News 25 April 2026

RF Acquisition II Shares Steady as $1.5 Billion AI-Biotech SPAC Deal Draws Attention Again
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RF Acquisition II Shares Steady as $1.5 Billion AI-Biotech SPAC Deal Draws Attention Again

RF Acquisition Corp II shares closed at $10.97 in light trading Tuesday after Nasdaq reopened post-Memorial Day. The SPAC’s stock hovered near its $10.95 redemption value as it faces a tight deadline to complete its planned merger with Nanyang Biologics. RFAI reported $52.9 million in its trust account as of March 31 and warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to continue if a deal is not completed.
May 27, 2026
Imperial Brands PLC Stock Faces Buyback Test After Morgan Stanley Downgrade
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Imperial Brands PLC Stock Faces Buyback Test After Morgan Stanley Downgrade

Imperial Brands bought back 179,206 shares for £1.45 billion on Friday, following a Morgan Stanley downgrade that cut its price target to 3,050p. The company’s shares closed at 2,769p, down 0.11% after warning of market-share losses and modest profit growth. Analysts cited concerns over cash flow, next-generation product losses, and investor reaction to weaker market share.
April 25, 2026
Rio Tinto’s A$1.5 Million Cyclone Pledge Puts Pilbara Risk Back in View
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Rio Tinto’s A$1.5 Million Cyclone Pledge Puts Pilbara Risk Back in View

Party City products will return to over 700 Staples stores and Staples.com under a new shop-in-shop deal, following Party City’s bankruptcy and closure of nearly 700 stores. The rollout, timed for graduation season, will expand through 2026 and features balloons, décor, and party goods. Staples is offering launch promotions, including discounts on balloons and custom print products. Party City’s brand now operates without its own retail chain.
April 25, 2026
Palantir Stock Just Got a $200 Wake-Up Call as PLTR’s AI Bet Faces Its Next Test
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Palantir Stock Just Got a $200 Wake-Up Call as PLTR’s AI Bet Faces Its Next Test

Palantir closed Friday at $143.09, up 1.1%, with a market value of $367.9 billion, but remains down about 20% for the year. The company reports first-quarter results May 4, after securing a $300 million USDA agreement and as the Pentagon formalizes Maven. Analyst John McPeake maintained a Buy rating and $200 target, citing Palantir’s enterprise AI revenue growth. Shares are still 31% below their November 2025 high.
April 25, 2026
GSK’s Jemperli Court Fight Just Got Tougher Before Q1 Earnings
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GSK’s Jemperli Court Fight Just Got Tougher Before Q1 Earnings

A Delaware court dismissed Tesaro’s claim that AnaptysBio anticipatorily breached their Jemperli cancer-drug agreement, preserving Anaptys’ royalty rates. The ruling comes days before GSK’s first-quarter results, with Jemperli sales under scrutiny. Jemperli generated $1.128 billion in 2025 sales, according to Anaptys. The FDA expanded Jemperli’s use in endometrial cancer in 2024.
April 25, 2026
SSE Stock Gets New Catalyst as UK Power-Price Shake-Up Tests Utility Earnings
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SSE Stock Gets New Catalyst as UK Power-Price Shake-Up Tests Utility Earnings

Deutsche Bank raised its price target on SSE PLC to 2,900 pence and kept a “buy” rating after the UK government proposed voluntary fixed-price power contracts and increased the Electricity Generator Levy to 55%. SSE shares closed at 2,630.50 pence Friday. The company expects 2025/26 adjusted EPS of 147-152 pence and 14.5 TWh renewable output. Preliminary results are due May 28.
April 25, 2026
BP PLC Faces Investor Revolt Before Meg O’Neill’s First Big Results Test
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BP PLC Faces Investor Revolt Before Meg O’Neill’s First Big Results Test

BP shareholders rejected two board-backed proposals at the annual meeting, with 52.88% voting against new articles of association and 52.53% against revoking earlier climate-related votes. Chair Albert Manifold was elected with 81.77% support, while CEO Meg O’Neill received 96.76%. The votes come as BP seeks to reset strategy and faces pressure over climate risk and governance.
April 25, 2026
Fresnillo PLC Shares Face Fresh Pressure After Silver Output Drop, Even as 2026 Guidance Holds
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Fresnillo PLC Shares Face Fresh Pressure After Silver Output Drop, Even as 2026 Guidance Holds

Fresnillo shares fell 1.63% to 3,370 pence on Friday after reporting an 8.5% drop in first-quarter attributable silver production to 11.1 million ounces. Gold output rose 0.7% from the previous quarter but was down 12.8% year-on-year. The company kept its 2026 production guidance unchanged. Berenberg maintained its hold rating and 34-pound price target.
April 25, 2026
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Rally Breaks as Oil Shock and BoE Warning Hit London
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UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Rally Breaks as Oil Shock and BoE Warning Hit London

