News 1 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, 6:40 AM EDT ASX ETFs to Watch in July: NDQ, MOAT, VAS July 15, 2026, 5:59 AM EDT. Australian investors looking at ETFs in July might focus on a few key names. The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) gives tech-heavy U.S. exposure through big names like NVIDIA and Apple, plus themes like AI and cloud. VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT) holds U.S. companies picked for strong long-term advantages and mixes quality with a value tilt, with stocks such as Fortinet. For broad local exposure, Vanguard
July 15, 2026
CSL Limited Buyback Tops A$1 Billion After Stock Hits 2017 Low
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CSL Limited Buyback Tops A$1 Billion After Stock Hits 2017 Low

CSL Limited repurchased 110,004 shares on April 30, according to a May 1 filing with the ASX. That brings the total bought back under its on-market program to 6.35 million shares, with around A$1.06 billion paid or committed so far. The buyback, which is capped at US$750 million, is scheduled to run through June 30. The filing comes as CSL faces a tough stretch. Reuters noted last week that shares hit their lowest point since late August 2017 after the U.S. military dropped its flu vaccine mandate. Marc Jocum, senior product and investment strategist at GlobalXETFs, called the Pentagon’s move a hit “at the worst possible time.” But for Vantage Markets analyst Hebe Chen, “the real issue runs deeper” than
May 1, 2026
National Australia Bank Limited Faces a 72-Hour Test as NAB Results, Bad-Debt Charges and RBA Rate Risk Converge
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National Australia Bank Limited Faces a 72-Hour Test as NAB Results, Bad-Debt Charges and RBA Rate Risk Converge

National Australia Bank Limited is set to unveil its first-half results on Monday, pushing credit quality, margins, and capital into focus during a busy stretch for Australia’s lenders. According to NAB’s financial calendar, half-year results drop May 4, with interim dividend dates on the docket for later in the week. Timing’s a factor here, since the numbers won’t deliver a straightforward picture. NAB has flagged first-half credit impairment charges of A$706 million—funds earmarked for doubtful loans. On top of that, a shift in software accounting will hit the books with an accelerated amortisation charge: A$1.347 billion before tax, translating to A$949 million after tax.
May 1, 2026
3i Group plc Directors Buy Shares as Action Growth Concerns Put Stock Back in Focus
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3i Group plc Directors Buy Shares as Action Growth Concerns Put Stock Back in Focus

Five of 3i Group plc’s directors or senior managers picked up shares via the Share Incentive Plan, a minor insider move but one that lands as investors continue to focus almost entirely on Action, the company’s Dutch discount retailer. The filing went out in London at noon on Friday. The timing is crucial here. 3i shares finished Wednesday at £25.35, down 2.2%. According to MarketWatch, that's 43.63% off the October peak. Later, the investor-relations page for 3i showed the price at 2,563.50 pence, edging up 0.06%.
May 1, 2026
Rentokil Initial plc Stock Back in Focus as BlackRock Discloses 6.9% Stake
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Rentokil Initial plc Stock Back in Focus as BlackRock Discloses 6.9% Stake

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
May 1, 2026
Why Sage Group plc’s Buyback Is Back in Focus Before May Results
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Why Sage Group plc’s Buyback Is Back in Focus Before May Results

Sage Group plc repurchased 644,527 shares on Friday, with plans to cancel them—part of its ongoing £300 million buyback program. The FTSE 100 software firm is set to report interim results later this month, a date investors have circled. A buyback cuts the total number of shares. Timing is key here. Sage shares finished Friday up 1.69%, settling near £8.92—one of the brighter spots in a sluggish FTSE 100 performance. Still, the stock sits far off last year’s peak. The company’s next financial checkpoint: H1 FY26 interim results due May 21.
May 1, 2026
Prudential plc’s $1.2 Billion Buyback Is Back in Focus After Q1 Profit Rise
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Prudential plc’s $1.2 Billion Buyback Is Back in Focus After Q1 Profit Rise

Prudential plc snapped up 488,861 ordinary shares on April 30, pushing ahead with its $1.2 billion buyback program due to run through 2026. The Asia-focused insurer moved after posting stronger first-quarter new business profit. Shares were purchased at a volume-weighted average of £10.9289 and will be cancelled, leaving the group with 2,520,118,359 shares and voting rights outstanding following the deal. Timing is key here. Prudential is aiming to prove it can convert growth in Asia and Africa into shareholder cash, even as markets, currencies, and inflation continue to weigh on demand for insurance and savings. The buyback, scheduled to wrap up by Dec. 18, 2026, totals $1.2 billion—$500 million from ongoing capital returns, plus $700 million linked to the ICICI
May 1, 2026
Severn Trent Plc Shares Drop After Citi Cut as UK Water Stock Rally Hits a Test
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Severn Trent Plc Shares Drop After Citi Cut as UK Water Stock Rally Hits a Test

