News 2 April 2026 - 6 April 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, 8:29 PM EDT Buxton Resources (ASX:BUX) hits sulphides, magnetic breccia in first Madman drill hole July 15, 2026, 8:25 PM EDT. Buxton Resources (ASX:BUX) says its first hole at the Madman project in WA cut hydrothermal breccia with more sulphides deeper in the hole. The company says seeing pyrrhotite explains the magnetic anomaly and supports the case for a Paterson-style gold-copper target, similar to Havieron and Telfer. Drilling went down to 533.6 meters, and Buxton plans to keep drilling and run down-hole EM work. Managing Director Marty Moloney
July 15, 2026
HSBC Australia Sale Reignites as Blackstone Eyes A$26 Billion Loan Book
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HSBC Australia Sale Reignites as Blackstone Eyes A$26 Billion Loan Book

Blackstone has its eye on HSBC’s A$26 billion Australian loan book, with early bids set for the end of April, according to The Australian’s DataRoom on Monday. Citi, managing the sale, could see competing offers from Apollo Global Management, Cerberus Capital Management, and Ares Management, the report added. This step is significant for Chief Executive Georges Elhedery as he pushes ahead with trimming lower-yield segments and concentrating HSBC’s efforts on its main markets. Back in February, HSBC raised its return-on-tangible-equity goal to at least 17% through 2028, aiming for revenue growth over that same stretch—ratcheting up the pressure to turn asset sales and cost trimming into solid gains.
April 6, 2026
Rolls-Royce Holdings buyback stays in focus as shares sit below record high
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Rolls-Royce Holdings buyback stays in focus as shares sit below record high

Rolls-Royce Holdings drew attention Monday, even as the London market was closed for Easter. A filing from last week revealed the jet engine group snapped up 532,844 shares on March 31, marking them for cancellation through its ongoing buyback. Purchase prices ranged from 1,083 to 1,130.5 pence apiece. That brings the cumulative total bought back since the programme kicked off to 28.2 million shares. The timing is key here: Rolls-Royce has made shareholder returns the centerpiece of its equity pitch. The company has committed to buybacks worth up to 2.5 billion pounds in 2026—just the opening round of a larger 7 billion to 9 billion pound plan stretching through 2028.
April 6, 2026
Virgin Australia Doha Flights Canceled Until June 15 as Qatar Airways Rebuilds Network
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Virgin Australia Doha Flights Canceled Until June 15 as Qatar Airways Rebuilds Network

Virgin Australia scrapped every Qatar Airways-operated flight linking Australia and Doha through at least June 15, dealing a blow to its ambitions in long-haul markets. This comes as Qatar Airways touts efforts to ramp up schedules, aiming for service to 120-plus destinations by mid-May. This is significant, since the route was supposed to offer Australians a single-stop pathway to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. But as of Monday, Canberra’s Smartraveller service warns against travel to or transit through Qatar, applying the same restriction to the United Arab Emirates—even for layovers.
April 6, 2026
Why Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Still Has Investors on Edge
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Why Unilever PLC’s $65 Billion McCormick Deal Still Has Investors on Edge

Unilever's U.S. shares traded at $55.45 before the bell on Monday, down around 60 cents from the prior close as of 11:08 UTC. Investors continued to weigh last week's move to merge its food business with McCormick. If completed, the British company would sharpen its focus on beauty, personal care, and home care. This isn’t just about McCormick. The company’s almost $45 billion offer for Unilever’s food business stood out as one of the largest consumer deals of the first quarter, highlighting the push for size as sales growth softens and shoppers switch things up. For Unilever, it effectively closes a chapter on nearly 100 years in food under its own banner.
April 6, 2026
OpenAI IPO Plans Hit Internal Rift as CFO Sarah Friar Questions Sam Altman’s 2026 Timeline
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OpenAI IPO Plans Hit Internal Rift as CFO Sarah Friar Questions Sam Altman’s 2026 Timeline

