Investment 31 March 2026 - 7 April 2026

Rolls-Royce Shares Jump 10% as Ceasefire Rally Puts Buyback Back in Focus
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Rolls-Royce Shares Jump 10% as Ceasefire Rally Puts Buyback Back in Focus

Rolls-Royce Holdings shares surged 10% to 1,257.1 pence on Wednesday after a U.S.-Iran ceasefire lifted London markets and a filing showed ongoing share buybacks. Morgan Stanley purchased 736,316 shares for cancellation on April 7, bringing total repurchases to nearly 29 million. The FTSE 100 rose 2.9% by 1042 GMT as Brent crude fell 12.3% on hopes of resumed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
April 8, 2026
Rolls-Royce Holdings Buyback Rolls On as Fresh Filing Sharpens Focus on £2.5 Billion 2026 Return Plan
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Rolls-Royce Holdings Buyback Rolls On as Fresh Filing Sharpens Focus on £2.5 Billion 2026 Return Plan

Rolls-Royce bought 385 shares at 1,172.5 pence each on April 2 under its £2.3 billion buyback programme, set for cancellation. Since launching the plan, the company has repurchased 28.2 million shares for about £344 million. Shares traded at 1,159 pence Tuesday, roughly 18% below the year’s high. Rolls-Royce will go ex-dividend on April 23, with a final 5.0 pence dividend due June 3.
April 7, 2026
Santos Limited shares near 52-week high as LNG disruption keeps Barossa in focus
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Santos Limited shares near 52-week high as LNG disruption keeps Barossa in focus

Santos Ltd closed at A$8.08 on Monday, near its 52-week high, with trading volume more than double its 30-day average. The company recently forecast 2026 production of up to 111 million barrels of oil equivalent, boosted by Barossa LNG and the Pikka project. Santos temporarily shut Darwin LNG for equipment work and faces possible tax changes as LNG prices rise. Its annual general meeting is set for April 16 in Adelaide.
April 6, 2026
Gold Prices Today: MCX Falls Below Rs 1.5 Lakh as Tanishq, Kalyan Cut 22K Rates
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Gold Prices Today: MCX Falls Below Rs 1.5 Lakh as Tanishq, Kalyan Cut 22K Rates

Gold June futures on MCX fell nearly 1% Monday, dropping Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,48,298 per 10 grams, with major jewellers cutting 22-carat retail rates. Tanishq listed 22-carat gold at Rs 13,710 a gram, down from Rs 13,875 on April 4. The decline follows a sharp FY26 rally and comes as the rupee weakens and Middle East tensions persist. Traders expect further volatility ahead of key U.S. economic data.
April 6, 2026
Prudential Opens Singapore Scrip Dividend Window After Pricing New Shares at $13.83
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Prudential Opens Singapore Scrip Dividend Window After Pricing New Shares at $13.83

Prudential plc has opened the election period for Singapore shareholders to choose new shares instead of cash for its 2025 second interim dividend, setting the scrip reference price at US$13.834482. The window runs until April 14, with new shares to be issued on the Hong Kong line. The scrip option may be withdrawn if London-listed shares drop 15% or more from the reference price by the deadline.
April 6, 2026
Australia Stock Market Returns After Easter Break as Oil Stays Above $100 and Rate Risks Build
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Australia Stock Market Returns After Easter Break as Oil Stays Above $100 and Rate Risks Build

Australia’s ASX reopens Tuesday after a four-day break, with oil still above $100 a barrel and the Strait of Hormuz in focus. The S&P/ASX 200 last closed 1.06% lower at 8,579.50. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said fuel shipments are secured into May, but urged a quick Strait reopening. The Reserve Bank raised rates to 4.1% in March, with markets pricing a 60% chance of another hike in May.
April 6, 2026
NatWest Group plc’s $1.5 billion NYSE notes head for delisting after maturity
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NatWest Group plc’s $1.5 billion NYSE notes head for delisting after maturity

The New York Stock Exchange filed to delist NatWest Group’s $1.5 billion 4.8% senior notes after the bonds matured on April 5. NatWest continues to list other securities in the U.S. and raised $750 million in subordinated notes in March. The bank remains active in capital markets and is pursuing growth in wealth management, including a £2.7 billion deal for Evelyn Partners.
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
HSBC Australia Sale Reignites as Blackstone Eyes A$26 Billion Loan Book
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HSBC Australia Sale Reignites as Blackstone Eyes A$26 Billion Loan Book