The FTSE 100 fell 0.8% to 10,379.08 on Friday, ending a four-week winning streak as rising oil prices and Middle East tensions hit sentiment. Banks and drugmakers led losses, with AstraZeneca down 3.7% and Barclays off 0.9%. Retail sales rose 0.7% in March, but gains were driven by fuel buying. Mondi shares plunged 11.1% after warning of higher costs and announcing 450 job cuts in Europe.
April 25, 2026
Australia Stock Market This Week: ASX 200’s Worst Week Since March as Oil Shock, Fortescue Selloff Bite
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Australia Stock Market This Week: ASX 200’s Worst Week Since March as Oil Shock, Fortescue Selloff Bite

The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.8% for the week, closing Friday at 8,786.50, its sharpest decline since mid-March. Cochlear plunged 40.7% after slashing its profit outlook, while CSL hit a multi-year low following the end of a U.S. military vaccine mandate. Miners also fell, offsetting gains in energy stocks driven by Middle East tensions.
April 25, 2026
Glencore’s South Africa smelter rescue now hinges on a fast Nersa ruling
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Glencore’s South Africa smelter rescue now hinges on a fast Nersa ruling

Glencore-Merafe is urging fast approval of Eskom’s proposed 62c/kWh tariff relief for South African ferrochrome smelters, citing a May 11 labour deadline. Nersa has opened public consultations on changes to Eskom’s pricing agreements with Glencore-Merafe and Samancor. Several smelters remain idle after high power costs. The venture warns further delays could trigger job losses.
April 25, 2026
British American Tobacco Shares Rise After Morgan Stanley Makes BAT Its Top European Tobacco Pick
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British American Tobacco Shares Rise After Morgan Stanley Makes BAT Its Top European Tobacco Pick

British American Tobacco shares rose 1.97% to 4,302p late Friday after Morgan Stanley double-upgraded the stock to overweight and named it its top European tobacco pick, raising the price target to 4,900p. The upgrade comes as UK lawmakers passed a bill tightening tobacco and vaping rules and raising the legal buying age, while BAT continues buybacks and reports growth in newer nicotine products.
April 25, 2026
Reckitt Benckiser Durex Headache Deepens as China Price Scare Follows Weak Quarter
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Reckitt Benckiser Durex Headache Deepens as China Price Scare Follows Weak Quarter

Reckitt warned of lower first-half margins after missing first-quarter sales growth forecasts, citing high oil prices, Russia sanctions, and weak cold-and-flu demand. A viral scare over condom price hikes in China, a key growth market, followed news that supplier Karex may raise prices up to 30% if Iran-war disruptions persist. Reckitt’s shares fell as much as 7% after Wednesday’s update.
April 25, 2026
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Wins Fresh Europe SMR Deal as Czech Nuclear Bet Moves Forward
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Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Wins Fresh Europe SMR Deal as Czech Nuclear Bet Moves Forward

Rolls-Royce SMR signed an early works contract with ČEZ Group to begin preparatory work for the Czech Republic’s first small modular reactor at Temelín, with the first unit now expected in the late 2030s. The deal follows a similar UK contract signed this month. Rolls-Royce shares closed down 2.65% at 1,129.40 pence on Friday. The Czech state is moving to take full control of ČEZ.
April 25, 2026
Unilever Stock Watch: Nigeria Profit Jump Puts Spotlight on April 30 Q1 Test
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Unilever Stock Watch: Nigeria Profit Jump Puts Spotlight on April 30 Q1 Test

Unilever Nigeria reported a 26% rise in quarterly revenue to 59.17 billion naira, led by strong foods sales. Unilever PLC’s shares rose 1.15% in London ahead of the group’s April 30 first-quarter statement. The Nigerian unit remains majority-owned by Unilever Overseas Holdings BV. The parent company recently agreed to merge its foods business with McCormick, securing $15.7 billion in cash and 65% equity in the new entity.
April 25, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • Brokers See Further Upside for Charter Hall Shares After Earnings Upgrade
    May 26, 2026, 6:33 PM EDT. Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) upgraded its FY26 earnings forecast by 3%, now expecting a 26.5% increase over last year. The company's institutional property funds management platform fueled growth, with $6.5 billion in gross equity inflows so far this fiscal year, adding 25 new institutional investors. UBS notes the share price is undervalued, trading below its 10-year average price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, and sets a $24.75 target, citing expected retail investor flow improvements. Morgan Stanley, optimistic about sustained growth despite higher interest rates, assigns a $26.89 target. Charter Hall, valued at $9.75 billion, benefits from Australia's stable real asset market and strong global capital interest, with both brokers seeing potential for further gains.