News 2 May 2026

Etihad Orders 10 Boeing Jets, Raising Talk of Hard-to-Get 787 Slots

Stock Market Today: Live Updates 15.07.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: July 15, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: July 15, 2026, 5:57 AM EDT Bank of Queensland (ASX: BOQ): 4 Fast Ways to Size Up the Share Price July 15, 2026, 5:25 AM EDT. Looking at Bank of Queensland Limited (ASX: BOQ), investors often watch a few main numbers. BOQ runs close to 200 branches, many led by owner-managers, underscoring its place in regional banking. The bank’s net interest margin comes in at 1.56%, under the 1.78% average for the big names on the ASX, so returns on lending are slimmer. Return on equity is 4.7%, well below the
July 15, 2026
National Grid plc’s 585 km Grid Upgrade Could Cut £50 Million From UK Power Bottlenecks
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National Grid plc’s 585 km Grid Upgrade Could Cut £50 Million From UK Power Bottlenecks

National Grid plc plans to deploy real-time monitoring tech on 585 kilometers of England and Wales’ high-voltage power lines, aiming to tackle one of Britain’s priciest grid chokepoints with sharper data. The company estimates the five-year project could shave as much as £50 million off consumer constraint costs. Timing is critical here. The UK keeps ramping up wind and solar, and electric vehicles, heat pumps, plus more sprawling data centres are plugging in, but the grid still can’t efficiently ferry electricity from wind-rich northern regions down to where it’s needed most in the south. The National Energy System Operator has warned that the cost of keeping the system balanced is rising fast, with annual expenses running at roughly £2 billion
May 2, 2026
London Stock Exchange Group plc’s Share Count Puts £3 Billion Buyback Back in Focus
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London Stock Exchange Group plc’s Share Count Puts £3 Billion Buyback Back in Focus

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.
May 2, 2026
Diploma PLC Nears Year High Before May Results — The Margin Test Investors Can’t Ignore
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Diploma PLC Nears Year High Before May Results — The Margin Test Investors Can’t Ignore

Diploma PLC wrapped up the week just shy of its 12-month peak, tightening the spotlight on its upcoming half-year numbers due May 19. On May 1, AJ Bell listed the FTSE 100 distributor’s shares at 6,950p on the sell side and 6,960p to buy, up 35p, or 0.5%, for the session. The stock touched 6,975p during the day—within reach of its year high at 7,060p. May 19 is circled on the calendar—Diploma releases its first update since bumping up guidance back in March, and this is when investors will see if those demand improvements and margin boosts are holding up into the second half. The company unveils its numbers that day, along with the interim dividend announcement. Looking ahead, a
May 2, 2026
Vodafone Shares Face Crucial Test After India Cuts Vi Dues, Buyback Rolls On
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Vodafone Shares Face Crucial Test After India Cuts Vi Dues, Buyback Rolls On

Vodafone Group Public Limited Company has drawn renewed attention after India reduced Vodafone Idea’s hefty government dues, handing the British telecom’s Indian affiliate a regulatory break just days ahead of its annual earnings release. The Indian government has trimmed Vodafone Idea’s adjusted gross revenue dues, bringing the total down to 640.46 billion rupees from 876.95 billion rupees, the company announced Thursday. AGR—India’s calculation for licence fees and telecom levies—remains the key metric.
May 2, 2026
BT Group’s Landline Switch Hits Its Toughest Test Before January 2027
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BT Group’s Landline Switch Hits Its Toughest Test Before January 2027

BT Group plc is moving forward with its digital landline switchover, but the process is hitting turbulence: safety fears are mounting from rural and vulnerable customers. Around 3.2 million UK households are still connected to the legacy phone network, and one campaigner didn’t mince words, calling the current timeline a “disaster waiting to happen.” Tough timing for holdouts: On Thursday, BT rolled out its “Don’t Put Off the Switch” push, tapping broadcaster Clare Balding to get the word out. The company is urging anyone still using analogue landlines to respond quickly when contacted, ahead of the nationwide cutover slated for January 2027. “Once-in-a-generation upgrade,” said Lucy Baker, Consumer Digital Voice Director at BT. In the last year, BT claims its
May 2, 2026
Standard Chartered Stock: Buyback Keeps Focus on Record Q1 Profit and Iran Risk
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Standard Chartered Stock: Buyback Keeps Focus on Record Q1 Profit and Iran Risk

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.
May 2, 2026
Wise PLC Class A Stock Heads for Nasdaq Switch After New Voting-Rights Filing
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Wise PLC Class A Stock Heads for Nasdaq Switch After New Voting-Rights Filing

