News 18 May 2026

Molecular Partners Stock Pops Into Holiday Pause as Traders Eye Cancer-Drug Data
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Molecular Partners Stock Pops Into Holiday Pause as Traders Eye Cancer-Drug Data

Molecular Partners shares closed at CHF 3.15 on Friday, up 9.38%, ahead of a market pause for Whit Monday and Memorial Day. The company will present first-in-human data for its lead Radio-DARPin candidate MP0712 at a Basel meeting on May 29. Q1 filings showed no revenue, R&D costs of CHF 9.45 million, and a net loss of CHF 13.14 million. Cash reserves stood at CHF 79 million at March-end.
May 25, 2026
JTC stock sticks near offers as midcaps slip
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JTC stock sticks near offers as midcaps slip

JTC Plc traded at 1,315p on Monday, about 1.9% below Permira’s agreed 1,340p cash offer. The stock’s discount reflects remaining deal risks, with investors awaiting court sanction and final approvals. Societe Generale disclosed a 5.33% interest and a 4.87% short position in JTC, while Tudor Investment Corporation reported cash-settled derivatives totaling 2.36%. The FTSE 250 index fell 0.59% amid broader market pressure.
May 18, 2026
RELX Shares Edge Up, Still Facing Pressure From AI Risks
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RELX Shares Edge Up, Still Facing Pressure From AI Risks

RELX shares rose 1.44% to 2,458 pence in London on Monday, extending Friday’s rebound, but remain down 19.1% for 2026. Investors weighed RELX’s AI strategy against competition from legal tech rivals after Anthropic expanded Claude tools for lawyers. RELX is running a £350 million share buyback through May 22 as part of a planned £2.25 billion repurchase for 2026. The FTSE 100 was up about 0.5%.
May 18, 2026
3i Group slides again even after £750 million buyback
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3i Group slides again even after £750 million buyback

3i Group shares dropped about 7% to 2,060 pence on Monday, despite the company launching a £750 million buyback and cancelling 701,317 shares. The stock traded well below its reported net asset value of 3,030 pence per share. Investors focused on slowing sales growth at Action, 3i’s main asset, as like-for-like sales rose just 2.4% in the year to May 10.
May 18, 2026
NatWest Shares Slip as UK Bank Rule Shake-Up Puts £80 Billion Prize in Play
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NatWest Shares Slip as UK Bank Rule Shake-Up Puts £80 Billion Prize in Play

NatWest Group shares slipped 0.57% to 557.8 pence on Monday, underperforming the FTSE 100, after Britain announced plans to loosen bank ring-fencing rules. The finance ministry said the changes could support up to 80 billion pounds in extra business lending. NatWest’s market value stood at about 44.39 billion pounds. The bank recently bought back 3.57 million shares at an average price of 558.96 pence.
May 18, 2026
Advanced Medical Solutions dives as TA Associates deal collapses
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Advanced Medical Solutions dives as TA Associates deal collapses

Advanced Medical Solutions Group shares fell 16.8% to 204.5 pence by late morning Monday after TA Associates said it would not make a takeover offer. The stock had traded as high as 247 pence last week on deal speculation. TA’s formal withdrawal restricts it from bidding again for six months unless exceptions apply. Advanced Medical Solutions reported record 2025 revenue of £228.9 million in March.
May 18, 2026
Glencore Shares Up After Chile Mine Decision, Copper Risk on the Radar
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Glencore Shares Up After Chile Mine Decision, Copper Risk on the Radar

Glencore shares edged up 0.1% to 574.95p in London after the miner said a Chilean court ruling on the Collahuasi copper mine would not immediately affect production. The tribunal moved to set aside a key environmental permit, but Glencore said the ruling appeared limited in scope. Collahuasi is jointly owned by Glencore, Anglo American, and a Mitsui-led group. Glencore maintained its 2026 copper production guidance.
May 18, 2026
Shell Rises with Oil Back at $110
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Shell Rises with Oil Back at $110

Shell Plc shares climbed 1.64% to 3,247 pence in London on Monday, outperforming the FTSE 100, after drone attacks in the Gulf sent Brent crude to $110.50 a barrel and disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Shell bought back over 1.29 million shares on May 14 as part of its ongoing $3 billion buyback program.
May 18, 2026
Barclays Shares Edge Down After Buyback Moves
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Barclays Shares Edge Down After Buyback Moves

Barclays shares fell 0.43% to 421.50 pence in late-morning London trading after the bank said it bought back 25.9 million shares last week for cancellation. The FTSE 100 edged higher. Barclays’ stock underperformed the market as investors weighed ongoing buybacks against credit charges and recent weak momentum. The bank’s buyback came after a first-quarter profit rise but below-consensus capital returns.
May 18, 2026
British American Tobacco up as buyers look for safety
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British American Tobacco up as buyers look for safety

