News 7 April 2026 - 8 April 2026

UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 09.04.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 09.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 9, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 9, 2026, 2:25 AM EDT Materials Update Highlights ASX 200 and Titomic Developments April 9, 2026, 2:25 AM EDT. This update covers movements in the **ASX 200 Index**, a benchmark for Australian equities representing the 200 largest stocks by market capitalization. Key developments include progress from **Titomic**, a specialist in additive manufacturing, signaling potential shifts in materials and industrial sectors. Investors should note the inclusion of disclaimers emphasizing no direct recommendations are provided. The report aims to inform rather than influence investment decisions, urging users to seek professional advice before
April 9, 2026
Lloyds Banking Group Tests IBM Quantum Computing to Hunt Money Mules
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Lloyds Banking Group Tests IBM Quantum Computing to Hunt Money Mules

Lloyds Banking Group completed a nine-month test with IBM using a 156-qubit quantum computer to detect money mules in anonymised transaction data. The project found a planted suspect but remains a proof of concept, not yet in live use. UK Finance reported £1.17 billion stolen by fraudsters in 2024. The British government has pledged up to £2 billion for quantum technology.
April 8, 2026
Iran Says Lavan Oil Refinery Hit, Israel Denies Role as Ceasefire Faces Early Test
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Iran Says Lavan Oil Refinery Hit, Israel Denies Role as Ceasefire Faces Early Test

Iran reported an "enemy attack" on its Lavan Island oil refinery Wednesday, igniting a fire but causing no injuries, days after a U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced. Israel denied involvement. Brent crude fell 16% to $91.80 as traders anticipated Hormuz reopening, despite ongoing strikes on energy sites in the region. Shipping firms said full operations could take weeks to restore, with around 1,000 vessels still stranded.
April 8, 2026
NatWest Group Plc Taps Jefferies Banker in Push for Private Capital Fees
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NatWest Group Plc Taps Jefferies Banker in Push for Private Capital Fees

NatWest Group hired Nick Rodolakis from Jefferies to lead funds and sponsor coverage in its corporate and institutional bank, starting April 13. The division generated 54% of group income and 58% of operating profit in 2024. Rodolakis previously held senior roles at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse. NatWest recently agreed to buy Evelyn Partners for £2.7 billion.
April 8, 2026
Anglo American Shares Surge 10% as Relief Rally Revives Copper Bet
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Anglo American Shares Surge 10% as Relief Rally Revives Copper Bet

Anglo American shares jumped about 10% in London after a U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal triggered a relief rally and oil prices fell. The FTSE 100 hit a one-month high, while Anglo’s stock traded near 3,601 pence. The company is pushing ahead with asset sales and a planned Teck Resources tie-up, despite posting a $3.7 billion loss for 2025. Regulatory approval for the Teck deal is expected by year-end.
April 8, 2026
Shell Plc Flags $15 Billion Working-Capital Hit as Iran Conflict Cuts Gas Output, Lifts Oil Trading
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Shell Plc Flags $15 Billion Working-Capital Hit as Iran Conflict Cuts Gas Output, Lifts Oil Trading

Shell warned first-quarter gas output will fall short of guidance and expects working capital between negative $10 billion and negative $15 billion due to volatile prices. The Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar halted production after March attacks, with repairs expected to take up to a year. Shell raised refining margin guidance to $17 a barrel and said oil trading and fuel marketing have improved.
April 8, 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
UK Mortgage Rates Stay High Despite Iran Ceasefire as Remortgage Pain Deepens
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UK Mortgage Rates Stay High Despite Iran Ceasefire as Remortgage Pain Deepens

Average UK two-year fixed mortgage rates rose to 5.90% in April from 4.83% in early March, according to Moneyfacts. Halifax reported house prices fell 0.5% in March to £299,677, with annual growth slowing to 0.8%. Lenders say the recent U.S.-Iran ceasefire has eased market pressure but is unlikely to bring quick relief for borrowers. Buy-to-let landlords also face new tax and rental regulations from April and May.
April 8, 2026
BP PLC AGM Clash Deepens as Glass Lewis Urges Vote Against Chair Over Climate Resolution
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BP PLC AGM Clash Deepens as Glass Lewis Urges Vote Against Chair Over Climate Resolution

Glass Lewis urged BP shareholders to vote against Chair Albert Manifold’s re-election after the board blocked a climate resolution from the April 23 AGM. Legal & General Investment Management also plans to oppose Manifold. ISS, another proxy adviser, criticized BP’s move to revoke earlier climate pledges. BP defended its actions, citing investor feedback and a push for standardized disclosures.
April 8, 2026
NYT Points to Adam Back as Satoshi Nakamoto, but Bitcoin Pioneer Denies Claim
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NYT Points to Adam Back as Satoshi Nakamoto, but Bitcoin Pioneer Denies Claim

