News 18 May 2026

Fortescue slides with ASX mining stocks ahead of Tuesday open
···

Fortescue slides with ASX mining stocks ahead of Tuesday open

Fortescue Ltd shares dropped nearly 3% to A$21.95 on Monday amid a broad selloff in Australian miners, pulling the S&P/ASX 200 to a seven-week low. BHP and Rio Tinto also fell, down 2.8% and 3.6% respectively. Brent crude traded above $110 a barrel, while Singapore iron ore slipped 0.3%. Fortescue’s only new filing showed State Street Corporation holding 5.02% of its shares.
May 18, 2026
Brambles drops 20% after U.S. pallet logjam cuts outlook
···

Brambles drops 20% after U.S. pallet logjam cuts outlook

Brambles shares plunged 20.23% to A$17.63 on Monday after the company cut FY26 sales and profit growth guidance due to U.S. pallet-repair constraints. The company expects a US$60 million earnings hit and announced a new US$400 million buyback. The S&P/ASX 200 dropped to a seven-week low following profit warnings from Brambles and Elders.
May 18, 2026
ASX 200 Drops to Seven-Week Low After Brambles, Tuas Slide
···

ASX 200 Drops to Seven-Week Low After Brambles, Tuas Slide

Australian shares fell to a seven-week low Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 1.45% as company downgrades and higher oil prices pressured markets. Brambles dropped 20.2% after cutting its 2026 profit outlook, citing US$60 million in U.S. network costs. Tuas plunged 62.8% after a Singapore merger review was suspended. The Australian dollar slipped to 71.36 U.S. cents.
May 18, 2026
CSL shares fall under A$100 with market wary on turnaround
···

CSL shares fall under A$100 with market wary on turnaround

CSL Ltd shares closed down 1.78% at A$96.22 on Monday, extending losses after last week’s profit downgrade and planned impairments. The stock is now nearly 20% below its May 11 level. CSL expects about $5 billion in additional non-cash, pre-tax impairments over FY26 and FY27. The company cited weaker U.S. and China sales, Middle East conflict, and increased competition as key pressures.
May 18, 2026
FTSE 100 climbs as major oil stocks lift London, midcaps lag
···

FTSE 100 climbs as major oil stocks lift London, midcaps lag

London’s FTSE 100 closed up 1.3% at 10,323.8 on Monday, led by gains in Shell and BP as Brent crude rose on Iran war supply fears. The FTSE 250 slipped 0.07%. UK-focused stocks lagged amid inflation concerns and political uncertainty over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s future. Homebuilders fell despite higher asking prices, while banks rose after changes to ring-fencing rules.
May 18, 2026
CBA Bounces, but Australia Bank Rout Leaves Traders Asking What’s Next
···

CBA Bounces, but Australia Bank Rout Leaves Traders Asking What’s Next

Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares rose 0.84% to A$160.74 Monday, bucking a 1.45% drop in the S&P/ASX 200. The gain followed last week’s record 10.43% one-day fall after CBA raised loan-loss provisions by A$200 million. CBA also named Professor Mary-Anne Williams its first Chief AI Scientist. The broader market hit a seven-week low as energy was the only sector to advance.
May 18, 2026
Macquarie drops Monday as dividend looms, ASX losses widen
···

Macquarie drops Monday as dividend looms, ASX losses widen

Macquarie Group shares closed down at A$236.55 on Monday, trading ex-dividend as the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.45% to a seven-week low. The stock’s drop followed a record A$4.847 billion annual profit and a final dividend of A$4.20 a share, 35% franked. Commodities and Global Markets profit rose 49% to A$4.221 billion. JPMorgan last week raised its price target to A$265.
May 18, 2026
BHP Dips After Hitting Record, ASX Miners Retreat
···

BHP Dips After Hitting Record, ASX Miners Retreat

BHP Group’s Australian shares fell 2.8% to A$58.77 on Monday, retreating from record highs reached days earlier amid a sector-wide selloff. The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.45% as materials and industrials led losses. Offshore, global stocks slipped on Gulf drone attacks that pushed oil above $111 a barrel. BHP’s U.S. shares held steady in New York trading.
May 18, 2026
Aviva Stock Jumps as Direct Line Boost Gives FTSE Insurer Fresh Lift
···

Aviva Stock Jumps as Direct Line Boost Gives FTSE Insurer Fresh Lift

Aviva shares rose 1.77% to 631.20 pence in late London trading Monday, outpacing the FTSE 100 after its Direct Line acquisition showed early gains. First-quarter general insurance premiums rose 19% to £3.4 billion, while retirement sales dropped to £1.1 billion from £1.8 billion. Legal & General shares edged up 0.15%. Analysts flagged risks from weaker retirement margins and market volatility.
May 18, 2026
Tesco Rises After Buyback; UK Grocery Market in Spotlight
···

Tesco Rises After Buyback; UK Grocery Market in Spotlight

Tesco shares rose 2.8% to 461.40p in delayed London trade on Monday after the company bought 5.64 million shares for cancellation under its £750 million buyback programme. Rival Sainsbury’s gained 1.8%. Tesco’s move followed a 3.4% drop last week and came as the FTSE 100 rose 1.3%. Investors remain focused on food-price competition and energy costs.
May 18, 2026
Legal & General shares are barely moving — but takeover talk has the City watching
···

Legal & General shares are barely moving — but takeover talk has the City watching

Legal & General Group shares rose 0.34% to 265.70p in late London trading Monday amid renewed takeover speculation, following a Financial Times report that private capital firms are circling the insurer. CEO António Simões denied any sale talks, saying he is focused on his strategy. Potential bidders reportedly see political and execution hurdles due to L&G’s size and large gilt holdings.
May 18, 2026
BAE Systems Stock Bounces Back, But the Defence Trade Has a New Test
···

BAE Systems Stock Bounces Back, But the Defence Trade Has a New Test

BAE Systems shares rose 1.84% to 1,884.50 pence in London Monday, partly rebounding from last week’s drop after news of U.S. space hardware deliveries. Trading volume reached 1.30 million shares by 14:54 BST. BAE confirmed it supplied components for the U.S. Space Force’s Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program, with the first payload on track for assembly before a 2028 launch.
May 18, 2026
Diploma Holds Near 52-Week High as Traders Wait for Earnings
···

Diploma Holds Near 52-Week High as Traders Wait for Earnings

Diploma PLC shares edged up 0.07% to 6,725 pence in London on Monday, holding near recent highs ahead of half-year results and an interim dividend announcement due Tuesday. The stock remains about 8% below its 52-week peak after a March upgrade raised 2026 growth and margin targets. Nearby UK industrial stocks outperformed. Investors await confirmation that recent gains in aerospace and seals can continue.
May 18, 2026
1 … 14 15 16 17 18 … 336

Stock Market Today

  • ASX ETFs to watch in undervalued healthcare, technology, and real estate sectors
    May 22, 2026, 7:46 PM EDT. ASX ETFs focused on healthcare, technology, and real estate are emerging as strategic buys amid sector downturns in 2026. The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index declined about 30%, pressured by rising interest rates and investor shift away from growth stocks. Global healthcare ETFs like BetaShares DRUG and iShares IXJ offer international exposure. The tech sector dropped nearly 20%, reflecting concerns over AI disrupting software business models; Betashares ATEC is a key ASX tech ETF. Real estate shares also fell near 10%, affected by higher interest and bond yields, with VanEck options available. These thematic ETFs provide targeted access to undervalued sectors, aligning with long-term, diversified investment strategies during market corrections.