Investments 30 April 2026 - 3 May 2026

London Stock Exchange Group plc has updated its total voting rights figure to 493,222,493. That’s now the reference point for shareholders checking if they’ve crossed disclosure thresholds under UK market rules. As of April 30, the group’s issued share capital counted 514,674,092 ordinary shares, with 21,451,599 of those sitting in treasury—shares the company owns itself and that don’t carry voting rights. The notice itself isn’t unusual. The timing, though, stands out. LSEG just reported snapping up £1.1 billion in shares during Q1 and says it’s still aiming for that £3 billion buyback by February 2027. CEO David Schwimmer remains upbeat, telling investors the group is “confident in the outlook” and expects to hit its targets for the year.

Standard Chartered PLC snapped up 558,759 ordinary shares for cancellation on May 1, sticking with its buyback program following a record-breaking first-quarter profit and a fresh India portfolio sale—moves signaling a sharper retail focus. According to a regulatory filing, the London-listed lender paid a volume-weighted average price just over 1,852 pence per share, with J.P. Morgan Securities executing the trades. Timing wasn’t random. Standard Chartered’s buyback dropped just one day after its first-quarter numbers showed operating income at a record $5.9 billion, up 9%. Profit before tax hit $2.5 billion, reflecting a 17% jump at constant currency. Guidance for 2026? No change there.

IMI plc slipped 2.01% to end Friday at 2,736 pence, trailing the FTSE 100’s more modest decline as another buyback announcement from the UK engineering group failed to spark interest. Shares now sit 6.88% off the 52-week high. Timing’s key here. IMI’s set to deliver its first-quarter trading update and convene its annual general meeting on May 12—investors will be watching for numbers on orders, margins, and signs that cash returns are actually backed by underlying momentum.

National Australia Bank heads into Monday’s session with its shares hovering close to A$40, as the bank gears up to unveil first-half numbers. Investors have their eye on rising bad-loan provisions, talk of a capital raise, and questions swirling around the dividend outlook. NAB’s 2026 half-year results are scheduled for release at 10:30 a.m. AEST on May 4. The release comes at a tricky moment. Just ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s May 5 call, where 30 out of 33 economists polled by Reuters are betting on a 25-basis-point bump to 4.35%. “Inflation is basically too high in Australia,” said AMP economist My Bui. ANZ, CBA, and NAB all stick with a 4.35% peak, Reuters noted, while Westpac stands

BlackRock Portfolio Management LLC has revealed a 6.9% beneficial stake in Rentokil Initial plc, putting a new number on its ownership of the British pest-control firm as investors seek signs of a North American turnaround. According to a Schedule 13G/A, filed April 30, BlackRock holds beneficial ownership of 175,098,972 shares, including sole voting rights over 162,993,738. “Beneficial ownership” refers to voting or selling power, so not every share is held directly. Timing is key here: Rentokil’s annual meeting lands on May 7, less than a week away, and the company remains under the gun to deliver improved U.S. performance. In its most recent trading update, Rentokil posted first-quarter group revenue of $1.677 billion, with organic revenue growth—stripping out currency swings

Halma jumped 120p, gaining 2.72% to finish at 4,527p on Friday. That move put the safety and health tech group close to its all-time highs, easily beating a lackluster FTSE 100, which slipped 0.14%. This puts Halma roughly 1.2% below its record high of 4,580p from April 17, and its full-year numbers are expected June 11. Eyes are on whether the group can back up its 2026 guidance boost with a solid earnings release.