The New York Times named British cryptographer Adam Back as the likely creator of bitcoin, a claim Back denied within hours. The report comes as Back’s BSTR vehicle seeks approval to merge with Cantor Equity Partners I and expand bitcoin holdings. Wallets linked to Satoshi Nakamoto hold about 1.096 million bitcoin, worth $78.6 billion at current prices. Stylometric analysis cited in the Times report was called inconclusive by its author.
April 8, 2026
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 08.04.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 08.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 8, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 8, 2026, 11:58 PM EDT QBE and Amcor Shares: Key ASX Stocks to Watch in 2025 April 8, 2026, 11:58 PM EDT. The QBE Insurance Group (ASX:QBE) share price has risen 13.2% in 2025, reflecting its stature as a mature insurer operating globally, with only 30% revenue from Australia. It reported a solid 17.2% return on equity (ROE) and a debt/equity ratio of 27%, indicating low leverage. Amcor CDI (ASX:AMC), a packaging firm active in 40 countries, is trading 21.8% below its 52-week high but boasts a higher ROE of
April 8, 2026
Glencore plc Faces Eskom Power Deal Deadline in South Africa as Ferrochrome Jobs Hang in Balance
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Glencore plc Faces Eskom Power Deal Deadline in South Africa as Ferrochrome Jobs Hang in Balance

Glencore and Merafe’s South African ferrochrome joint venture faces a Tuesday deadline to secure a discounted 62 c/kWh power deal with Eskom, after halting retrenchments for a week. Only one of three smelters has restarted since a temporary tariff cut in January; output dropped 63% in 2025. Eskom and the venture agree on the rate in principle, but key conditions and regulator approval remain unresolved.
April 7, 2026
Barclays PLC Buyback Tops £525 Million as Bank Crosses Halfway Mark
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Barclays PLC Buyback Tops £525 Million as Bank Crosses Halfway Mark

Barclays has repurchased £525 million of stock since February, passing the halfway point of its £1 billion buyback program, filings showed Tuesday. The bank canceled 125.1 million shares and said its share capital now stands at 13.72 billion shares. Barclays will report first-quarter results on April 28. The buyback is part of a broader plan to return over £15 billion to shareholders by 2028.
April 7, 2026
Lloyds Banking Group plc tests quantum computing to catch money mules
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Lloyds Banking Group plc tests quantum computing to catch money mules

Lloyds and IBM completed a nine-month quantum computing test that identified a deliberately embedded money mule network using anonymised transaction data on a 156-qubit IBM system. Lloyds called it the first-known quantum experiment targeting mule detection. UK regulators continue to press banks to improve anti-fraud controls. The technology remains experimental and is not yet ready for widespread use.
April 7, 2026
BP PLC Gets Fresh Egypt Gas Boost After Eni Finds 2 Trillion Cubic Feet Offshore

BP PLC Gets Fresh Egypt Gas Boost After Eni Finds 2 Trillion Cubic Feet Offshore

Eni reported a discovery of about 2 trillion cubic feet of gas and 130 million barrels of condensates at the Denise W-1 well offshore Egypt, where BP is a partner. The find comes as BP halts its $750 million quarterly buyback to reduce debt and boost oil and gas investment. BP named Carol Howle deputy CEO ahead of its April 23 annual meeting, where shareholders will vote on climate resolutions. Oil traded near $110 a barrel Tuesday amid Middle East tensions.
April 7, 2026
Shell Plc Q1 Update Could Show an Oil Windfall, but Qatar Damage Clouds Outlook
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Shell Plc Q1 Update Could Show an Oil Windfall, but Qatar Damage Clouds Outlook

Shell will release its first-quarter update on April 8, with crude prices near $110 a barrel and the Strait of Hormuz still shut. Analysts raised Shell’s Q1 profit estimates by an average of 15% after Middle East disruptions. Shell’s Pearl GTL plant in Qatar remains offline following attacks. The company’s $3.5 billion buyback and dividend policy remains under scrutiny after a weak fourth quarter.
April 7, 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
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 07.04.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 07.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 7, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 7, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT Greatland Resources Increases Activity on ASX All Ordinaries Index April 7, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT. Greatland Resources has expanded its operations across the ASX All Ordinaries index, reflecting a strategic push in its market presence. The move demonstrates the company's intent to leverage broader market opportunities within Australia's primary stock market. Investors tracking Greatland Resources will note this expanded footprint as a potential signal of growth ambitions. Details about specific initiatives or financial implications remain limited at this stage. The ASX All Ordinaries index represents
April 7, 2026
Macquarie Group Provides $150 Million for Mesabi Metallics as Minnesota Iron Ore Project Nears Startup

Macquarie Group Provides $150 Million for Mesabi Metallics as Minnesota Iron Ore Project Nears Startup

Mesabi Metallics said Macquarie will provide $150 million to support a planned third-quarter 2026 startup of its Minnesota DR-grade iron ore mine and pellet plant. The project has also secured a $520 million Breakwall Capital facility and up to $10 billion in support from the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Mesabi expects to produce about 7 million tons of pellets a year. More than 800 construction workers are currently on site.
April 7, 2026
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