Shares of Severn Trent Plc slipped Friday, with Citigroup downgrading the U.K. water utility to “neutral” from “buy” and dampening yesterday’s big sector bounce. AJ Bell’s market roundup noted that both Severn Trent and United Utilities lost ground after Citi’s move to lower ratings for the pair. This shift is significant as investors weigh whether water utilities can shoulder major network outlays and still keep market backing. Public scrutiny over infrastructure is mounting, and Thames Water remains under the microscope after fines and lawsuits from environmental regulators, according to Reuters’ writeup on United Utilities.
May 1, 2026
Fresnillo Stock Rebounds, But Silver Output Drop Leaves a Bigger 2026 Question
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Fresnillo Stock Rebounds, But Silver Output Drop Leaves a Bigger 2026 Question

Fresnillo PLC shares ticked up on Friday, building on Thursday’s strong bounce. Investors shrugged off softer first-quarter silver output from the FTSE 100 miner, focusing instead on firmer precious-metals prices. The stock finished the day at 3,255p, gaining 0.62%. That follows Thursday’s 3.95% jump. Still, shares remain under their January peak, though the tone turned steadier following three straight down sessions earlier this week.
May 1, 2026
SSE PLC Stock: Why Investors Are Watching Its £33bn Grid Bet Before May Results
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SSE PLC Stock: Why Investors Are Watching Its £33bn Grid Bet Before May Results

SSE PLC on Friday reported its total voting rights at 1,212,191,770, according to a regulatory filing. That number reflects the subtraction of 3,282,272 treasury shares—held by the company and not entitled to a vote—from its 1,215,474,042 issued ordinary shares. Investors use this figure as the baseline for UK holding disclosures. Norges Bank bumped above a key ownership threshold in SSE this week, according to a separate filing. The Norwegian central bank reported a 3.151730% stake in voting rights—made up of 36,468,666 votes from shares it holds, plus another 1,736,146 from recallable shares on loan.
May 1, 2026
St. James’s Place Shares Slip Again: Why £1.5 Billion of Inflows Did Not Calm Investors
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St. James’s Place Shares Slip Again: Why £1.5 Billion of Inflows Did Not Calm Investors

Shares of St. James’s Place Plc slipped to 1,209.5 pence in London on Friday, down 0.74%. The move wrapped up a volatile two days for the wealth manager, which had announced £1.53 billion in first-quarter net inflows but also flagged a decline in funds under management to £216.94 billion. The stock tumbled on Wednesday, clawed back some ground Thursday, and finished the week lower. This is key for SJP, which is under pressure to show its overhaul is delivering. Investors are tracking client retention closely after the firm reworked its fee model and rolled out a bigger transformation under Chief Executive Mark FitzPatrick.
May 1, 2026
Airtel Africa’s $2 Billion Airtel Money IPO Plan Puts London Listing in Focus
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Airtel Africa’s $2 Billion Airtel Money IPO Plan Puts London Listing in Focus

Airtel Africa Plc’s planned IPO of its Airtel Money unit could pull in anywhere from $1.5 billion to $2 billion, setting up London for one of the biggest Africa-related fintech debuts in recent memory. Bloomberg News says London is now the favored location for the listing. According to Reuters, the share sale might value the mobile payments arm at as much as $10 billion. Timing matters here. Airtel Africa will release its full-year 2026 numbers on May 8, which means investors will get updated figures on customer additions, payments and cash flow—all before a deal even hits the market.
May 1, 2026
Beazley Plc Deal Watch: SocGen Position Nears 10% as Zurich Takeover Clock Ticks
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Beazley Plc Deal Watch: SocGen Position Nears 10% as Zurich Takeover Clock Ticks

Societe Generale bumped its reported stake in Beazley Plc up to 9.43% from 8.66%, according to a regulatory filing on Friday. The development throws another element into the mix as the London specialty insurer heads toward an agreed takeover by Zurich Insurance Group. Société Générale now holds 42.55 million voting rights via shares, plus another 14.15 million through financial instruments such as equity-linked swaps—contracts linked to Beazley’s share price. The filing indicated that the threshold was crossed on April 30, with Beazley notified the next day, May 1.
May 1, 2026
BT Group News: Ofcom Probe Puts EE and Plusnet Data Under the Microscope Before Results
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BT Group News: Ofcom Probe Puts EE and Plusnet Data Under the Microscope Before Results

