Finance 30 March 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
Northern Star Resources CEO Converts A$7 Million in Rights Into Shares Ahead of April Quarterly
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Northern Star Resources CEO Converts A$7 Million in Rights Into Shares Ahead of April Quarterly

Northern Star Resources said CEO Stuart Tonkin converted 380,837 vested performance rights into ordinary shares worth about A$7 million, according to late-Monday filings. The conversion came from the company’s incentive scheme, not an on-market purchase. Northern Star shares closed up 5.18% at A$19.51. Investors await the March-quarter report on April 22 after the miner warned of challenges meeting FY26 output targets.
March 30, 2026
BHP Group Shares Lag Rio and Vale as Pilbara Recovery Turns Focus to April Review
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BHP Group Shares Lag Rio and Vale as Pilbara Recovery Turns Focus to April Review

BHP Group’s U.S. shares slipped 0.7% Monday, underperforming Rio Tinto’s 2.5% gain and Vale’s 0.3% rise. Investors continue to trade BHP on iron ore prospects, despite copper overtaking iron ore as its top earnings driver. No new filings appeared on the ASX, with BHP’s next operational update due April 22. Rio Tinto resumed Pilbara terminal loading after Cyclone Narelle and kept shipment guidance unchanged.
March 30, 2026
Wall Street Rebounds, but Dow and Nasdaq Stay in Correction as Oil Shock Deepens
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Wall Street Rebounds, but Dow and Nasdaq Stay in Correction as Oil Shock Deepens

The Dow rose 324 points by midday Monday but remained in correction, with Brent crude near $113 as Middle East fighting widened and oil surged 60% in March. U.S. and European bond markets showed signs of stress, and Morgan Stanley cut its global equities outlook to neutral. President Trump warned Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 also stayed well below recent highs.
March 30, 2026
Haleon shares rise after 8.9 million-share buyback ahead of April update
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Haleon shares rise after 8.9 million-share buyback ahead of April update

Haleon bought back 8.94 million shares for cancellation under its £500 million repurchase plan, bringing total buybacks to about 19.5 million shares since March. Shares rose 2.53% to 376.2 pence in delayed London trading. UBS and Citi expect first-quarter organic sales growth of about 2.2%, below consensus, after weak respiratory demand. Haleon’s next trading update is due April 29.
March 30, 2026
Vodafone Shares Rise After Latest Buyback Filing as Germany Recovery Stays in Focus
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Vodafone Shares Rise After Latest Buyback Filing as Germany Recovery Stays in Focus

Vodafone bought back 2.7 million shares at an average 110.93 pence under its 500 million euro programme, bringing treasury holdings to 1.234 billion shares. The stock closed Monday up 2.1% at 112.60 pence in London. Germany and the UK made up 55% of group service revenue last quarter. Vodafone’s current buyback began in February and follows 3.5 billion euros of repurchases since May 2024.
March 30, 2026
3i Group CEO Buys £9 Million of Stock After Action Slowdown Triggers Selloff
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3i Group CEO Buys £9 Million of Stock After Action Slowdown Triggers Selloff

Simon Borrows and family trusts bought 350,147 3i shares at £25.55 each on March 26, totaling about £8.95 million, after 3i stock fell 17.66% last week. Action, 3i’s largest holding, maintained 2026 targets for 4%-5% like-for-like sales growth and at least 400 net store openings. Action reported €3.7 billion in net sales for the first 12 weeks of 2026, up 14.5% year-on-year.
March 30, 2026
Informa Plc accelerates share buyback, cancels 1.9 million shares as stock stays off highs
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Informa Plc accelerates share buyback, cancels 1.9 million shares as stock stays off highs

