News 25 March 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 16, 2026, 2:55 AM EDT Christie Group (AIM: CTG) Nearly Doubles Profit as Revenue Jumps 19.2% July 16, 2026, 2:55 AM EDT. Christie Group said revenue rose 19.2% to £70.6 million in 2025, with operating profit almost doubling to £6.9 million. The AIM-listed company pushed earnings per share up 87.9% to 19.37p. Christie ended the year with £9.4 million net funds and no external debt. Return on capital employed was 39%, putting it in the top 5% of London-listed firms. The Professional & Financial Services arm led the way, up
July 15, 2026
Marks & Spencer Share Price Today: MKS Stock Slips as AI Rollout Meets Tough UK Retail Backdrop
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Marks & Spencer Share Price Today: MKS Stock Slips as AI Rollout Meets Tough UK Retail Backdrop

Marks & Spencer finished Wednesday’s session at around 332 pence, slipping 0.7% after the retailer announced plans to distribute AI tools to 11,000 managers and support-centre employees. That’s a drop from Tuesday’s 334.2-pence close, with M&S also detailing a wider tech expansion. Here's the crux: Marks & Spencer is racing to convert last year’s cyberattack recovery into real productivity improvements ahead of full-year numbers on May 20. That task just got tougher. A CBI survey out Tuesday reported British retail sales slumped in March—the sharpest drop since April 2020. Then, on Wednesday, new official figures showed February inflation stuck at 3.0%, with markets bracing for a bump higher on energy costs.
March 25, 2026
British American Tobacco Stock Price Rises Ahead of Ex-Dividend Date as Buyback Support Holds
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British American Tobacco Stock Price Rises Ahead of Ex-Dividend Date as Buyback Support Holds

British American Tobacco shares climbed in late London dealings Wednesday, changing hands at 4,352 pence, up 0.46% for the session. With the ex-dividend date set for Thursday, investors shifted positions and took note of a fresh buyback disclosure. According to a regulatory filing, BAT repurchased 99,844 shares on March 24 at a weighted average of 4,316.7189 pence. This is important. For BAT, income streams and share repurchases are carrying much of the load as the company guides for 2026 growth at the lower boundary of its stated range. After a stock hits ex-dividend—when fresh investors aren’t eligible for the upcoming dividend—the share price typically drops to reflect the missed payment.
March 25, 2026
Reckitt Benckiser Share Price Edges Higher After Buyback, Annual Report — Why the Stock Is Still Under Pressure
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Reckitt Benckiser Share Price Edges Higher After Buyback, Annual Report — Why the Stock Is Still Under Pressure

Reckitt Benckiser hovered a bit over 5,100 pence on Wednesday, barely budging as the FTSE 100 added roughly 1.4%. Despite the small lift, shares remained more than 20% under their 6,514 pence high for the year. That’s significant, with the stock still nursing wounds from a 6% slide on March 5—investors brushed off Reckitt’s fourth-quarter sales beat, focusing instead on a murky margin and profit outlook. The company, following peers like Unilever and Nestle, has been steering its portfolio toward brands with faster growth and fatter margins. “Emerging markets were absolutely a must-win set of markets for us,” CEO Kris Licht told Reuters. Still, Chris Beckett at Quilter Cheviot pointed out, some gains from the Essential Home sale are being
March 25, 2026
LSEG Share Price Today: Why London Stock Exchange Group Stock Is Back in the Spotlight
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LSEG Share Price Today: Why London Stock Exchange Group Stock Is Back in the Spotlight

London Stock Exchange Group shares changed hands near 8,548 pence on Wednesday, edging up from a prior finish at 8,474 pence. New details on the FTSE Russell deal were circulating, giving investors something else to watch. The wider London market also posted gains. LSEG’s in the spotlight as it tries to rebuild investor confidence, shaken earlier this year when AI worries hammered the stock and Elliott Management started pressing on management. February’s £3 billion buyback—LSEG scooping up its own shares—helped ease some pressure, but uncertainty remains. Investors are eyeing the pace of growth in the company’s data businesses, wanting to see if margins can hold up.
March 25, 2026
Why NatWest Share Price Dropped 8% as Ex-Dividend Hit Meets Fresh BoE Rate Fears
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NatWest Share Price Rises After Mentor Sale Signals Bigger Wealth Push

