Corporate News 1 April 2026 - 18 May 2026

Sizzle Acquisition Corp. II Shares Flat with Trasteel Vote Still Pending
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Sizzle Acquisition Corp. II Shares Flat with Trasteel Vote Still Pending

Sizzle Acquisition Corp. II shares edged up half a cent to $10.32 in light trading Tuesday as Nasdaq reopened after Memorial Day. The SPAC’s price remained about 7 cents below its March-end redemption value, with no operating revenue reported for the quarter. Sizzle and Trasteel Holding S.A. signed a definitive merger deal in April, valuing the combined company at $1.3 billion if no redemptions occur.
May 26, 2026
Standard Chartered Shares Rise as New CFO Arrives Ahead of Strategy Update
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Standard Chartered Shares Rise as New CFO Arrives Ahead of Strategy Update

Standard Chartered named Manus Costello as permanent CFO and Tanuj Kapilashrami as group COO on Monday. Shares rose 0.34% to 1,895 pence in London, tracking the FTSE 100. The appointments come ahead of a Hong Kong investor event Tuesday, where management will outline growth plans and financial targets. Costello joined the bank in April after senior roles at Autonomous and Merrill Lynch.
May 18, 2026
BP PLC Weighs Egypt Gas Asset Sale as New CEO’s Debt Push Gets Real
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BP PLC Weighs Egypt Gas Asset Sale as New CEO’s Debt Push Gets Real

BP is considering selling some natural gas assets in Egypt, sources told Reuters, as new CEO Meg O’Neill pursues debt reduction and a sharper focus on high-return projects. BP’s gas output in Egypt dropped 40% last year, while the company’s net debt rose to $25.3 billion despite a first-quarter profit of $3.2 billion. No final decision has been made on the Egypt assets, BP said.
May 15, 2026
GSK plc’s Jemperli Court Fight With AnaptysBio Takes New Turn Before July Trial
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GSK Plc Dividend Date Today: Why Its 2026 Payout Is Back in Focus

GSK’s U.S.-listed shares go ex-dividend May 15, with a 17 pence first-quarter payout due July 9. The company reported Q1 sales of £7.63 billion, up 5%, and launched a final buyback tranche after repurchasing £1.82 billion in shares. Shares fell over 8% after earnings as investors questioned the quality of results. The FDA set an Oct. 26 target for priority review of GSK’s hepatitis B drug bepirovirsen.
May 15, 2026
Raksul Delisting Is Now Set: Shareholders Clear Goldman-Backed MBO’s Final Step
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Raksul Delisting Is Now Set: Shareholders Clear Goldman-Backed MBO’s Final Step

Raksul shareholders approved a 28 million-to-one share consolidation, clearing the way for delisting from the Tokyo Stock Exchange on May 29. Holders of fractional shares are set to receive 1,900 yen per share, matching R1 Inc.’s tender offer, pending court approval. R1’s offer closed in March with 52.8 million shares tendered. Raksul shares ended Tuesday at 1,890 yen.
May 12, 2026
Telstra Group Limited’s $1.25 Billion Buyback Is Nearly Spent. Here’s What Investors Are Watching
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Telstra Group Limited’s $1.25 Billion Buyback Is Nearly Spent. Here’s What Investors Are Watching

Telstra disclosed A$12.2 million in additional share buybacks for May 8, bringing total spending to about A$1.08 billion under its current A$1.25 billion program. The buyback comes as Telstra raises mobile prices by up to A$5 a month. Shares closed at A$5.31 on May 8, down 0.38%. The next major update is due with annual results on August 13.
May 10, 2026
Legal & General Shares Hold Firm as 8.7% Yield and £1.2 Billion Buyback Face AGM Test
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Legal & General Shares Hold Firm as 8.7% Yield and £1.2 Billion Buyback Face AGM Test

Legal & General Group shares closed nearly unchanged Friday at 251.40 pence, with an 8.67% dividend yield and £1.2 billion buyback ahead of a key May 21 shareholder vote. The FTSE 100 fell 0.4% to 10,233.07, marking a third weekly decline amid Gulf tensions and Labour Party election losses. L&G’s Solvency II capital ratio dropped to 210% pro forma, down from 232% last year.
May 9, 2026
United Utilities Group PLC’s £800 Million Raise Puts Its £11.5 Billion Water Plan in Focus
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United Utilities Group PLC’s £800 Million Raise Puts Its £11.5 Billion Water Plan in Focus

United Utilities raised £800 million by issuing 60.98 million new shares at 1,312 pence each, with trading set to begin May 5. The funds will support an expanded £11.5 billion investment programme through 2030. Shares fell 2.8% Friday after the fundraising, despite an 11% surge the previous day. The company reported annual underlying revenue of £2.58 billion and profit after tax of £730 million.
May 3, 2026
Hargreaves Services Share Buyback: £20 Million Tender Offer Completed After Heavy Investor Demand
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Hargreaves Services Share Buyback: £20 Million Tender Offer Completed After Heavy Investor Demand

