News 13 May 2026

Aviva Stock Alert: £350 Million Buyback Takes Focus Before Q1 Update
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Aviva Stock Alert: £350 Million Buyback Takes Focus Before Q1 Update

Aviva bought 900,000 shares for cancellation on May 12 at an average price of 620.38 pence, continuing its £350 million buyback. The insurer will issue its first-quarter trading update at 0700 BST on May 14. Aviva shares traded at 616.40 pence, down 0.61% in afternoon trade. The buyback follows last year’s £3.7 billion Direct Line acquisition and a 25% rise in 2025 operating profit.
May 13, 2026
Vodafone Stock’s Big Test: Germany Spoils the Turnaround Story After FY26 Results
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Vodafone Stock’s Big Test: Germany Spoils the Turnaround Story After FY26 Results

Vodafone shares rose 1% in London after a steep drop, as annual revenue climbed 8% to €40.5 billion but earnings missed consensus. The company lost 77,000 mobile and 90,000 broadband customers in Germany, which accounts for 37% of core profit. Vodafone guided for €11.9–12.2 billion in adjusted EBITDAaL for the new year. Full control of VodafoneThree in the UK is expected in late 2026.
May 13, 2026
IAG Stock Slips Again: Why British Airways Owner’s Bond Buyback Isn’t the Whole Story
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IAG Stock Slips Again: Why British Airways Owner’s Bond Buyback Isn’t the Whole Story

International Consolidated Airlines Group shares fell 1.46% in London after the company repurchased 99.6% of its €825 million 2028 convertible bonds, as rising jet fuel costs forced it to cut 2026 profit and capacity forecasts. IAG said it is 70% hedged on fuel for 2024 and expects to return €1 billion to shareholders by February 2027. The stock had dropped 2.98% on Tuesday amid heavy trading.
May 13, 2026
BP PLC Deepens Oil Pivot With 40% Uzbekistan Stake as Shares Rise
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BP PLC Deepens Oil Pivot With 40% Uzbekistan Stake as Shares Rise

BP acquired a 40% stake in six oil and gas exploration blocks in Uzbekistan’s North Ustyurt region, marking its first upstream entry in the country. BP bought 20% each from SOCAR and Uzbekneftegaz, which now hold 30% apiece; SOCAR remains operator. The deal was signed in Tashkent during the Oil and Gas of Uzbekistan Conference. BP shares rose 0.5% to 550.50 pence in London trading Wednesday.
May 13, 2026
SSE PLC Raises Profit Guidance Before Results—Here’s the Accounting Move Behind It
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SSE PLC Raises Profit Guidance Before Results—Here’s the Accounting Move Behind It

SSE raised its full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance to 149p-154p from 147p-152p after changing how it accounts for Neos Networks losses. The adjustment follows the carrying value of its Neos equity investment falling to nil, preventing further loss recognition under IAS 28. Full-year results are due May 28. SSE shares traded at 2,448p, down 1.29% near midday in London.
May 13, 2026
3i Group Shares Near £24: Why Action Could Decide Thursday’s Results Reaction
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3i Group Shares Near £24: Why Action Could Decide Thursday’s Results Reaction

Britain’s £500 million energy debt relief plan for low-income households remains stalled, with ministers yet to approve required data-sharing changes. Consumer energy debt is projected to exceed £7 billion by year-end, while Ofgem’s price cap is set to rise in July. Industry leaders warn arrears have doubled in three years, pressuring suppliers like British Gas and E.ON.
May 13, 2026
RELX Falls as Anthropic’s Legal-AI Push Reopens the Moat Debate
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RELX Falls as Anthropic’s Legal-AI Push Reopens the Moat Debate

RELX shares fell 2.4% to 2,396p in late London trade Wednesday, bucking gains in the FTSE 100 and DAX. The drop followed Anthropic’s expansion of Claude’s legal AI tools, raising investor concerns over the pricing power of RELX’s LexisNexis business. Management has defended RELX’s data and AI strategy, but investors sold despite a positive April trading update.
May 13, 2026
NatWest Shares Fade as Fitch Upgrade Runs Into UK Bank-Tax and Gilt Fears
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NatWest Shares Fade as Fitch Upgrade Runs Into UK Bank-Tax and Gilt Fears

NatWest shares traded around 557–560p in London after opening at 572.8p, following a 3.2% drop on Tuesday. Fitch upgraded key NatWest subsidiaries to AA with a stable outlook, but political risk, gilt stress, and fears of higher UK bank taxes continued to weigh on the stock. Sterling fell further as political uncertainty persisted. Prediction markets showed rising expectations of leadership change and future Bank of England rate hikes.
May 13, 2026
National Grid Stock Stalls Before Results as Rate Pressure Tests the £70 Billion Grid Story
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National Grid Stock Stalls Before Results as Rate Pressure Tests the £70 Billion Grid Story