NatWest shares rose on Wednesday after the bank said it would sell Mentor, its HR advisory arm, in another step away from side businesses. The stock was up 1.65% at 542.7 pence in delayed London trade. The timing matters. NatWest has been reshaping itself around core UK banking and wealth management since February, when it announced a 750 million pound share buyback — where a company repurchases its own stock — even as war-driven inflation fears knocked bank shares last week and led traders to price in two or three Bank of England rate hikes this year.
March 25, 2026
Legal & General Share Price Rises After Manulife Partnership as Investors Reassess Growth Plan
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Legal & General Share Price Rises After Manulife Partnership as Investors Reassess Growth Plan

Legal & General shares climbed Wednesday, after the British insurer and asset manager announced a strategic partnership with Manulife Wealth & Asset Management the previous day. The stock traded at 243.5 pence as of 13:15 GMT, showing a gain of roughly 1.8% from Tuesday's 239.3p close, according to company and exchange data. This latest deal lands as L&G keeps working to regain investor trust after missing key metrics in its March 11 results and revealing a softer solvency cushion—even with that record £1.2 billion buyback. Chief Executive Antonio Simoes claimed earlier this month, “in two years, we’ve reshaped the company.” Still, the stock has mostly drifted sideways since Simoes stepped in at the start of 2024. Over the same stretch,
March 25, 2026
Unilever PLC Stock Price Lags FTSE 100 After Barclays Upgrade as Food Deal Doubts Persist
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Unilever PLC Stock Price Lags FTSE 100 After Barclays Upgrade as Food Deal Doubts Persist

Unilever shares slipped 0.25% to 4,515 pence as of 13:28, trailing the FTSE 100’s 1.26% climb on Wednesday. The move came despite new broker backing, with investors appearing unconvinced by the group’s ongoing plans to overhaul its food division. Unilever’s tepid share reaction stands out, as the company is still trying to regain its footing following last week’s dip sparked by merger chatter with McCormick and fresh concerns it might lose focus just after the ice cream spin-off. On March 20, Reuters reported ongoing talks involving Unilever’s foods division—a headline that hit after the stock had already slid more than 6% in two days as rumors swirled. Both firms confirmed discussions were happening, stressing that nothing was locked in yet.
March 25, 2026
RELX PLC Stock Price Lags FTSE Rally Despite New £350 Million Buyback, Still Below 2,565p Sale Price
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RELX PLC Stock Price Lags FTSE Rally Despite New £350 Million Buyback, Still Below 2,565p Sale Price

RELX slipped about 1% to 2,407 pence by 1253 GMT, underperforming London’s broader market despite the group’s new £350 million buyback announced this week. Shares remained below the 2,565 pence price from last week’s sizable offering. It’s an issue for RELX, which is still picking up the pieces after a wave of AI-fueled selling slammed legal and information stocks. Back in early February, Anthropic’s launch of a legal AI tool rattled RELX alongside Wolters Kluwer and Thomson Reuters, intensifying questions about just how resilient their subscription models and research processes are as generative AI gains traction.
March 25, 2026
Why Experian Share Price Fell Despite Fresh Buybacks and a Rising FTSE 100
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Why Experian Share Price Fell Despite Fresh Buybacks and a Rising FTSE 100

Experian was off 1.6% at 2,524.5 pence by 11:40 GMT in London on Wednesday, landing among the FTSE 100’s losers despite the credit-data firm announcing fresh share buybacks. The wider UK market pushed higher. Buybacks usually help stocks by cutting the number of shares and pushing up earnings per share, or EPS—just a straightforward profit-per-share metric. But for Experian, attention is shifting ahead of its full-year results set for May 20. Investors are zeroing in on pricing pressure in U.S. credit scores. North America accounts for 68% of group revenue, anchored to credit checks, mortgage activity, and fraud screening.
March 25, 2026
Diageo Stock Price Jumps After $1.8 Billion RCB Sale Offers Debt Relief
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Diageo Stock Price Jumps After $1.8 Billion RCB Sale Offers Debt Relief