Blackstone is preparing an early bid for HSBC’s A$26 billion Australian loan book, with offers due by late April, according to The Australian. Citi is handling the sale, which also includes A$16 billion in deposits. The process follows HSBC’s decision to narrow its sale plan and ongoing efforts to exit lower-return businesses. The deal’s outcome remains uncertain due to regulatory and operational hurdles.
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
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 02.04.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 02.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 2, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 2, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT Fitch Upgrades British American Tobacco to A-, Highlighting Debt and Valuation April 2, 2026, 11:55 PM EDT. Fitch Ratings raised British American Tobacco's (LSE:BATS) long-term issuer rating to A-, signaling stronger creditworthiness and financial stability. This upgrade may reduce the company's borrowing costs and influence investor perception of its balance sheet resilience amid sizable debt used for operations and acquisitions. Despite the improved rating, Simply Wall St warns of ongoing balance sheet risks due to debt coverage concerns. The share price sits 4% below analyst
April 2, 2026
Rio Tinto Refreshes $10 Billion Debt Programme as Copper and Lithium Spending Builds
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Rio Tinto Refreshes $10 Billion Debt Programme as Copper and Lithium Spending Builds

Rio Tinto published an updated prospectus for its $10 billion Euro Medium Term Note programme, approved by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, as it seeks funding for copper and lithium expansion amid cyclone-hit Pilbara iron ore shipments. Net debt rose to $14.36 billion in 2025, while free cash flow fell 28%. Rio recently secured $1.175 billion for its Rincon lithium project and launched a $500 million drilling campaign at Resolution Copper.
April 1, 2026
Barclays PLC buyback tops 105 million shares as fresh risks test £15 billion return plan
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Barclays PLC buyback tops 105 million shares as fresh risks test £15 billion return plan

Barclays said it has repurchased 105.5 million shares since Feb. 10 as part of a £1 billion buyback, reducing its voting share capital to 13.73 billion shares at March-end. The move follows a 5.6 pence dividend payout and comes as the bank faces risks from UK car-finance compensation costs and private credit shortfalls. Barclays shares rose up to 4.1% on Wednesday amid sector gains.
April 1, 2026
Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Draws Union Warning, Splits Investors
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Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Draws Union Warning, Splits Investors

Unilever said it will merge its food business with McCormick in a $65 billion deal, shifting brands like Knorr and Hellmann’s into a new company and narrowing its focus to household and personal care. Unilever shares fell 7% after the news, while McCormick dropped 5%. The deal, using a Reverse Morris Trust, is expected to close by mid-2027. Unilever’s European Works Council warned of possible strikes over job uncertainty.
April 1, 2026
HSBC appoints new China wealth chiefs as mainland growth push gathers pace
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HSBC appoints new China wealth chiefs as mainland growth push gathers pace

HSBC named Max Xu to lead International Wealth and Premier Banking in China and Samuel Chen as China private bank head, both effective April 1. Wealth invested assets in mainland China rose 37% in 2025, but HSBC’s mainland pretax profit fell 66% last year. The bank is weighing cuts affecting up to 20,000 roles and named its first Chief AI Officer last week. HSBC’s market value briefly topped $300 billion in January.
April 1, 2026
Anglo American Shares Rebound as Teck Merger Timeline, Chile Copper Bet Stay in Focus
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Anglo American Shares Rebound as Teck Merger Timeline, Chile Copper Bet Stay in Focus

Anglo American shares closed at 3,153 pence Tuesday, rebounding from Monday but still far below late February levels. The miner is pushing ahead with a $53 billion all-stock merger with Teck Resources and plans to delist from Switzerland in June. Anglo reported $6.4 billion underlying EBITDA for 2025 but posted a $3.7 billion loss after a De Beers writedown. Chile’s antitrust regulator cleared a copper venture with Codelco last week.
March 31, 2026
Aviva plc makes £100 million UK rental homes bet with National Housing Bank
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Aviva plc makes £100 million UK rental homes bet with National Housing Bank

Aviva and the National Housing Bank will invest £100 million to build family rental homes in Liverpool and Manchester, with plans to expand to 3,300 homes nationwide. The partnership is among the first backed by the new government housing bank, which launches Wednesday with up to £16 billion in funding. About 300 homes will be built initially, including 135 in Liverpool and 150 in Manchester. Aviva Investors will manage the assets.
March 31, 2026
Shell Plc warns Australia windfall LNG tax could hit investment as energy shock deepens
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Shell Plc warns Australia windfall LNG tax could hit investment as energy shock deepens

Shell warned Australia that a proposed windfall tax on LNG exporters would deter investment and threaten energy security, as surging prices boost industry profits. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asked Treasury to model the tax and possible changes to the PRRT. Shell and Chevron executives criticized the plan at a Sydney conference. Asia spot LNG prices have doubled since February, and Australia exported A$65 billion of LNG last year.
March 31, 2026
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