last update and expects up to €900 million in cost inflation this year.
May 18, 2026
South32 drops 5%, Alaska project lifts copper outlook but cost concerns remain
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South32 drops 5%, Alaska project lifts copper outlook but cost concerns remain

South32 closed Friday at A$4.21, down 5.18%, ahead of Monday’s Australian session. The company faces higher capital costs at its Hermosa project in Arizona, now estimated at $3.3 billion, with first output delayed to late 2028. The Arctic Project in Alaska, a joint venture with Trilogy Metals, gained U.S. FAST-41 permitting status last week. Broader metals and mining shares also fell Friday amid weaker copper and gold prices.
May 17, 2026
Lynas Rare Earths Faces a Monday Test After 7.7% Slide as China Curbs Keep Sector in Play
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Lynas Rare Earths Faces a Monday Test After 7.7% Slide as China Curbs Keep Sector in Play

Lynas Rare Earths closed at A$17.95 on Friday, flat for the day but down 7.7% for the week after a sharp Thursday drop. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.3% over the week. China’s export controls continue to restrict heavy rare-earth shipments, keeping supply risk high. Lynas reported March-quarter sales revenue of A$265 million and 1,996 tonnes of NdPr production.
May 17, 2026
ASML-Tata Deal Gives India’s Chip Ambitions Their Biggest Test Yet
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ASML-Tata Deal Gives India’s Chip Ambitions Their Biggest Test Yet

ASML and Tata Electronics signed an agreement in The Hague to support Tata’s planned $11 billion semiconductor fab in Dholera, Gujarat. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten attended the signing. ASML will provide lithography tools and expertise for the project. The deal marks a key step in India’s push to build its first front-end chip manufacturing plant.
May 17, 2026
Haleon Holds Up as FTSE Falls, Next Up Monday
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Haleon Holds Up as FTSE Falls, Next Up Monday

Haleon PLC shares rose 1.15% to 332.9p on Friday, bucking a 1.71% drop in the FTSE 100 as London’s blue-chip market fell on political and economic worries. The company paid a 4.9p final dividend May 14 and continued its £500 million buyback, with 10.2 million shares bought for cancellation in early May. First-quarter organic revenue grew 2.2%. Haleon’s next results are due July 30.
May 16, 2026
Unilever in focus as traders look to Monday open after slump
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Unilever in focus as traders look to Monday open after slump

Unilever closed Friday at 4,207p in London, down 0.39%, near its April low after a week of selling in UK markets. Reuters reported Blackstone and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice are exploring bids for Magnum Ice Cream, spun out of Unilever less than six months ago. Unilever retains a 19.9% stake in Magnum. The FTSE 100 fell 1.7% on Friday amid political and inflation concerns.
May 16, 2026
Coles faces court setback on ‘Down Down’ promo, boosting fine risk
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Coles faces court setback on ‘Down Down’ promo, boosting fine risk

Australia’s Federal Court found Coles Group misled shoppers with “Down Down” price promotions on 245 grocery items, citing false or misleading price tickets. The ACCC said Coles sometimes raised prices, then advertised discounts at levels still higher than earlier shelf prices. Penalties will be decided later. Coles shares closed at A$20.81 on Friday, after falling 2.7% post-ruling.
May 16, 2026
Wesfarmers Strategy Day Puts Bunnings, Kmart Cost Squeeze In Focus
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Wesfarmers Strategy Day Puts Bunnings, Kmart Cost Squeeze In Focus

Wesfarmers will hold its 2026 Strategy Briefing Day in Sydney on June 10, with presentation materials set for ASX release before an 8:30 a.m. webcast. The event comes as the Reserve Bank of Australia raised rates to 4.35% and CEO Rob Scott warned of rising costs, especially from fuel surcharges. Wesfarmers shares closed at A$71.67 on May 15, down 0.08%. The company reported half-year net profit of A$1.603 billion in February.
May 15, 2026
BHP Group Ltd Stock Slides After Record Run as New CEO’s Copper Plan Takes Centre Stage
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BHP Group Ltd Stock Slides After Record Run as New CEO’s Copper Plan Takes Centre Stage

BHP shares fell 2.58% to A$60.46 on Friday after hitting a record A$61.61 earlier in the week, as investors took profits and metals prices eased. Incoming CEO Brandon Craig pitched copper-led growth via existing mines, partnerships, and small acquisitions, ruling out large deals like the failed Anglo American bid. The S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.12%, with mining stocks broadly lower.
May 15, 2026
Diageo plc Shake-Up: Guinness Maker’s New CEO Cuts Top Ranks as U.S. Slump Bites
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Diageo plc Shake-Up: Guinness Maker’s New CEO Cuts Top Ranks as U.S. Slump Bites

Diageo is removing several senior executives, including North America chief marketing officer Ed Pilkington and Africa president Hina Nagarajan, as CEO Dave Lewis advances a turnaround plan, Bloomberg reported. The company will merge its Africa and Europe divisions, according to the Irish Times. The moves follow weak North American sales and a 28.9% drop in Diageo’s share price over the past year. Lewis will present a strategy update in August.
May 15, 2026
M&S Shares Face Results Test as Marks & Spencer Starts £340 Million Warehouse Build
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M&S Shares Face Results Test as Marks & Spencer Starts £340 Million Warehouse Build

Marks & Spencer has started work on a £340 million automated food distribution centre in Northamptonshire, its largest supply-chain investment, set to open in 2029 and serve over 200 stores. The company also agreed to buy a Lichfield fashion distribution site from ASOS for £67.5 million. Shares traded at 320.90 pence on Friday, up 0.13%. M&S will report full-year results on May 20.
May 15, 2026
Compass Group Just Won a Major U.S. Campus Deal. Investors Are Watching the Bigger Test
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Compass Group Just Won a Major U.S. Campus Deal. Investors Are Watching the Bigger Test

Compass Group’s North American unit was chosen as the University of Kentucky’s preferred enterprise-services partner, with dining and concessions to begin July 1. Shares in London fell 3.66% to $32.09 by 14:58 BST Friday. The deal comes days after Compass raised its 2026 profit outlook. University officials said current employees will retain their jobs, pay and benefits.
May 15, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • Warren Buffett-Inspired Strategy: Buying Discounted ASX Shares
    May 22, 2026, 9:18 PM EDT. Warren Buffett's approach of buying in times of fear is relevant for ASX investors amid risks like higher interest rates, weaker consumer spending, geopolitical uncertainty, and earnings doubts. Key opportunities lie in quality sectors like healthcare, where shares such as CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) and ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD) trade at lows despite strong fundamentals. CSL's global plasma and vaccine businesses and ResMed's recurring revenue from sleep apnoea treatments stand out. Fallen growth stocks like WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) offer long-term potential due to embedded logistics software. Some consumer-facing companies including Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) and Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) could recover as spending stabilizes. Investors are advised to be selective and consider these discounted opportunities for longer-term gains.