Diageo shares jumped up to 2.4% early Wednesday in London after news broke that its Indian subsidiary is offloading the Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricket franchise for 166.6 billion rupees. The sale, which could help ease debt, landed with investors. Timing’s key here. Just last month, Chief Executive Dave Lewis slashed Diageo’s fiscal 2026 sales forecast, chopped the half-year dividend in half, and flagged net debt at $21.7 billion as the company struggles with sluggish U.S. demand and lingering weakness in China. Reuters noted Diageo’s debt was running above its own debt-to-earnings target.
March 25, 2026
National Grid share price rises as Bernstein lifts target after Goldman cut
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National Grid share price rises as Bernstein lifts target after Goldman cut

National Grid climbed roughly 1.8% to 1,254 pence Wednesday, boosted by Bernstein Research’s price target hike and reaffirmed outperform rating on the utility. This shift is drawing attention as investors try to gauge whether the company’s growth ambitions have already been factored into the valuation. Bernstein kept its bullish stance, but Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to neutral on Monday following its sharp rally.
March 25, 2026
Rio Tinto Stock Price Climbs on A$2 Billion Boyne Smelter Lifeline
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Rio Tinto Stock Price Climbs on A$2 Billion Boyne Smelter Lifeline

Rio Tinto plc gained roughly 1.6% in London Wednesday morning, following news of a A$2 billion rescue package from Australia’s federal and Queensland governments aimed at extending operations at the Boyne aluminium smelter until at least 2040. Shares hovered near 6,590 pence, climbing from the previous close of 6,481 pence. Why does the deal matter? Boyne’s current power contract runs out in 2029, and Rio has been looking for a long-term fix to keep its Queensland aluminium business competitive. According to Rio, this package—combined with renewable power deals it’s inked already—guarantees production until at least 2040 and bumps its total contracted renewables in Queensland above 2.8 gigawatts.
March 25, 2026
GSK Stock Price Today: Shares Jump on Japan Orphan-Drug Nod
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GSK Stock Price Today: Shares Jump on Japan Orphan-Drug Nod

GSK climbed 3.2% to 2,039.5 pence in London as of 1208 GMT on Wednesday. The move came after Japan gave orphan-drug status to the company's experimental lung-cancer drug risvutatug rezetecan, and a fresh filing confirmed GSK was continuing its stock buybacks. This shift carries weight for GSK, which has already signaled to investors it’s bracing for slower sales growth this year. That puts launches and pipeline successes front and center as patent cliffs approach for its leading HIV medicines. Back in February, the company guided for 2026 revenue to increase 3% to 5%—currency impacts aside—and reiterated its target of topping £40 billion in annual sales by 2031. New CEO Luke Miels described the task ahead as needing to “accelerate what
March 25, 2026
Glencore Stock Price Today: Glencore plc climbs near 52-week high as miners rally
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Glencore Stock Price Today: Glencore plc climbs near 52-week high as miners rally

Glencore shares climbed nearly 2% to around 538 pence during London’s morning session on Wednesday, building on Tuesday’s 2.4% rise and nudging the stock closer to its 52-week peak. The move came as UK mining stocks broadly advanced, with oil prices easing and risk sentiment stabilizing. It’s relevant now because Glencore is positioned right where two key European market themes intersect: optimism that easing oil prices might cool inflation, and fresh interest in miners amid a rebound in metals. By late morning, London’s FTSE 100 had climbed roughly 1.1%. Mining stocks outperformed, with the sector’s sub-index jumping 3.4%—the biggest move among all groups that day.
March 25, 2026
Anglo American plc Stock Climbs as Teck Merger Progress and Copper Rebound Lift Shares
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Anglo American plc Stock Climbs as Teck Merger Progress and Copper Rebound Lift Shares

