Lloyds Banking Group shares hovered at 92.68 pence in London Tuesday as investors awaited the Financial Conduct Authority’s update on the UK motor finance compensation plan, due March 30 after market close.
BAE Systems shares fell 2.5% to 2,250 pence in London on Friday, underperforming the FTSE 100’s 1.4% drop as defense stocks slid. The company also announced plans to sell its remaining 6.9% stake in Air Astana for about $31 million. UK officials this week confirmed new missile orders and talks to speed up defense deliveries amid Middle East tensions.
Rolls-Royce shares fell 1.4% to 1,166 pence by 12:19 GMT Tuesday, despite announcing a £19.3 million investment in its Rotherham turbine blade plant. The stock earlier hit a session low of 1,149 pence. Broader markets slipped as oil prices rose above $100 a barrel and investors retreated from economically sensitive stocks. Rolls-Royce aims to double blade production for Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 engines by 2030.
Lloyds Banking Group shares hovered at 92.68 pence in London Tuesday as investors awaited the Financial Conduct Authority’s update on the UK motor finance compensation plan, due March 30 after market close. Lloyds faces significant exposure, with its provision for compensation raised to £1.95 billion in October. FTSE 100 fell 0.1% to a three-month low, while UK bank stocks dropped 0.9%.
TABR Capital disclosed a $4.55 million ADP stake in January, then removed it from filings weeks later. ADP reported Q2 revenue up 6% to $5.36 billion and raised its full-year outlook. The board approved a new $6 billion buyback program. Nordea and Wilmington trimmed ADP holdings, while institutional ownership remains near 80%.
Apple released the iOS 26.4 release candidate to testers on March 18, signaling an imminent public launch. The update adds new Apple Music playlist tools, podcast video support, and features for the upcoming AirPods Max 2, which go on sale March 25. Some functions will require iOS 26.4 or later. Availability of features will vary by region, device, and language.
Brent crude closed Friday at $112.19 a barrel, its highest since July 2022, fueling focus on Woodside Energy as Canberra considers a new tax on gas profits. Woodside shares ended at A$34.04, up 1% for the day and 9.7% over five sessions. Liz Westcott was named CEO last week, with major projects and a 2026 production drop ahead. Spot LNG prices in Asia have doubled since the US-Israel conflict with Iran began.
Greatland Resources will join the S&P/ASX 100 at the Sydney market open Monday, following a 7.25% drop in its ASX share price Friday to A$10.11. The company reported a half-year net profit of A$342.9 million and ended December with A$948.3 million cash, no debt. Investors await the Telfer resource update for the March quarter. Gold fell 1.8% Friday to $4,563.64 an ounce.
Diageo closed Friday at 1,400 pence in London, near its 52-week low and far below its recent high of 2,215 pence. The company halved its interim dividend to 20 cents and cut its organic sales outlook for 2026, citing weak US demand and competition from cheaper brands. About 24.6 million shares traded. CEO Dave Lewis plans to present a new strategy later this year.
British American Tobacco shares fell 1.0% to 4,311 pence Friday, underperforming after the FTSE 100 dropped 1.4% amid inflation fears and Middle East tensions. BAT’s latest share buyback and a quarterly dividend declaration failed to lift the stock. The company maintained its 2026 guidance but warned results may be at the low end. BAT faces a London shareholder lawsuit over North Korea sanctions disclosures.
Rolls-Royce shares fell 2.44% to 1,161 pence Friday, extending losses and leaving the stock 18% below its late-February peak. The company bought back 2.47 million shares this week as part of a planned £2.5 billion program. European stocks posted a third straight weekly decline, with the FTSE 100 down 1.4%. Rising rates, oil prices, and inflation weighed on the sector despite Rolls-Royce’s upgraded profit targets.
SSE shares fell about 3% Friday to 2,573 pence, underperforming a weak London session as FTSE 100 dropped 1.4%. The company’s 150MW Ferrybridge battery storage project is now fully operational. SSE listed over 5 million new shares, mostly via its scrip dividend scheme. Investors remain wary of higher UK borrowing costs despite recent analyst upgrades.
BAE Systems shares fell 2.5% to 2,250 pence in London on Friday, underperforming the FTSE 100’s 1.4% drop as defense stocks slid. The company also announced plans to sell its remaining 6.9% stake in Air Astana for about $31 million. UK officials this week confirmed new missile orders and talks to speed up defense deliveries amid Middle East tensions.
Lloyds Banking Group shares fell 3.7% to 92.94 pence Thursday as the FTSE 100 dropped 2.48% after the Bank of England held rates at 3.75% but warned of inflation risks. Traders quickly priced in two rate hikes by year-end. HSBC dropped 2.7%, and the FTSE 350 bank index slid 3.7%. Lloyds also faced political scrutiny over a recent app error exposing customer transactions.
