Investment 19 March 2026 - 22 March 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
Australia Stock Market Week Ahead: ASX 200 Braces for CPI Test as Oil Shock Deepens
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Australia Stock Market Week Ahead: ASX 200 Braces for CPI Test as Oil Shock Deepens

The S&P/ASX 200 closed Friday at 8,428.4 as Brent crude hit $112.19 a barrel, its highest since July 2022. Rio Tinto shut two Queensland bauxite mines due to Cyclone Narelle, sending its stock down as much as 4%. Australia faces fuel supply strain after six Asian shipments were cancelled, leaving 38 days of petrol in stock. The February CPI lands Wednesday, days after the RBA raised rates to 4.1%.
March 22, 2026
IG Group Share Price Near Record High After U.S. Listing Review, Buyback and Outlook Lift
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IG Group Share Price Near Record High After U.S. Listing Review, Buyback and Outlook Lift

IG Group shares closed at 1,450 pence on Friday, holding most of Thursday’s 6.25% jump after the company launched a strategic review that may include a U.S. listing. The firm reported record revenue of £1.123 billion for 2025, up 7%, and expects about £300 million revenue for the March quarter. Active customers more than doubled after acquiring Freetrade. The board will update on the review in the autumn.
March 21, 2026
British American Tobacco Stock Price Falls as BAT Buyback Fails to Shield Shares
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British American Tobacco Stock Price Falls as BAT Buyback Fails to Shield Shares

British American Tobacco shares dropped 1.0% to 4,311 pence Friday, underperforming despite a new buyback and a 61.26 pence quarterly dividend. The FTSE 100 fell 1.4% amid inflation warnings and Middle East tensions. BAT confirmed 2026 growth targets but said results may land at the low end. The company faces a U.S. vape crackdown and a London lawsuit over North Korea sanctions disclosures.
March 21, 2026
Barclays PLC Share Price Falls Again as BoE Hike Bets and MFS Probe Hit Sentiment
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Barclays PLC Share Price Falls Again as BoE Hike Bets and MFS Probe Hit Sentiment

Barclays shares fell 2.02% to 373.90 pence Friday, underperforming the FTSE 100 as UK bank stocks slid. The drop follows signals the Bank of England may hike rates as soon as April and news of a regulatory probe into Market Financial Solutions, a failed lender to which Barclays has exposure. Barclays is now 6.3% below its March 18 close. NatWest, HSBC, and Lloyds also declined.
March 21, 2026
Vodafone Group PLC Share Price Rises as Berenberg Lifts Target and Buyback Continues
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Vodafone Group PLC Share Price Rises as Berenberg Lifts Target and Buyback Continues

Vodafone shares rose 0.28% to 107.95 pence Friday after the company bought back 2 million shares and Berenberg raised its target price to 123 pence. The buyback is part of a €500 million tranche launched in February, with €3.5 billion already completed since May 2024. Vodafone reported 5.4% third-quarter service revenue growth and maintained full-year profit guidance. Germany remains a competitive challenge.
March 21, 2026
Rolls-Royce Share Price Slides Again Despite Fresh Buyback as FTSE Selloff Deepens
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Rolls-Royce Share Price Slides Again Despite Fresh Buyback as FTSE Selloff Deepens

Rolls-Royce shares fell 2.44% to 1,161 pence Friday, extending losses and leaving the stock 18% below its February peak. The drop came as European markets slid and traders priced in a likely Bank of England rate hike. Rolls-Royce bought back 2.47 million shares this week as part of a planned £7–9 billion program. The company recently raised profit targets after 2025 operating profit hit £3.5 billion.
March 21, 2026
Legal & General Share Price Falls Again as Rate Fears Deepen After Earnings Miss
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Legal & General Share Price Falls Again as Rate Fears Deepen After Earnings Miss

Legal & General shares closed at 236.3p in London Friday, down 2.1% and 15.5% below their Feb. 23 high, after missing profit and solvency targets last week despite a record £1.2 billion buyback. The FTSE 100 fell 1.4% as markets shifted to expect possible Bank of England rate hikes amid renewed inflation fears. CEO António Simões said he was comfortable with the solvency ratio.
March 21, 2026
3i Group Share Price Hits 52-Week Low Ahead of Action Seminar
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3i Group Share Price Hits 52-Week Low Ahead of Action Seminar

3i Group shares closed at a 52-week low of 2,701 pence on Friday, down 2.28%, underperforming the FTSE 100’s 1.4% drop. The stock has lost 10.6% since March 17 and now trades 9.4% below its last reported net asset value. The decline comes ahead of 3i’s Action Capital Markets Seminar on March 26. Other listed private-markets firms, including Intermediate Capital Group and Bridgepoint, also fell.
March 20, 2026
Wall Street Tumbles, Bond Yields Jump as Iran War Sends Oil Above $112 and Turns Fed Cut Hopes Into Hike Bets
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Wall Street Tumbles, Bond Yields Jump as Iran War Sends Oil Above $112 and Turns Fed Cut Hopes Into Hike Bets