Wise PLC Class A investors face the company’s looming Nasdaq move with a new update on voting rights, putting governance back in the spotlight. On Friday, Wise disclosed it had 1,025,672,252 Class A ordinary shares outstanding, each carrying a single vote, alongside 204,338,749 Class B shares. However, after limits on CEO Kristo Käärmann’s Class B voting rights, total exercisable votes add up to 2,443,283,067. The clock is ticking. The High Court has greenlit a scheme of arrangement—essentially a court-backed shuffle—that will see Wise Group plc step in as the parent company over Wise plc. Wise plc Class A shares are set for their last day of trading on May 8. Then, Wise Group Class A shares are slated to start
May 2, 2026
RELX PLC Stock: Dividend Deadline Looms as Buybacks Shrink Voting Rights
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RELX PLC Stock: Dividend Deadline Looms as Buybacks Shrink Voting Rights

RELX PLC’s new voting-rights statement has steered attention back to its buyback activity. The information and analytics giant counted 1,780,530,214 voting rights as of April 30—just ahead of its ordinary shares going ex-dividend for the 2025 final payout. Under UK rules, investors use this figure to determine if they need to declare a holding; treasury shares, which cover those stock repurchases the company still owns, don’t count. Here’s the crux: RELX is handing cash back to shareholders, even as doubts linger over how AI could reshape the economics for paid legal, risk, and scientific data platforms. The company’s ongoing £350 million buyback, running April 23 through May 22, comes directly after wrapping up another £350 million round. Both are part
May 2, 2026
IMI plc Stock Slides Despite £500m Buyback as May 12 Update Looms
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IMI plc Stock Slides Despite £500m Buyback as May 12 Update Looms

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.
May 2, 2026
Reckitt Benckiser Buyback Puts Share Count in Focus After Bruising Q1
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Reckitt Benckiser Buyback Puts Share Count in Focus After Bruising Q1

Reckitt Benckiser Group plc now lists 640,814,501 votes as its current shareholder base, according to a new regulatory filing. The updated figure gives investors a new reference for UK stake disclosures, with the company continuing its share buyback program following a disappointing first quarter. The timing of the update is key, with Reckitt aiming to demonstrate capital discipline as investors juggle concerns over sluggish sales, margin headwinds, and unpredictable consumer trends. Share buybacks tend to lift earnings per share by trimming the share count used for economic and voting rights—although treasury shares, held internally, don’t come with any voting power.
May 2, 2026
Glencore plc’s 19% Copper Jump Is Only Half the Story as Trading Profits Build
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Glencore plc’s 19% Copper Jump Is Only Half the Story as Trading Profits Build

Glencore plc posted a 19% bump in first-quarter copper production, reaching 199,600 metric tons, compared with 167,900 tons the previous year. The Swiss commodities group said its marketing division is still positioned to top the upper end of its annual earnings target, with energy and metals markets continuing to see volatility. That’s relevant now, as Glencore draws support from both its mining and trading operations. Output of copper—a key material for electric vehicles, power infrastructure, and charging stations—is running higher. On the trading side, Glencore’s teams are capitalizing on fractured supply chains in crude oil, refined fuels, and sulphuric acid. Chief Executive Gary Nagle described first-quarter output as “largely in line” with what the company anticipated, adding that its full-year
May 2, 2026
Why Anglo American plc’s latest filing puts its $53 billion Teck deal back in focus
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Why Anglo American plc’s latest filing puts its $53 billion Teck deal back in focus

On Friday, Anglo American plc reported its updated voting-rights base: 1,178,050,272 ordinary shares outstanding as of April 30—no treasury shares on the books. That’s the official tally for investors sizing up stakes ahead of the proposed Teck Resources tie-up. According to the filing, this number serves as the reference point for shareholders determining if they need to disclose positions or changes, as required by UK rules. The timing is critical as Anglo pushes ahead with a strategic overhaul, sharpening its focus on copper, premium iron ore and crop nutrients. The miner is actively moving away from diamonds, nickel and steelmaking coal. This week, all AGM resolutions cleared the bar—shareholders backed the final dividend with 99.95% of votes, while Chief Executive
May 2, 2026
GSK Wins UK Approval for Lynavoy — But Investors Still Want the Bigger Growth Story
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GSK Wins UK Approval for Lynavoy — But Investors Still Want the Bigger Growth Story

GSK plc has secured UK clearance for Lynavoy, its itch therapy for adults with primary biliary cholangitis. The green light gives the British pharma group another regulatory milestone in liver disease, coming just days after investors raised concerns about earnings momentum. The country’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency granted approval to GlaxoSmithKline UK Limited on May 1. Timing is key here, as GSK looks to show its pipeline has muscle with Luke Miels newly at the helm. Investors have a straightforward benchmark: can he counterbalance the looming 2028 patent cliff for HIV drug dolutegravir, while steering GSK toward its 40-billion-pound sales target for 2031?
May 2, 2026
Halma plc Stock Nears Record High as Deals Put HLMA Back in the Spotlight
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Halma plc Stock Nears Record High as Deals Put HLMA Back in the Spotlight