BAE Systems closed at about 2,306 pence in London after selling its final 6.9% stake in Air Astana for $31 million, completing its exit from the airline. The company announced new U.S. Air Force contracts and showcased an anti-drone system this week. Shares slipped 1%, outperforming the FTSE 100’s 2.4% drop after the Bank of England held rates steady. BAE reported a £30.66 billion sales figure for 2025 and record order backlog.
3i Group shares fell 4.8% to 2,875 pence in London, nearing a 52-week low and underperforming the FTSE 100’s 0.9% drop. The stock closed about 5.2% below its latest net asset value, a sharp reversal from last year’s average premium. Action, 3i’s key holding, saw slower French sales but overall growth. Broker ratings remain split ahead of 3i’s Action seminar on March 26.
Woodside Energy shares closed up 0.06% in Sydney after new CEO Liz Westcott named the $17.5 billion Louisiana LNG project as a top priority. U.S. ADRs rose 1%. Early gains faded despite stronger oil prices, with Brent crude jumping 3.8% to $107.38 and surging further after Iranian strikes in the Middle East. Westcott faces pressure amid a weaker 2026 production outlook and competition from rival projects.
BAE Systems shares rose 0.4% to 2,331 pence Tuesday after announcing new work for the U.S. Air Force, bucking a broader decline in European defense stocks. The company secured a contract to support the AN/ALQ-221 system on U-2 aircraft at Robins Air Force Base. BAE’s order backlog hit a record £83.6 billion last month. Sector volatility persists, with Leonardo shares hitting records while Rheinmetall fell sharply.
BT Group shares rose 2.5% to near 220 pence after Ofcom outlined new five-year Openreach regulations and expanded wholesale price caps. Ofcom set a price ceiling for lines up to 80 Mbps and said full-fibre now covers 78% of UK homes. BT stock is up nearly 37% in the past year. Full deregulation was ruled out, with Openreach still holding significant market power.
BP shares rose over 1% in London after new Iranian attacks on the UAE pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel. BP, which recently halted its $750 million buyback, is now prioritizing debt reduction and oil and gas investment. Brent hit $101.94 before retreating as some ships passed Hormuz and the US signaled possible transit for certain vessels. BP’s Middle East and Egypt output accounted for 22% of its 2025 production.
Reckitt Benckiser shares rose 2.4% to 5,484 pence Monday after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock and set a 6,300 pence target. The gain follows heavy losses earlier in March, including a 6% drop after the company withheld margin guidance. Reckitt launched a new buyback round of up to £540 million, set to finish by July 27. Management warned of continued challenges in Europe and currency headwinds.
Rolls-Royce Holdings shares rose about 1.2% to 1,230p in London Monday, partially recovering from Friday’s 5.3% drop. The company disclosed a buyback of 1.82 million shares on March 13, bringing the total repurchased to 12.52 million under its £2.3 billion program. The stock remains well below its 2024 high of 1,420p. Investors weigh buybacks and improved outlook against supply chain and oil price concerns.
Telstra shares closed at 5.12 AUD, down 0.2%, after buying back 1.95 million shares for 9.99 million AUD as part of its expanded 1.25 billion AUD buyback program. The company faces potential spectrum renewal costs of up to 1.6 billion AUD under proposed regulation. Telstra will pay its interim dividend of 10.5 cents per share on March 27. Bendigo Bank signed a five-year telecom deal with Telstra this week.
Experian shares closed down 0.62% at 2,738 pence Friday after launching a ChatGPT-powered credit app in the UK. The company also began offering VantageScore 4.0 mortgage scores for $0.99, intensifying price competition with FICO. Experian repurchased 224,000 shares on March 11 for cancellation. FTSE 100 slipped 0.4% amid Middle East tensions and rising oil prices.
National Australia Bank rose 1.53% Friday to close at A$47.11 amid expectations of a Reserve Bank of Australia rate hike next week. Brent crude traded at $100.13 per barrel, prompting Australia to release up to 762 million liters of fuel reserves. NAB’s net interest margin climbed to 1.80% for the quarter, while its common equity tier 1 ratio slipped to 11.48%.
Telstra shares closed at 5,19 AUD Friday, up 1,37%, as the company bought back 3,49 million shares for about 18 million AUD. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0,14% amid inflation and rate fears. Telstra’s buyback is set to run through June 30 but can be paused at any time. TPG Telecom closed at 3,91 AUD, up 0,51%.
BAE Systems shares rose 0.3% to 2,306 pence in late London trading Friday, following a 3.14% jump to a record 2,298 pence on Thursday. The FTSE 100 slipped 0.3% as defense stocks outperformed amid broad declines. BAE recently cleared a major design review for a $1.2 billion US Space Force satellite project. CEO Andrea Thompson sold 20,000 shares for about £450,000 this week.