The S&P 500 fell 1.49% Friday, the Nasdaq lost 1.98%, and the Dow dropped 0.92% as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran showed no sign of ending, pushing oil prices to a two-year high. Bond yields jumped, with the U.S. 10-year Treasury at 4.386% and Britain’s 10-year above 5%. Brent crude settled at $112.19 a barrel after Iraq declared force majeure and Strait of Hormuz traffic remained disrupted.
March 20, 2026
Macquarie Group Stock in Focus After $7 Billion Kuwait Pipeline Exit and Fresh Buyback Filing
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Macquarie Group Stock in Focus After $7 Billion Kuwait Pipeline Exit and Fresh Buyback Filing

Macquarie Group withdrew from a bid for Kuwait’s oil pipeline network worth up to $7 billion, citing conflict-related uncertainty, according to sources. Shares closed Thursday at A$196.09, down 0.65%. The company extended its on-market buyback and will raise home-loan and deposit rates by 25 basis points from April 2. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation continues to seek offers despite force majeure and production cuts.
March 20, 2026
Prudential Boosts Buybacks After 12% New Business Profit Rise, Eyes More Cash Returns
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Prudential Boosts Buybacks After 12% New Business Profit Rise, Eyes More Cash Returns

Prudential PLC launched a $1.2 billion share buyback for 2026 after 2025 new business profit rose 12% to $2.78 billion, driven by sales growth in Hong Kong, China, and Indonesia. The insurer expects total shareholder returns to top $7 billion from 2024 to 2027. Operating free surplus generation climbed 15% to $3.06 billion. Prudential shares fell 2% after results.
March 19, 2026
Beazley Plc Share Price Drops 2% After Dividend Reset, but Zurich Bid Gap Stays Tight
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Beazley Plc Share Price Drops 2% After Dividend Reset, but Zurich Bid Gap Stays Tight

Beazley shares fell 2% Thursday as the stock traded ex-dividend, closing at 1,265p after Zurich Insurance’s 1,335p takeover offer was adjusted for a 25p payout. The 8.1 billion pound deal, announced March 2, gives Beazley holders 1,310p cash plus the 25p dividend. Regulatory approvals are pending, with a shareholder vote expected in April. The dividend will be paid May 1 to shareholders on the register March 20.
March 19, 2026
IG Group Weighs New York Listing in Fresh Test for London Market
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IG Group Weighs New York Listing in Fresh Test for London Market

IG Group is considering moving its stock listing from London to the U.S. as part of a strategic review, following record 2025 revenue of £1.1234 billion and a new £125 million share buyback. The review, set to conclude in autumn, comes as IG prepares to join the FTSE 100 on March 23. Shares rose 5.5% to a record high despite wider market declines. About a quarter of IG’s business is already in the U.S.
March 19, 2026
Unilever PLC Stock Falls Again as Food Spin-Off Talk, Kraft Heinz Talks Rattle Investors
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Unilever PLC Stock Falls Again as Food Spin-Off Talk, Kraft Heinz Talks Rattle Investors

Unilever shares fell further Thursday after reports the company is considering spinning off its food business and ended talks with Kraft Heinz over a possible tie-up. The food unit generated €12.9 billion in 2025 sales, over a quarter of group revenue. Investors worry another carve-out could distract CEO Fernando Fernandez, who is still managing the recent ice-cream demerger. Unilever declined to comment.
March 19, 2026
Gold Prices and Silver Prices Hit One-Month Lows as Fed Inflation Warning Outweighs War Fears
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Gold Prices and Silver Prices Hit One-Month Lows as Fed Inflation Warning Outweighs War Fears

Gold fell 2.7% to $4,687.19 an ounce and silver dropped 6.3% to $70.65, both hitting lows not seen since early February, as the dollar and Treasury yields rose after the Fed held rates steady. The S&P 500 slid 1.4% and Brent crude topped $119 following Iran’s strikes on Gulf energy sites. Major central banks signaled concern over inflation from higher energy prices.
March 19, 2026
ANZ Share Price Falls After RBA Hike as Broker Warnings Put Bank Rally on Edge
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ANZ Share Price Falls After RBA Hike as Broker Warnings Put Bank Rally on Edge

ANZ Group Holdings shares fell 1.07% to A$37.13 on Wednesday, underperforming rivals after the bank raised mortgage rates following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s quarter-point hike. The move will add about A$80 a month to repayments on a A$500,000 loan. Commonwealth Bank and Westpac gained, while NAB slipped. Analysts warned the rate increase could pressure ANZ’s margins and trigger further share declines.
March 19, 2026
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Stock Price Today: CBA Climbs After RBA Hike as Valuation Risks Loom
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Commonwealth Bank of Australia Stock Price Today: CBA Climbs After RBA Hike as Valuation Risks Loom

Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares closed up 0.55% at A$177.09 after the bank said it would pass the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest 0.25-point rate hike to variable home-loan customers from March 27. NAB and ANZ matched the move, while Westpac set March 31. Analysts remain cautious, with a median target price well below current levels. Markets see a 40% chance of another RBA hike in May.
March 19, 2026
Westpac Banking Corporation Stock Price (ASX: WBC) Edges Up as RBA Hike Sparks Mortgage Rate Reset
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Westpac Banking Corporation Stock Price (ASX: WBC) Edges Up as RBA Hike Sparks Mortgage Rate Reset

Westpac shares closed at A$41.53, up 0.10% after the Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.10%. Westpac and its major rivals will lift variable home-loan rates by the same amount. The stock remains 4% below its February high and lagged the ASX 200’s 0.31% rise. Consumer sentiment fell to 91.6 in March as inflation risks grew.
March 19, 2026
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