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Prudential share price ends the week higher — buyback activity and rate outlook back in focus

Prudential plc shares closed up 0.5% at 1,181.5 pence Friday, with 5.1 million shares traded before the London market shut for the weekend. The company bought back 494,445 shares on Feb. 5 as part of a $1.2 billion repurchase program running through 2026. The FTSE 100 rose 0.6% on the day. Prudential’s next full-year results are due March 18, 2026.

8 February 2026

by Shan Ahmed Khan

IAG share price jumps near a 52-week high — what to watch before British Airways owner reports

IAG shares closed Friday up 4.3% at 438.5 pence, near a 52-week high, outperforming the FTSE 100. Trading volume reached about 14 million shares. The company reports full-year 2025 results on Feb. 27. An updated filing showed IAG held 162 million treasury shares and total voting rights of 4.57 billion.

8 February 2026

LSE:IAG.L·Stock Market

Nvidia stock ‘cheap’ again? AI spending surge puts NVDA back in the spotlight

Nvidia shares jumped 7.8% Friday, leading a rally in chip stocks after signs of continued AI hardware spending by major tech firms. The PHLX semiconductor index rose 5.7%, with AMD and Broadcom also gaining. The Dow closed above 50,000 for the first time. Investors remain split over whether soaring AI outlays will deliver sufficient returns.

8 February 2026

Artificial Intelligence·NASDAQ:NVDA·NVIDIA·Stock Market·Technology

Halma share price: HLMA ends week higher as investors look to March update for next cue

Halma shares closed Friday at 3,548 pence, up 0.74%, outpacing the FTSE 100’s 0.6% gain. The company has not issued regulatory news since mid-January, when it announced the €72.5 million Safetec acquisition. Next scheduled update is March 12. Market value stands near £13.4 billion.

8 February 2026

LSE:HLMA·Stock Market·UK Stocks

Compass Group share price slides again: what to watch before CPG.L reopens in London

Compass Group shares closed down 2.5% at 2,125p on Friday, underperforming the FTSE 100’s 0.6% gain. The stock remains near a three-year low despite reporting 7.3% organic revenue growth and reaffirming its 2026 outlook. Investors remain cautious ahead of Monday’s management strategy briefing.

8 February 2026

LSE:CPG.L·Stock Market

Diageo share price drops on Friday — what to watch before Feb 25 results

Earnings Reports·EPA:PERP·LSE:DGE.L·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Diageo shares closed Friday down 1.48% at 1,760 pence, underperforming the FTSE 100 and remaining over 22% below their 52-week high. Investors are now focused on the company’s Feb. 25 interim results, with attention on demand trends, costs, and any updates on dividends.

Standard Chartered stock in focus: what to watch before Feb 24 results and dividend decision

Standard Chartered shares rose 1.87% to 18.82 pounds Friday, outperforming the FTSE 100. The bank’s board committee will meet Feb. 24 to approve 2025 results and consider a final dividend. JPMorgan raised its price target to 2,170 pence. Full-year results are set for release at 04:00 UK time that day.

8 February 2026

Dividends·Earnings Reports·LSE:STAN·Stock Market

National Grid share price on a six-session run: what could move NG.L when London reopens

National Grid closed Friday at 1,285 pence, up 0.23%, marking its sixth straight gain and trading near a 52-week high. Investors focused on Bank of England survey results showing expectations for Bank Rate to fall to 3.0% by March 2027. UK GDP, trade, and industrial output data are due Feb. 12. 6.51 million National Grid shares changed hands in the session.

8 February 2026

LSE:NG.L·Stock Market·UK Stocks

Idox share price stuck below 71.5p bid as Long Path says backing nears control

Long Path Partners said it has aggregate support for about 49.26% of Idox shares for its 71.5p-per-share cash offer. Idox shares closed Friday at 71.0p, about 0.7% below the offer price. Valid acceptances stood at 19.12% as of Feb. 5, with the offer open until March 16. The deal requires more than 50% of voting rights to go unconditional.

8 February 2026

LSE:IDOX.L·Stock Market

BAE Systems share price: Buyback update and Launchpad incubator set up Feb 18 results

BAE Systems shares closed up 1.2% at 1,879 pence on Friday, with 5.6 million shares traded. The company disclosed buying back 115,039 shares for cancellation at a volume-weighted average price of 1,860.32 pence. Over 1,200 BAE workers in northwest England are striking over pay until at least Feb. 20. Full-year results are due Feb. 18.

8 February 2026

LSE:BA.L·Stock Market

Barclays share price jumps into earnings week: what to watch before Tuesday’s results

Earnings Reports·LSE:BARC·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Barclays shares closed up 2.71% at 479.1 pence on Friday, ahead of full-year results and a targets update due Tuesday. Barclays and NatWest have both submitted offers for Evelyn Partners, with a deal announcement possible this week, according to Reuters. Mary Francis will retire from the Barclays board in May. Investors are watching for signals on costs, credit quality, and capital returns.