Anglo American jumped to 3,171 pence by 11:43 GMT Wednesday, up from a 3,054 pence finish the day before, with mining stocks pacing advances across London. The FTSE 100 tacked on 1.1%, while miners as a group surged 3.4%. Anglo’s push to wrap up a stock-for-stock merger with Teck Resources would vault the pair into the fifth spot among global copper producers. The metal is crucial—essential in everything from transmission lines to car parts—and has become a core bargaining chip in mining M&A. Reuters has noted that BHP and Rio Tinto are also out looking for more copper.
March 25, 2026
Lloyds Banking Group Share Price Rises as Bank Rally Meets FCA Motor-Finance Risk
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Lloyds Banking Group Share Price Rises as Bank Rally Meets FCA Motor-Finance Risk

Lloyds Banking Group was last seen trading near 95.4 pence, up roughly 2.3% in Wednesday's delayed action, with bank shares rallying alongside a wider move higher in London. The FTSE 100 was up 1.1% at 1028 GMT, and the banks index advanced 2.1% after reports of a potential Middle East ceasefire helped calm markets. The rebound is notable, with Lloyds still facing significant regulatory uncertainty. On March 30, Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority is expected to outline its approach to compensation for mis-sold motor-finance loans—these were car agreements where commissions were allegedly concealed by brokers and lenders. Lloyds has put aside nearly 2 billion pounds to cover the potential impact.
March 25, 2026
Barclays Share Price Rises as Ceasefire Hopes Lift European Banks
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Barclays Share Price Rises as Ceasefire Hopes Lift European Banks

Barclays was up 2.7% in London by 0922 GMT, quoted around 394.45 pence after swinging between 389.65p and 397.40p. A surge across bank stocks helped push shares higher, as oil prices slipped on hopes for a Middle East truce. This shift is significant—Barclays has been bounced by the same oil, rates, and credit jitters dogging European banks all month. Shares of European lenders tacked on roughly 2%, reclaiming a slice of ground after last week’s rout. British banks, notably, were among the biggest weights on London’s market during the slide.
March 25, 2026
HSBC Stock Price Today: Shares Rise as AI Chief Hire, $2.5 Billion Capital Issue Sharpen Cost-Cut Plan
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HSBC Stock Price Today: Shares Rise as AI Chief Hire, $2.5 Billion Capital Issue Sharpen Cost-Cut Plan

HSBC Holdings Plc advanced in London trading Wednesday after announcing its inaugural chief AI officer and revealing a $2.5 billion issue of contingent convertible securities—loss-absorbing debt instruments used under stress. Shares traded at 1,204.2 pence as of 10:47 a.m. GMT, climbing 1.79% from Tuesday’s 1,181.4 pence close, AJ Bell data show. HSBC’s moves carry weight as the bank tries to convince investors it can deliver at least 17% return on tangible equity through 2028—even as spending on AI draws more scrutiny. February’s annual results landed ahead of estimates, but Jefferies flagged doubts. The broker said investors might cheer the earnings beat, yet still question management’s outlook for just a 1% increase in 2026 costs, considering stiff competition and growing AI
March 25, 2026
BP PLC Share Price Today: Stock Edges Up as Ceasefire Hopes Hit Oil
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BP PLC Share Price Today: Stock Edges Up as Ceasefire Hopes Hit Oil

BP ticked up in London trading Wednesday, with shares at 560.12 pence as of 1105 GMT. That’s a 0.5% gain from the previous close at 557.5 pence, yet the stock stayed under its 52-week peak of 583.6 pence. Oil’s pullback on ceasefire headlines kept gains in check. BP’s price action is less about its fundamentals these days and more about serving as a liquid oil proxy. Brent crude dropped roughly 4%, sitting at $100.32 a barrel by 0708 GMT, after word got out that Washington floated a 15-point proposal to Iran to try to halt the war. Europe’s energy stocks barely budged, edging up, while the STOXX 600 added 1.4%.
March 25, 2026
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