National Grid traded at 1,275p/1,276p in London by midday, little changed after a volatile morning range of 1,267.5p to 1,298.5p. Volume was about 2.5 million shares, below average. Investors are positioning ahead of full-year results due May 14, with focus on funding a £70 billion grid expansion amid high gilt yields and U.S. regulatory costs. Analyst consensus sees FY 2025/26 underlying EPS at 77.8p.
May 13, 2026
HSBC Stock Edges Higher as Rate Bets Help Margins, but Credit Risk Still Caps the Move
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HSBC Stock Edges Higher as Rate Bets Help Margins, but Credit Risk Still Caps the Move

HSBC shares rose about 0.4% to 1,324p in London by late morning, after opening higher and then fading. The move follows last week’s $400 million fraud-linked charge and comes as higher-for-longer rates boost net interest income. Peer banks Barclays, Lloyds, and Standard Chartered also traded higher. Markets are weighing whether HSBC’s recent credit issues are isolated or signal broader risk.
May 13, 2026
Unilever Shares Slip as Strong Volumes Meet a Fresh McCormick Deal Test
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Unilever Shares Slip as Strong Volumes Meet a Fresh McCormick Deal Test

Unilever shares fell 0.67% to GBX 4,247 in London by late morning after Fundsmith Equity Fund exited its stake, citing concerns over management’s focus following the McCormick food transaction. First-quarter underlying sales rose 3.8% with 2.9% volume growth, but full-year guidance remains at the low end of the target range. Turnover dropped 3.3% due to currency effects and weak European sales.
May 13, 2026
Shell Stock Today: Buybacks Steady the Chart as Oil Risk Keeps the Trade Messy
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Shell Stock Today: Buybacks Steady the Chart as Oil Risk Keeps the Trade Messy

Shell shares were nearly flat in late morning London trade Wednesday, quoted at 3,156.25p, down 0.04%. The company continued buybacks, cancelling over 1.2 million shares on May 12, and is reportedly seeking to sell about 60 French highway petrol stations. Brent crude slipped 0.2% to $107.58 a barrel. Shell’s recent quarterly buyback was cut to $3 billion from $3.5 billion.
May 13, 2026
Lloyds Stock Rebounds as Gilt Panic Eases, but the Bank-Tax Risk Hasn’t Gone
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Lloyds Stock Rebounds as Gilt Panic Eases, but the Bank-Tax Risk Hasn’t Gone

Lloyds Banking Group shares rose 0.7% to 94.8p by late morning Wednesday, partially rebounding after a 4.35% drop the previous day. The recovery tracked steadier gilt yields and a sector-wide bounce among UK banks, as political and fiscal risks continued to weigh on sentiment. Barclays also opened 1.7% higher. Lloyds’ recent Q1 profit stood at £2.0 billion, with net interest income up 8%.
May 13, 2026
Barclays Stock Rebounds as UK Bank-Tax Fears Collide With Strong Q1 Capital Story
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Barclays Stock Rebounds as UK Bank-Tax Fears Collide With Strong Q1 Capital Story

Barclays shares rose 1.3% to 420.45p in London Wednesday after a steep drop Tuesday, tracking steadier UK gilt markets rather than new company news. Political turmoil and high long-term yields kept pressure on banks, with JPMorgan forecasting a rise in the UK bank surcharge to 5%. Barclays posted a 13.5% Q1 return on tangible equity and announced a £500 million buyback.
May 13, 2026
Compass Group Stock Extends Rally as Profit Upgrade Reframes AI and Inflation Risks
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Compass Group Stock Extends Rally as Profit Upgrade Reframes AI and Inflation Risks

Compass Group shares rose 1.06% to $32.27 in London morning trade, extending gains after the company raised its full-year profit forecast above 11%. First-half results showed organic revenue up 7.2% to $25.0 billion, operating profit at $1.839 billion, and $4.1 billion in new business wins. The stock has rallied since Friday’s $29.50 close, following stronger guidance and margin expansion.
May 13, 2026
Anglo American Rallies as Copper’s Record Run Turns the Teck Deal Into the Main Trade
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Anglo American Rallies as Copper’s Record Run Turns the Teck Deal Into the Main Trade

Anglo American shares rose 4.0% to 4,055p in London on May 13, outpacing the FTSE 100’s 0.52% gain, as copper prices hit new highs. The stock move followed a sector rally, with Antofagasta up 4.2%, Rio Tinto 3.4%, and Glencore 3.2%. Anglo’s planned merger with Teck Resources would give shareholders over 70% copper exposure, pending China antitrust approval. Copper production rose 1% to 170,400 tonnes last quarter.
May 13, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • Australian Power Prices Set to Drop Up to 10% for Consumers, Higher for Small Businesses
    May 25, 2026, 7:25 PM EDT. Australian Energy Regulator (AER) plans to reduce power prices in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria. Default Market Offer (DMO) prices will fall up to 10.7% for consumers and up to 20.9% for small businesses in some regions. The reductions stem from rising renewable energy contribution hitting 50%, along with stable coal-fired generation, lowering wholesale electricity costs. Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen credits renewables for driving prices down. Despite conflicts impacting global energy markets, wholesale costs remain subdued. Price changes vary due to different tariff structures across regions. The move aims to ease the burden on power users after years of tariff hikes, with official platforms available for customers to compare offers.