Hargreaves Services will buy back 2,352,941 shares at 850 pence each, returning about £20 million to investors after shareholders tendered over eight times the offer amount. The company will cancel 1,602,941 shares and hold 750,000 in treasury, reducing total voting rights. The buyback follows land sales from its renewable-energy portfolio. Payment to shareholders is expected by May 22.
April 30, 2026
Prudential PLC Buyback Puts Its $1.2 Billion Shareholder-Return Plan Back in Focus
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Prudential PLC Buyback Puts Its $1.2 Billion Shareholder-Return Plan Back in Focus

Prudential bought back 287,211 ordinary shares in London on April 24 as part of its $1.2 billion 2026 buyback programme, according to a regulatory filing Monday. The shares, purchased at an average price of £11.2041 each through J.P. Morgan Securities, will be cancelled. Prudential will have 2,522,120,122 shares in issue after the cancellation. The company expects to announce its 2025 second interim dividend on April 28.
April 27, 2026
Centrica Directors Buy Shares as British Gas Owner Shifts Cash Toward Big Energy Bets
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Centrica Directors Buy Shares as British Gas Owner Shifts Cash Toward Big Energy Bets

Centrica disclosed Monday that directors Frank Mastiaux and Sue Whalley bought a combined 1,676 shares at £2.084 each, a regulatory filing showed. The purchases came as Centrica’s 2025 adjusted EBITDA dropped to £1.417 billion from £2.305 billion, with free cash flow turning negative. Centrica shares traded at 208.8p, up 0.34% at 15:36 BST. The filing was made under Article 19 market-abuse rules.
April 27, 2026
Smiths Group Plc Buyback: Fresh 450,357-Share Cancellation Pushes £1 Billion Plan Forward
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Smiths Group Plc Buyback: Fresh 450,357-Share Cancellation Pushes £1 Billion Plan Forward

Smiths Group will cancel 450,357 shares bought from HSBC Bank between April 20 and 24 as part of a £1 billion buyback linked to its break-up plan. The company recently sold Smiths Interconnect for £1.3 billion and plans to return £1 billion to shareholders. A further £1.5 billion will be returned after the sale of Smiths Detection. Smiths missed half-year organic revenue growth estimates due to weak Flex-Tek performance.
April 27, 2026
QBE Insurance Group’s A$450 Million Buyback Is Done. The Next Test Comes Fast
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QBE Insurance Group’s A$450 Million Buyback Is Done. The Next Test Comes Fast

QBE Insurance Group cancelled 8.23 million shares after completing an on-market buyback, reducing its issued capital ahead of its May 8 annual meeting. The insurer bought back 21.14 million shares for A$450 million between April 9 and 23, paying between A$19.16 and A$23.01 per share. QBE reported a 2025 net profit of $2.16 billion, up from $1.78 billion. Shares last closed at A$22.37.
April 26, 2026
KPMG Cuts 10% of U.S. Audit Partners After Retirement Push Falls Short
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KPMG Cuts 10% of U.S. Audit Partners After Retirement Push Falls Short

KPMG will cut about 10% of its U.S. audit partners, affecting roughly 100 senior staff, after earlier voluntary-retirement efforts fell short. Partners learned of the move Wednesday. The firm’s U.S. audit business remains profitable, but KPMG cites overcapacity and changing staffing needs, partly due to AI. Departing partners will receive financial packages and job placement support.
April 24, 2026
Legal & General Group Plc Buyback Update: Why LGEN’s £1.2 Billion Plan Is Back in Focus
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Legal & General Group Plc Buyback Update: Why LGEN’s £1.2 Billion Plan Is Back in Focus

Legal & General bought 6.66 million shares for cancellation between April 13 and 17, paying £17.68 million at an average price of £2.6542 each. CFO Andrew Kail exercised 426,166 share options, selling 204,858 shares to cover costs and retaining 221,308. The company has repurchased 35.56 million shares so far, a small part of its £1.2 billion buyback plan.
April 22, 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
Glencore plc Faces New Mount Isa Test as Jervois Copper Project May Bypass Smelter
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Glencore plc Faces New Mount Isa Test as Jervois Copper Project May Bypass Smelter

Developers of the Jervois copper project are considering refining options that could bypass Glencore’s Mount Isa smelter, the Australian Financial Review reported Monday. The move comes after KGL Resources signed a US$300 million streaming deal to fund Jervois and as Mount Isa faces feed shortages following the 2025 closure of its main mine. Glencore relies on outside concentrate and government support to keep the smelter running.
April 6, 2026
NatWest Group Plc strikes new Sainsbury’s Nectar banking deal with savings, loans and card
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NatWest Group Plc strikes new Sainsbury’s Nectar banking deal with savings, loans and card

NatWest Group and Sainsbury’s will launch new financial products for Sainsbury’s customers, including instant-access savings, unsecured loans, and a NatWest Nectar credit card, starting in the second half of 2026. The move follows NatWest’s 2025 acquisition of Sainsbury’s Bank’s core portfolios and will offer Nectar-linked benefits through Sainsbury’s digital channels using NatWest Boxed.
April 1, 2026
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