British American Tobacco shares rose 1.54% to 4,939 pence in London by 10:56 BST, nearing a 52-week high as global markets remained volatile amid Middle East tensions. The FTSE 100 edged up 0.26%, supported by gains in tobacco and oil stocks. BAT confirmed a 245.04 pence interim dividend for 2025. Growth in its Velo nicotine pouches continued, with the product gaining U.S. market share.
May 18, 2026
BP Shares Climb in London as Investors Watch Oil Moves
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BP Shares Climb in London as Investors Watch Oil Moves

BP shares rose 1.67% to 561.30 pence in London on Monday, outpacing the FTSE 100’s 0.08% gain, as Brent crude traded above $111 a barrel amid Gulf tensions. BP’s trading arm, debt reduction, and asset sales drew renewed attention. The company reported $3.2 billion in Q1 underlying profit and $25.3 billion net debt. BP is also planning layoffs in its gas trading team and considering selling Egyptian gas assets.
May 18, 2026
National Grid Shares Bounce After Friday Rout as £70 Billion Grid Bet Faces Storm Test
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National Grid Shares Bounce After Friday Rout as £70 Billion Grid Bet Faces Storm Test

National Grid shares rose 1.85% to 1,210p in early London trading Monday, partly rebounding from Friday’s sharp drop after missing annual profit forecasts. The company reported adjusted operating profit of £5.68 billion versus a consensus of £5.75 billion, with storm-related costs up 7.4% to £636 million. Barclays raised its price target to 1,500p and kept an “overweight” rating. Utilities broadly recovered after last week’s sector sell-off.
May 18, 2026
Lloyds Shares Watch: Investors Eye UK Bank Rule Changes
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Lloyds Shares Watch: Investors Eye UK Bank Rule Changes

Lloyds Banking Group shares rose 0.15% to 94.22 pence Monday as investors anticipated UK government details on easing bank ring-fencing rules. The bank repurchased 30 million shares on May 15. Oil prices and gilt yields climbed amid Gulf tensions, pressuring global markets. Lloyds posted a 33% jump in first-quarter pretax profit to £2 billion in April.
May 18, 2026
Anglo American Stock Slides After $3.9B Coal Exit — London Traders React
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Anglo American Stock Slides After $3.9B Coal Exit — London Traders React

Anglo American shares fell 2.44% to 3,739.5 pence after the company agreed to sell its Australian steelmaking coal business to Dhilmar for up to $3.875 billion. The deal includes $2.3 billion upfront and up to $1.575 billion in future payments tied to coal prices. The sale is intended to clear the way for Anglo’s planned merger with Teck Resources. The transaction still requires regulatory approval.
May 18, 2026
Rio Tinto Slips After China Move Rattles Miners
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Rio Tinto Slips After China Move Rattles Miners

Rio Tinto shares fell 1.4% to 7,655 pence in early London trading Monday, underperforming the FTSE 100 after weak Chinese industrial and retail data hit mining stocks. BHP and Fortescue also dropped in Australia as resource shares sold off. China’s April industrial output and retail sales missed forecasts, raising concerns over metals demand. Asian markets declined amid rising oil prices and regional tensions.
May 18, 2026
Unilever Shares Up as Magnum Sale Chatter Puts Focus on Break-Up Talk
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Unilever Shares Up as Magnum Sale Chatter Puts Focus on Break-Up Talk

Unilever shares rose 0.12% to 4,212 pence in early London trade Monday, outperforming a weaker FTSE 100, as investors considered private equity interest in its former ice-cream unit Magnum. Jefferies analyst David Hayes cut his Unilever target price to £37, citing doubts about volume growth and U.S. sales trends. Unilever reported 3.8% underlying sales growth in its last update and expects up to €900 million in cost inflation this year.
May 18, 2026
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 18.05.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 18.05.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: May 18, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: May 19, 2026, 3:56 AM EDT ASX Travel Stock Webjet Halted After 44% Crash Amid Leadership Changes May 19, 2026, 3:56 AM EDT. Webjet Group Ltd (ASX: WJL) shares were placed on a trading halt after a 44% decline in 2026. The halt, requested pending an announcement, relates to “future material changes to a certain commercial arrangement” expected to significantly impact its financial outlook. Leadership flux adds pressure, with CEO Katrina Barry and deputy CEO David Galt departing, and Chairman Don Clarke retiring. Webjet reaffirmed its FY26 earnings before interest and
May 18, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • How Much Is Needed in a SIPP to Achieve £3,333 Monthly Passive Income
    May 25, 2026, 11:10 AM EDT. A Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) offers upfront tax relief on contributions, aiding wealth accumulation for retirement. To target a monthly passive income of £3,333 (£39,996 annually), the required SIPP pot depends on investment yield: approximately £999,900 at 4%, £799,920 at 5%, or £666,600 at 6% yield. Combining a SIPP with a Stocks and Shares ISA can help manage tax liabilities, as ISAs provide tax-free growth and withdrawals. Around 25 FTSE 100 stocks yield 4% or more, with some exceeding 6%. Housebuilder Persimmon Plc offers a 5.5% yield but faces sector risks from rising mortgage rates and inflation. Investors should seek professional advice and consider individual circumstances before investing.