Britain’s telecoms watchdog has launched a probe into BT Group, focusing on whether the company met its legal obligations to provide information—specifically, customer-service data from its EE and Plusnet operations is in the spotlight. Ofcom pointed to evidence indicating that some of BT’s responses might have been inaccurate or incomplete. Awkward timing for BT, which is aiming to demonstrate improvements in service quality and cash flow as part of its turnaround push. The company is set to report full-year FY26 results on May 21.
May 1, 2026
Halma Shares Jump Near Record: FTSE 100 Safety Stock Faces June Results Test
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Halma Shares Jump Near Record: FTSE 100 Safety Stock Faces June Results Test

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.
May 1, 2026
UK Stock Market Today: Why FTSE 100 Slipped as AstraZeneca, NatWest and BP Dragged London Shares
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UK Stock Market Today: Why FTSE 100 Slipped as AstraZeneca, NatWest and BP Dragged London Shares

The FTSE 100 slipped 0.1% to finish at 10,363.93 on Friday, as declines in AstraZeneca, NatWest, and the energy sector outweighed scattered gains ahead of the UK’s long weekend. The more domestically focused FTSE 250 managed a 0.3% rise. This is notable as it follows the Bank of England’s decision just a day earlier to keep Bank Rate unchanged at 3.75%. The central bank flagged rising uncertainty around energy costs and inflation, citing fallout from the Middle East conflict. Out of the Monetary Policy Committee, eight members wanted to hold steady; only one pushed for a hike to 4%.
May 1, 2026
ASX Today: Australia Stock Market Finally Bounces — But the RBA May Decide How Long It Lasts
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ASX Today: Australia Stock Market Finally Bounces — But the RBA May Decide How Long It Lasts

Australian shares broke their eight-day losing streak on Friday, helped by gains in miners and supermarket names after a tough stretch for risk assets. The S&P/ASX 200 ended 0.74% higher at 8,729.80, with the All Ordinaries adding 0.8% to finish at 8,955. Still, the benchmark posted a five-day decline of 0.65%. Timing’s key here. Out of 33 economists Reuters surveyed from April 27 to April 30, 30 predict the Reserve Bank of Australia will push the cash rate up by 25 basis points to 4.35% on May 5. “Inflation is basically too high in Australia,” AMP’s My Bui said. Westpac’s Luci Ellis flagged more uncertainty after May, calling the outlook “necessarily less certain.”
May 1, 2026
Spirax Group Shares Slip Before May 13 Update That Could Shape 2026 Growth View
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Spirax Group Shares Slip Before May 13 Update That Could Shape 2026 Growth View

Spirax Group shares dipped in London trading on Friday, Barclays quoting the stock off by 70 pence, or 0.98%, with a sell price of 7,096p and buy at 7,106p at 16:35. The FTSE 100 edged down 0.14%. This shift brings the Cheltenham-based steam systems and fluid technology manufacturer back into the spotlight ahead of its May 13 trading update and annual general meeting—the next big date on the calendar following its March full-year results.
May 1, 2026
Anglo American’s Teck Merger Enters Crucial China Stretch After AGM Sweep
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Anglo American’s Teck Merger Enters Crucial China Stretch After AGM Sweep

Anglo American secured shareholder approval for all 21 items on the ballot at this week’s annual meeting, reinforcing the board’s mandate as it moves forward with the merger plan with Teck Resources and a sweeping portfolio overhaul. The final dividend passed with 99.95% backing. CEO Duncan Wanblad’s re-election saw 99.35% support. The lowest margin went to the share buyback authority—still, it garnered 87.93%. This vote takes on new urgency as Anglo pushes to overhaul its business before acquisition risks drag on into 2027. The miner, listed in London, is narrowing its focus to copper, high-grade iron ore, and crop nutrients. Steelmaking coal, nickel, and De Beers—the diamond arm—are all marked for sale or spin-off.
May 1, 2026
IAG’s British Airways Pay Setback Puts Summer Travel and May 8 Results in Focus
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IAG’s British Airways Pay Setback Puts Summer Travel and May 8 Results in Focus

British Airways pilots narrowly rejected a pay overhaul, piling fresh labor trouble onto IAG just ahead of a summer clouded by rising fuel bills. The proposal promised up to a 4% raise, but pilots balked at cuts to pension contributions and a sharp reduction in the Flying Pay Supplement—an hours-based bonus—Reuters said, citing Sky News. The upcoming vote carries added significance, with International Consolidated Airlines Group SA’s first-quarter results due May 8. Investors are eyeing British Airways for any signs of slippage—think wage pressures, pricier fuel, or tighter margins—after IAG hit a record operating profit for 2025 but left 2026 guidance vague in February.
May 1, 2026
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