Investing 20 March 2026 - 27 March 2026

Standard Chartered shares slipped 1.5% in London by 1102 GMT on Friday, coming in at 1,530.75 pence. That move builds on Thursday’s 3.95% drop, capping off a choppy week for the stock. Year-to-date, shares have shed 15.6%, still a far cry from the 19.24-pound high set back on Feb. 3. The timing isn’t ideal for the bank. Investors are trying to figure out if capital returns and a bigger investment-banking footprint can counter concerns about Middle East exposure, made sharper by the wave of management shakeups after February’s sudden CFO departure. J.P. Morgan analysts pointed out earlier this month that Standard Chartered and HSBC top the list of European banks with the largest exposure to the region’s turmoil. For StanChart,

Reckitt Benckiser hovered a bit over 5,100 pence on Wednesday, barely budging as the FTSE 100 added roughly 1.4%. Despite the small lift, shares remained more than 20% under their 6,514 pence high for the year. That’s significant, with the stock still nursing wounds from a 6% slide on March 5—investors brushed off Reckitt’s fourth-quarter sales beat, focusing instead on a murky margin and profit outlook. The company, following peers like Unilever and Nestle, has been steering its portfolio toward brands with faster growth and fatter margins. “Emerging markets were absolutely a must-win set of markets for us,” CEO Kris Licht told Reuters. Still, Chris Beckett at Quilter Cheviot pointed out, some gains from the Essential Home sale are being

Shares of Commonwealth Bank of Australia ended Tuesday’s session down 1.8% at A$171.12, underperforming as the broader market eked out a 0.16% gain despite surrendering much of its early advance. Even so, CBA is still up 6.6% for the year. This matters because CBA’s been the sector’s standard-bearer. Shares surged up to 8.4% after February’s half-year numbers landed, with the bank notching a record A$5.45 billion first-half profit alongside stronger growth in home loans, business lending, and deposits. Michael Haynes at Atlas Funds Management pointed to business-bank expansion and what he called “operational excellence across mortgages” as standout features.

Rio Tinto fell in London trading Tuesday, with shares changing hands at 6,324 pence as of 1325 GMT, slipping roughly 0.8% from Monday’s 6,375 pence finish. Investors digested another warning that pricier diesel could tack billions more onto iron ore mining costs. This shift is significant for Rio, still wrestling with storm fallout in Queensland, just as cost pressures across the sector are creeping into valuations. London’s mining index slipped 0.4%, while the FTSE 100 edged 0.1% lower. Oil’s leap back above $100 a barrel kept investors on edge about the Middle East conflict.

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: March 24, 2026, 8:38 AM EDTUpdated: March 24, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT NuEnergy Gas (ASX:NGY) Trading Halted Following Price Surge March 24, 2026, 11:54 PM EDT. NuEnergy Gas (ASX:NGY) experienced an unexpected trading halt after a significant price surge on the Australian Securities Exchange. The halt aims to allow the market to absorb fresh information influencing the stock's sharp movements. Trading suspensions are a regulatory tool used to ensure fair market conditions when volatility spikes or pending announcements occur. Investors await further disclosures from NuEnergy Gas to clarify the factors behind the price jump. The company's shares

CSL Limited climbed 2.9% to end the day at A$138.50, standing out among large caps as the ASX 200 slipped 0.82%. Healthcare names held up, with Sigma Healthcare and Telix Pharmaceuticals joining CSL in the green. CSL’s still working to calm investor nerves after the earnings shock and top-level exits hit in February. The company disclosed in a March 20 filing that it snapped up 111,215 shares the day prior, shelling out A$14.99 million and stretching its on-market buyback, which could reach as much as US$750 million.

Diageo wrapped up Friday’s session at 1,400 pence, just above the day’s 1,381 pence low in London—leaving shares parked close to the lowest point in their 52-week stretch. That’s in focus now, with the market still working through Diageo’s February shake-up. The company lowered its outlook for fiscal 2026 organic sales—cutting the target to a 2%-3% drop, excluding impacts like currency, deals, and disposals. The interim dividend was slashed by half, down to 20 cents. Net debt? $21.7 billion. Chief Executive Dave Lewis, for his part, said a more detailed strategy will hit the board in the second quarter, with public details expected in the third.

Glencore shares wrapped the week at 520.10 pence, holding above 520 even after its South African ferrochrome operation threatened to walk away from rescue negotiations over power costs. The stock ticked up 0.37% on Friday’s close, per London Stock Exchange data. This is landing right as Glencore pushes to slash costs, rejig its asset base, and shore up shareholder payouts. Last month, the miner kept its $2 billion return to shareholders on the table, even after annual profits dropped for a third year. Net debt, meanwhile, remains above Glencore’s $10 billion target.

IG Group shares hovered close to all-time highs Friday, following the company’s move to boost its 2026 guidance, kick off a £125 million buyback, and start a review that might shift its listing. The stock changed hands between 1,427 pence and 1,462.89 pence—holding just below Thursday’s 52-week peak of 1,477 pence—after a results-driven surge of up to 8.6%. This came as the FTSE 100 sank 1.4% amid broader selling. The implications extend past just a single session. IG is on track to join the FTSE 100 come March 23, but the firm’s still weighing possibilities around acquisitions, where it’s based, and potential changes to its listing. London’s been watching companies exit for markets flush with more capital, and IG hasn’t