Halma plc climbed 2.72% to 4,527p on Friday, nearly touching an all-time high. The London-listed safety and medical tech firm outperformed a weakening FTSE 100 and finished the day only 1.15% off its 52-week peak, data from MarketWatch show. This shift hits at a key moment for Halma, as the company heads into its results period armed with a busier deal pipeline, a pricier stock, and—crucially—not much margin for error. With London markets shut over the weekend, Friday’s climb stands as the most recent signal of how much appetite investors have for one of the UK’s premium industrial tech stocks.
May 2, 2026
Australia Stock Market This Week: ASX 200 Rebounds, But Rate Fears Keep the Week in the Red
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Australia Stock Market This Week: ASX 200 Rebounds, But Rate Fears Keep the Week in the Red

Sydney — It’s May 3, 2026, clock just past 3:06 in the morning AEST. Australia’s stock market wrapped up the week in the red, miners’ late surge not quite enough to pull it back. The S&P/ASX 200 climbed 64.0 points, or 0.74%, to close at 8,729.8 on Friday, trimming losses but still ending the week 56.7 points lower—down about 0.7%. Materials jumped 2.1% as BHP, Rio Tinto and Champion Iron pushed higher. Financials dragged, with ANZ dropping 2.8%, and CBA, Westpac and NAB also down.
May 2, 2026
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Slips As BP, Shell And AstraZeneca Drag London Shares Lower
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UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Slips As BP, Shell And AstraZeneca Drag London Shares Lower

FTSE 100 slipped 0.1% to finish at 10,363.93 on Friday, chalking up its third consecutive weekly drop as London heads into a long weekend. The UK’s blue-chip index took a hit mostly from energy stocks and AstraZeneca. Over in the mid-caps, the FTSE 250 managed a 0.3% gain. London’s market direction isn’t just about corporate results anymore. Investors are juggling Middle East tensions, choppy oil, and a Bank of England that kept rates steady but dodged the tough calls on inflation. The FTSE 100 jumped 1.6% Thursday, Rolls-Royce and Glencore out front, but that bounce couldn’t turn the week around.
May 2, 2026
Shell Plc’s $15 Billion LNG Canada Prize Draws Wall Street Bidders After Export Record
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Shell Plc’s $15 Billion LNG Canada Prize Draws Wall Street Bidders After Export Record

Shell Plc’s LNG Canada project hit a new milestone in April, moving past 1 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas exports as heavyweight investors eye a piece of the Shell-led operation. Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is created by chilling gas until it becomes a liquid, allowing shipment by tanker. Shell faces a delicate balancing act: it's looking to unload parts of its portfolio for cash, even as it moves to secure more North American gas. Apollo Global Management, Blackstone, and KKR are the last firms standing in the bid for a major stake in LNG Canada, a deal Reuters said could fetch Shell upwards of $10 billion—maybe as much as $15 billion, according to three sources familiar with
May 2, 2026
Barclays PLC’s $800 Million Best Egg Deal Lands as Credit Risk Clouds U.S. Lending Push
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Barclays PLC’s $800 Million Best Egg Deal Lands as Credit Risk Clouds U.S. Lending Push

Barclays PLC has closed the deal to buy Best Egg, folding the U.S. online personal-loan outfit into Barclays Bank Delaware as it extends its reach in American consumer finance. The Best Egg name isn’t going anywhere, according to Barclays. CEO C.S. Venkatakrishnan described the U.S. as “a strategically important growth market” for the bank. Timing is crucial here: Barclays wants more scale and reliable fee streams in the U.S., fresh off its card business overhaul. UK rivals HSBC and NatWest have gone after deals for similar reasons, chasing bigger footprints. With Best Egg, Barclays picks up loan origination and servicing fees—counted as “capital-light” by bankers, since these don’t force the bank to park every loan on its own books.
May 2, 2026
Imperial Brands PLC Buyback Deepens Before May 12 Results Test
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Imperial Brands PLC Buyback Deepens Before May 12 Results Test

Imperial Brands PLC snapped up 220,000 ordinary shares for cancellation on May 1, putting around £6.2 million into the buyback at an average price of 2,802.0454 pence each, according to a regulatory filing. The Winston and Davidoff maker is pushing ahead with its £1.45 billion repurchase program. Barclays handled the trades on the London Stock Exchange. The clock’s ticking: Imperial’s first-half numbers land May 12, just under three weeks since the company reaffirmed its annual goals—while signaling most of the profit gains will come later in the year. Sure, the buyback helps, but there’s more in play.
May 2, 2026
NatWest Profit Jump Fails to Stop Share Slide as Iran War Provision Clouds Outlook
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NatWest Profit Jump Fails to Stop Share Slide as Iran War Provision Clouds Outlook

NatWest Group Plc topped first-quarter profit expectations, yet shares slipped as the British bank combined higher income with a wary guidance and a £283 million loan-impairment charge, with part of that tied to the Iran war. Timing’s crucial here. UK banks are still enjoying a lift from higher rates, though that environment is starting to pinch borrowers, cool housing appetite, and weigh on the broader economy. NatWest expects 2026 income—excluding notable items, or one-offs outside routine business—to land at the top of its previous £17.2 billion to £17.6 billion forecast.
May 2, 2026
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