Informa Plc bought back 1.897 million shares last week for cancellation at an average 756.55 pence each, reducing its share count to 1.274 billion. The company raised its 2026 buyback target to £250 million and reported £4.04 billion in 2025 revenue. Some Middle East events have been delayed to late 2026 due to the Iran war. Shares closed Monday at 745.8 pence, down 25% from November’s high.
March 30, 2026
SSE Shares Jump as Utility Maps Out £29 Billion Grid Push Ahead of RIIO-T3
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SSE Shares Jump as Utility Maps Out £29 Billion Grid Push Ahead of RIIO-T3

SSE said Monday its SSEN Transmission unit plans about £29 billion in gross capital spending, with £22 billion net to the group, under Ofgem’s new five-year price control. The company expects regulated asset value to rise from £7 billion in 2025 to £30 billion by 2030. SSE shares closed up 3.7% at £25.74. Near-term earnings guidance for 2026 is below last year’s results due to mixed weather.
March 30, 2026
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Jumps 1.6% as Oil Rally Lifts Shell, BP and Rio Tinto
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UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Jumps 1.6% as Oil Rally Lifts Shell, BP and Rio Tinto

The FTSE 100 jumped 1.6% to 10,127.96 on Monday, led by oil and mining stocks as Brent crude briefly topped $115 a barrel amid Middle East supply fears. The FTSE 250 slipped 0.05%. Sterling hit a three-week low against the euro, and UK two-year bond yields surged as traders shifted to expect more Bank of England rate hikes. Mortgage approvals rose to 62,600 in February.
March 30, 2026
Australia Stock Market Slips as Westpac Leads Bank Selloff, Rio Tinto and South32 Surge
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Australia Stock Market Slips as Westpac Leads Bank Selloff, Rio Tinto and South32 Surge

Australian shares fell 0.6% Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing at 8,461 as banks and tech stocks dropped and miners gained on surging oil and aluminium prices. Westpac now expects three RBA rate hikes by August, while Canberra halved fuel excise for three months. Rio Tinto rose 4.9% and Westpac fell 4%. Brent crude neared $115 a barrel after its steepest March rise on record.
March 30, 2026
NatWest Group Plc Raises Mortgage Rates Again as UK Home Loan Costs Climb
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NatWest Group Plc Raises Mortgage Rates Again as UK Home Loan Costs Climb

NatWest Group will raise mortgage rates across new and existing deals from March 31, its second increase in a week. Many rates will rise by 0.28 percentage point, with a two-year fixed purchase at 60% loan-to-value moving to 5.02%. Barclays, HSBC, and Santander have also raised rates since early March. The average UK mortgage rate reached 5.50% on March 25, the highest since August 2024.
March 30, 2026
Standard Chartered PLC Hires Ex-Deutsche Banker Ole Matthiessen to Lead Digital Assets Push
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Standard Chartered PLC Hires Ex-Deutsche Banker Ole Matthiessen to Lead Digital Assets Push

Standard Chartered has appointed former Deutsche Bank executive Ole Matthiessen as global head of transaction services and digital assets, leading a new unit in its corporate and investment bank. Matthiessen will be based in Singapore and report to CIB CEO Roberto Hoornweg. The move follows recent senior hires and comes as the bank expands digital asset services and reported a 16% rise in 2025 pretax profit.
March 30, 2026
Compass Group Gets BNP Paribas Upgrade Ahead of Dollar Switch on LSE
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Compass Group Gets BNP Paribas Upgrade Ahead of Dollar Switch on LSE

BNP Paribas upgraded Compass Group to “neutral” from “underperform” but cut its target price to 2,150 pence ahead of the company’s April 1 switch to U.S. dollar share trading. Compass shares closed at 2,038 pence on Friday after a February selloff linked to concerns over AI and GLP-1 drugs affecting demand. The group reported £46.07 billion in 2025 revenue and completed a $1.7 billion Vermaat acquisition.
March 30, 2026
RELX PLC shares rise as buyback tests whether AI fears have gone too far
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RELX PLC shares rise as buyback tests whether AI fears have gone too far