According to The Information on April 5, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar has told colleagues she doesn’t think the company will be ready to go public as early as the fourth quarter of 2026—running counter to CEO Sam Altman’s push for a quicker IPO. The report also notes that Friar flagged the magnitude and risk tied to the spending OpenAI would need to pull off a listing. Timing is front and center after OpenAI just wrapped up a $122 billion funding round, pushing its valuation up to $852 billion. Investors are circling again, prepping for another surge in high-profile tech IPOs. Reuters flagged on April 1 that both OpenAI and competitor Anthropic are weighing going public later this year—potentially tapping markets
April 6, 2026
BP PLC Faces High-Stakes AGM Test After ISS Opposes Climate Reporting Rollback
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BP PLC Faces High-Stakes AGM Test After ISS Opposes Climate Reporting Rollback

BP PLC is under renewed scrutiny with its April 23 annual meeting looming, as Institutional Shareholder Services has urged investors to vote against the board’s proposal to drop two long-standing climate-reporting commitments. ISS’s recommendation, outlined in a note reviewed by Reuters, sets up an early challenge for new chief executive Meg O’Neill. This timing isn’t incidental. ISS carries the weight to tip major shareholder votes, and it rarely urges investors to reject a board’s own plan. The dispute broke out just days into O’Neill’s tenure—he officially stepped in on April 1—marking the first high-profile challenge to BP’s renewed tilt toward oil and gas.
April 6, 2026
Shell Plc Q1 Profit Outlook Climbs as Oil Holds Above $107 Before April 8 Update
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Shell Plc Q1 Profit Outlook Climbs as Oil Holds Above $107 Before April 8 Update

Shell heads into a quarterly update on Wednesday with oil still above $107 a barrel after another sharp swing in the market, putting the focus back on how much cash the company can generate in the first quarter. Brent fell $1.92 on Monday to $107.11 as traders weighed a U.S.-Iran peace proposal, but the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed and supply disruptions persisted. Mukesh Sahdev, founder and CEO of XAnalysts, said the standoff over Hormuz was increasingly about “political victory.” The timing matters because Shell is due on April 8 to outline the expected financial effects of the conflict before full results on May 7. Reuters reported last month that three analysts covering Shell had raised their first-quarter net
April 6, 2026
Lloyds Keeps £1.95 Billion Motor Finance Pot as April Dividend, Q1 Update Loom
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Lloyds Keeps £1.95 Billion Motor Finance Pot as April Dividend, Q1 Update Loom

Lloyds Banking Group is sticking with its £1.95 billion motor finance provision, following a review of Britain's final compensation rules. For now, the bank says it sees no need for an adjustment. Any update on that front will have to wait until Lloyds’ first-quarter statement later this month. Lloyds, which owns Black Horse—the UK’s top motor finance lender—is back in the spotlight, with two key dates for investors looming. The shares go ex-dividend April 9, and the Q1 interim management statement lands April 29. London trading takes a break for Easter Monday, so last Thursday’s statement remains the freshest official word from the bank’s top brass.
April 6, 2026
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 06.04.2026

UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 06.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 6, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 6, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT Sports Entertainment Group (ASX:SEG) Nears Profitability with Strong Growth Forecast April 6, 2026, 11:51 PM EDT. Sports Entertainment Group Limited (ASX:SEG) is poised to shift from losses to profits, with analysts predicting breakeven by 2026 after narrowing its trailing twelve-month loss to AU$952,000. The company, operating in sports media and entertainment in Australia, aims to hit positive earnings of AU$5.2 million next year, requiring an aggressive 52% annual growth rate. Despite a recent AU$5.1 million loss, SEG's capital structure shows moderate risk with debt constituting
April 6, 2026
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 05.04.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 05.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 5, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 5, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT PageGroup Shares Valuation Cut as Analysts Lower Price Targets Amid Earnings Reset April 5, 2026, 11:51 PM EDT. Analysts have reduced PageGroup's (LSE: PAGE) fair value estimate by 13% to £2.42 per share, reflecting lowered expectations amid structural challenges in the European Business and Employment Services sector. Price targets now range between £2.15 and £2.25, with Jefferies and Investec maintaining Hold ratings despite the cautious tone. Jefferies lowered its target from £2.55, citing cyclical headwinds and prolonged lower earnings. Investec shifted from Buy to Hold,
April 5, 2026
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 04.04.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 04.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 4, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 4, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT ANZ Shares Valuation: PE Ratio and Sector Comparison Analysis April 4, 2026, 11:49 PM EDT. ANZ Banking Group shares trade around $37, with a price-earnings ratio (PER) of 17x, slightly below the banking sector average of 19x. The PER compares share price to full-year earnings and helps assess if shares are over- or undervalued. Analysts compare ANZ's PER to peers like NAB and CBA to estimate fair value, multiplying earnings per share ($2.15 for FY24) by sector average PER to gauge relative pricing. However, PER
April 4, 2026
Shell Plc Eyes Shenandoah Stake as Oil Shock Sends Majors Chasing Safer U.S. Barrels
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Shell Plc Eyes Shenandoah Stake as Oil Shock Sends Majors Chasing Safer U.S. Barrels

Shell is among oil majors studying a 51% stake in the Shenandoah offshore field in the U.S. Gulf, sources familiar with the process said, as conflict-driven supply fears push buyers toward North American barrels. BP and TotalEnergies are also in the early mix, while Shell declined to comment. The timing matters. Brent settled at $109.03 a barrel and U.S. crude at $111.54 on Thursday after Trump vowed more attacks on Iran, and immediate U.S. crude for next-month delivery traded at a record premium to later barrels — a sign traders are paying up for near-term supply. Shell’s financial calendar shows a first-quarter update due on April 8, with full Q1 results scheduled for May 7.
April 3, 2026
Lloyds Banking Group plc Sticks With £1.95 Billion Motor Finance Provision as FCA Trims Redress Bill
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Lloyds Banking Group plc Sticks With £1.95 Billion Motor Finance Provision as FCA Trims Redress Bill

Lloyds Banking Group said on Thursday it did not expect to add to the 1.95 billion pounds it has set aside for expected payouts tied to Britain’s motor-finance mis-selling scandal after reviewing the Financial Conduct Authority’s final rules. The bank said its existing provision — money reserved to meet expected claims — was unchanged for now. That matters because Lloyds owns Black Horse, Britain’s largest car-finance lender, so the final shape of the scheme matters more here than for many peers. The FCA says the clean-up will return about 7.5 billion pounds to borrowers who were not properly told about commissions — payments from lenders to dealers — and other commercial ties in car loans, while the total bill to
April 3, 2026
Ryanair Expands Morocco Routes as Leeds-Bradford-Agadir and Valencia-Rabat Flights Take Off
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Ryanair Expands Morocco Routes as Leeds-Bradford-Agadir and Valencia-Rabat Flights Take Off

Ryanair launched new Morocco services from Leeds Bradford and Valencia this week, adding fresh links to Agadir and Rabat as the summer 2026 travel season opened. The airline said first flights on Leeds Bradford-Agadir and Valencia-Rabat operated on March 31, while Rabat also features in Milan Bergamo Airport’s expanded summer schedule. The move matters because it opens direct links from northern England, eastern Spain and northern Italy at the start of the peak holiday period. It also comes as Ryanair opens its fifth Moroccan base in Rabat from April, a build-out the airline said will lift the capital’s summer seat capacity — the number of seats on sale — by 45% and take its Morocco network to more than 10.7
April 3, 2026
UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 03.04.2026
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UK & AU Stock Market Today: Live Updates 03.04.2026

LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: April 3, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: April 3, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT SHL Share Price Overview and Why Healthcare Stocks Appeal to Investors April 3, 2026, 11:55 PM EDT. The Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL) share price has decreased 11.0% since early 2025, drawing attention to its potential as an investment. Sonic Healthcare is a major player in pathology and diagnostic services across several regions including Australia, Europe, and North America. Healthcare stocks like SHL are favored for their stable revenue streams, often referred to as 'sticky revenue,' since healthcare spending tends to persist even in downturns.
April 3, 2026
Northern Star Resources Launches A$500 Million Buyback, Keeps 2026 Gold Outlook Intact
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Northern Star Resources Launches A$500 Million Buyback, Keeps 2026 Gold Outlook Intact

Northern Star Resources announced plans Thursday to buy back as much as A$500 million of its own shares. Preliminary gold sales for the March quarter came in at 381,000 ounces, the company said, putting the Australian miner on pace to reach its updated target: more than 1.5 million ounces for the full year. These twin updates hit just ahead of Northern Star’s full March-quarter numbers. The buyback, then, stands out—hardly a vanilla return. Back in January, the company trimmed its 2026 output forecast, and by March 13, it was warning that even the bottom end looked tough after milling performance slipped at Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, its Western Australia flagship.
April 3, 2026
Ryanair Warns UK Summer Flights Face Jet Fuel Crunch, Cancellations and Higher Fares
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Ryanair Warns UK Summer Flights Face Jet Fuel Crunch, Cancellations and Higher Fares

LONDON, April 2, 2026, 23:07 BST. Ryanair said Thursday that as much as 10% of its summer flights could be scrapped if the Iran war continues to rattle jet fuel markets, with the first signs of UK route reductions linked to pricier fuel now emerging. Skybus is pulling its London Gatwick-Newquay route earlier than planned, showing the squeeze isn’t just hitting major airlines.
April 3, 2026
Macquarie Group Ltd makes £100 million bet on UK social housing with Places for People deal
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Macquarie Group Ltd makes £100 million bet on UK social housing with Places for People deal

Macquarie Group's asset management arm said on Thursday it had provided £100 million of debt financing to Places for People, one of Britain's biggest social housing providers. The eight-year unsecured private placement — debt sold to a limited pool of investors rather than the public market, with principal due at maturity — will be used to refinance existing borrowings and extend debt maturities, Macquarie said. Why this matters now is fairly direct. Britain's social housing providers are under heavier financial strain, and the Regulator of Social Housing said in January the sector expected to raise £49 billion of new facilities over the five years to March 2030, including refinancing, while aggregate interest cover had slipped to 106% as repair and
April 3, 2026
National Australia Bank contacts 200,000 firms as fuel shock squeezes Australia’s supply chains
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National Australia Bank contacts 200,000 firms as fuel shock squeezes Australia’s supply chains

National Australia Bank Ltd has reached out to almost 200,000 business clients since early March, as wild swings in fuel prices hit agriculture, transport, manufacturing, construction, and regional supply networks. The bank noted that most of these customers haven’t come forward for financial hardship support, but business care executive Olivia Brosca flagged that “real pressure is on smaller businesses” with less cushion against surging diesel costs. This comes into sharp relief now. On Thursday, Canberra rolled out as much as A$1 billion in interest-free loans targeting critical businesses, following energy supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict that have driven up costs across Australia, a country reliant on imports for over 80% of its fuel. For NAB—Australia’s biggest business lender—the
April 2, 2026
Santos Pushes Ahead With Yarrow Gas Wells as Australia’s Tax Fight Intensifies
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Santos Pushes Ahead With Yarrow Gas Wells as Australia’s Tax Fight Intensifies

Santos will press ahead with drilling two additional wells at the Yarrow gas field in South Australia's Cooper Basin. The move follows Red Sky Energy's announcement that it has finalized a binding Authority for Expenditure—essentially, a project greenlight—with the Australian producer. Drilling on the first well is set to kick off very soon, according to Red Sky, which maintains its 20% working stake in the field. This move hands Santos a new round of drilling targets in a basin it’s already tapping to shore up domestic supply, just as Canberra mulls stricter gas measures and potential windfall taxes—even after the market operator delayed the projected east-coast shortfall to 2030. Still, AEMO warned that both committed and expected supply projects have
April 2, 2026
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