Investment 12 March 2026 - 13 March 2026

Taylor Wimpey shares closed up 1.13% at 94.68 pence Friday, still about 25% below their 52-week high. The company faces rising energy costs linked to the war in Iran and higher mortgage rates, while its 2026 profit forecast, sales rate, order book, and dividend have all fallen. Taylor Wimpey bought 5.62 million shares last week under its buyback program. Its next trading update is set for April 28.

RS Group PLC shares dropped 2.1% to 631 pence by Friday afternoon, with no new company data expected until a trading update later in March. The company recently agreed to acquire BPX Group for up to £30 million, aiming to expand in industrial automation. Analyst consensus forecasts 2025/26 revenue at £2.921 billion. Broader UK market sentiment was weak after economic data and energy price concerns.

HSBC shares fell about 1% in London by 1058 GMT Friday, after a 5% drop Thursday as investors reacted to the bank’s Gulf exposure amid Middle East conflict. The stock also traded ex-dividend Thursday for a 45-cent payout due April 30. JPMorgan estimates HSBC’s Middle East exposure at 4% of revenue and profit before tax, rising to nearly 9% if Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are included.

Telstra shares slipped 0.2% to A$5.12 after the company repurchased 1.95 million shares for A$9.99 million under its buyback. Telstra secured a five-year deal with Bendigo Bank and reported a 9.4% rise in first-half profit. The company warned new spectrum pricing could cost it A$1.6 billion above fair value. Regulatory changes on coverage standards also drew criticism from Telstra.

Suncorp shares closed at A$15.23 on March 12, up 1.47% despite the ASX 200 falling 1.31%, after another buyback update. The insurer’s first-half cash earnings dropped 67% to A$270 million following nine severe weather events and A$1.319 billion in claims. Suncorp remains 30% below its August 2025 high. A 17-cent interim dividend is due March 31.

Experian shares fell 0.61% to 2,755 pence Thursday, extending losses despite a €300 million debt sale and ongoing buybacks. The stock remains well below its July high as oil prices and Middle East tensions push up inflation, weighing on lender demand and interest-rate outlooks. Experian will report full-year results on May 20.

Bunzl shares rose 32 pence to 2,256p on Thursday, bucking a 0.4% drop in the FTSE 100 as oil prices surged. The stock remains far below its 52-week high of 3,094p. Bunzl reported 2025 revenue of £11.85 billion and an adjusted operating profit of £910.3 million. The company maintained its 2026 outlook, citing ongoing weak demand in North America and Mexico.

Aviva shares fell 0.4% to 625 pence after UK Insurance Ltd, now part of Aviva, was fined £10.6 million over past Solvency II reporting errors. The insurer bought 20,000 shares for cancellation under a resumed £350 million buyback. Aviva reported 2025 operating profit up 25% to £2.2 billion and raised its dividend 10%. Its Solvency II shareholder cover ratio dropped to 180% after the Direct Line acquisition.

BlackRock disclosed a 10.0% stake in Sage Group, up from 5.9%, sending Sage shares up 0.65% to 835.4 pence Thursday. Sage also bought back and will cancel nearly 439,000 shares as part of a £300 million buyback. Despite the gains, Sage shares remain down 23% this year. The FTSE 100 closed 0.5% lower at 10,305.15.

Smiths Group shares fell 0.32% to 2,474 pence by 17:14 GMT Thursday, extending Wednesday’s 4.54% drop after BNP Paribas cut its rating and warned on oil-and-gas demand for John Crane. BNP lowered its price target to 2,700 pence and trimmed earnings estimates for 2026–2028. Smiths bought back 138,700 shares Thursday but failed to halt the slide. The stock now trades about 10% below its 52-week high.

NatWest shares fell 3.4% to 568 pence by 1511 GMT Thursday, extending losses from above 590p earlier in the week and leaving the stock about 20% below its one-year high. The drop came as the FTSE 100 slipped and oil prices hit $100 a barrel, raising concerns over inflation and mortgage rates. Revolut won approval to launch a UK bank, intensifying competition. NatWest’s 2025 pretax profit rose 24% to £7.7 billion.

Legal & General shares rose 0.75% to 242.8 pence after launching the first £600 million tranche of a planned £1.2 billion buyback. The insurer reported a 6% rise in annual core operating profit to £1.623 billion, but its Solvency II capital ratio fell to 203%, missing expectations and driving a previous selloff. The stock remains below its recent high of 279.5 pence.