RELX PLC shares climbed 1.9% to 2,438 pence in London on Monday after the company extended its buyback plan, authorizing up to £350 million in repurchases through April 22. The move follows a completed £450 million tranche and is part of a £2.25 billion program for 2026. RELX reported a 9% rise in adjusted operating profit in February. The company’s annual general meeting is set for April 23.
March 30, 2026
Prudential plc pushes ahead with buyback as $7 billion return plan takes shape
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Prudential plc pushes ahead with buyback as $7 billion return plan takes shape

Prudential plc bought back 379,780 shares on March 27 at an average 10.4349 pounds each, reducing its share count to about 2.53 billion. The repurchase, part of a $1.2 billion buyback program, was executed through JP Morgan on the London Stock Exchange. Shares bought back on the record date will not receive the May 13 dividend. Prudential’s U.S. ADRs fell 1.1% to $27.48 in New York trading.
March 30, 2026
Seplat Energy Stock Climbs as Oil Rally Puts Nigeria Producer’s 2026 Growth Plan in Focus
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Seplat Energy Stock Climbs as Oil Rally Puts Nigeria Producer’s 2026 Growth Plan in Focus

Seplat Energy’s London-listed shares rose 0.52% to 484.5 pence Monday as Brent crude topped $115 a barrel. The company reported 2025 revenue of $2.73 billion and plans 2026 production of up to 155,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Its ANOH gas plant began output in January, with further offshore gas expansion targeted for the third quarter. Final and special dividends totaling 8.3 U.S. cents per share are due in late May.
March 30, 2026
BAE Systems plc buyback filing lands as defence orders pile up from the U.S. to Europe
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BAE Systems plc buyback filing lands as defence orders pile up from the U.S. to Europe

BAE Systems bought back 505,128 shares for cancellation between March 23 and 27, paying between 2,052 and 2,202 pence per share. The move comes as the Pentagon pushes BAE and others to increase munitions output, and U.S. officials urge defence firms to prioritise production over shareholder returns. BAE’s order backlog reached a record £83.6 billion in February. Recent contracts include fighter and naval deals with Britain, Turkey, and Norway.
March 30, 2026
Oil Prices Surge as Iran War Widens, Asian Stocks Slide and UK Weighs Emergency Measures
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Oil Prices Surge as Iran War Widens, Asian Stocks Slide and UK Weighs Emergency Measures

Brent crude headed for its biggest monthly rise since 1988 after Houthi attacks on Israel and Trump’s remarks on seizing Iranian oil rattled markets. German inflation rose to 2.8% in March, and UK petrol hit 152 pence a litre. Japan’s Nikkei fell 2.8%, while London’s FTSE 100 gained 0.6%. EU energy ministers plan emergency talks Tuesday as Shell warned of possible refined fuel shortages in April.
March 30, 2026
Barclays PLC Cancels 21.3 Million Shares Ahead of FCA Motor Finance Decision
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Barclays PLC Cancels 21.3 Million Shares Ahead of FCA Motor Finance Decision

Barclays bought back 21.3 million shares last week, extending its £1 billion repurchase plan ahead of a key UK motor finance compensation ruling. The Financial Conduct Authority warned consumers not to use claims firms, which could take up to 30% of payouts. Barclays’ share capital will fall to 13.7 billion after cancellation. The bank faces uncertainty over potential compensation costs tied to motor finance commissions.
March 30, 2026
Lloyds Faces Fresh Car Finance Pressure as FCA Opens Taskforce Ahead of Payout Ruling
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Lloyds Faces Fresh Car Finance Pressure as FCA Opens Taskforce Ahead of Payout Ruling

UK regulators launched a taskforce Monday to target motor finance claims firms as Lloyds Banking Group faces a £66 million lawsuit from over 30,000 borrowers alleging mis-sold car loans. The Financial Conduct Authority is set to announce final compensation rules later today. Lloyds has set aside £1.95 billion for the scandal, but actual costs may change. Other banks, including Santander and Barclays, are also exposed.
March 30, 2026
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