Rolls-Royce share price ends week higher on buyback update as RR.L eyes turn to results

LSE:RR.L·Share Buybacks·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Rolls-Royce Holdings shares closed at 1,229p on Friday, up 1.78%, as the FTSE 100 gained 0.59%. The company reported buying 742,570 shares on Feb. 5 as part of its £200 million buyback, bringing total repurchases to 12.66 million shares. Rolls-Royce will attend the World Defense Show in Riyadh, noting over 80% of its Saudi workforce are nationals.

Vodafone share price: Buyback kicks off, but Germany recovery is the next test for VOD.L

LSE:VOD.L·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Vodafone (VOD.L) bought 27.1 million shares this week as its new buyback began, with the stock closing Friday up 1.47% at 110.6p after a sharp drop the day before. Investors remain focused on Germany’s service-revenue growth and the pace of buybacks ahead of Monday’s open. The company maintained full-year guidance after reporting 5.4% group service revenue growth in Q3, with Germany up 0.7%.

NatWest share price in focus as £2.5bn Evelyn Partners takeover talk builds into Monday

LSE:NWG·Stock Market

8 February 2026

NatWest is nearing a £2.5–2.7 billion takeover of Evelyn Partners, according to Sky News and Bloomberg, with an announcement possible as soon as Monday. The bank declined to comment. NatWest shares closed Friday at 659.4 pence, up 1.45%. The bank bought back 797,428 shares on Friday as part of its ongoing buyback programme.

Experian stock price: Why EXPN slid on Friday and what investors watch next week

LSE:EXPN.L·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Experian shares fell 4.65% to 2,499 pence at Friday’s close, near a 52-week low, after the company disclosed further purchases under its new $1 billion buyback. About 5.8 million shares traded. The drop followed a volatile week for European data firms amid AI disruption concerns. Investors await U.S. inflation data and peer results ahead of Monday’s open.

Lloyds share price in focus: Buyback filing and Halifax house-price jump set up the week ahead

LSE:BARC.L·LSE:LLOY.L·LSE:NWG.L·Stock Market·UK Economy

8 February 2026

Lloyds Banking Group shares closed at 106.75 pence on Friday, up 0.9%, after disclosing a 10 million share buyback for cancellation. Halifax, owned by Lloyds, reported UK house prices rose 0.7% in January to £300,077. Investors are watching for UK banking news next week and monitoring mortgage pricing trends. The London market reopens Monday.

Unilever share price flat at Friday close — what could move ULVR ahead of Feb 12 results

Earnings Reports·LSE:ULVR·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Unilever shares closed flat at 5,250 pence Friday, with about 3.2 million shares traded. The company will report full-year results on Feb. 12, its first major update since spinning off its ice cream unit. Investors expect guidance on 2026 sales, margins, and cost savings. Unilever has forecast 2025 underlying sales growth of 3% to 5% and second-half margins of at least 19.5%.

Windows 11 printer alert: Microsoft tightens the screws on legacy V3/V4 drivers in 2026

NASDAQ:MSFT·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Microsoft has blocked most new legacy Windows printer driver submissions, requiring manual review and justification from print partners as it phases out the V3 and V4 driver pipeline. No new third-party printer drivers will be published to Windows Update for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025 or later after January 15, 2026. Existing drivers remain installable, with security fixes continuing for supported OS versions.

Reckitt share price: RKT stock at 6,400p as special dividend and CAGNY event line up

Dividends·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Reckitt Benckiser shares closed Friday at 6,400 pence, down 0.22%, near a 52-week high. The company will pay a £1.6 billion special dividend on Feb. 20 and consolidate shares. CEO Kris Licht and CFO Shannon Eisenhardt present at CAGNY on Feb. 19, with full-year results due March 5. The FTSE 100 rose 0.6% Friday, lifted by banks.

LSEG share price heads into Monday after AI jitters hit London Stock Exchange Group stock

Artificial Intelligence·LSE:LSEG.L·Stock Market

8 February 2026

London Stock Exchange Group shares fell 1.1% to 7,502p Friday, closing out a third straight weekly decline and an 8% drop for the week. The selloff followed renewed concerns over AI disruption after a new Claude plug-in from Anthropic and caution over Big Tech’s AI spending. LSEG bought back 256,419 shares on Feb. 5. Investors await Monday’s open and LSEG’s FY25 results webcast on Feb. 26.

Anglo American share price slips after BofA downgrade as De Beers review looms

LSE:AAL·Mining Industry·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Anglo American shares closed at 3,435 pence on Friday, down 0.75%, after BofA Global Research downgraded the miner to “neutral” over valuation and execution risks. The bank raised its price target to 3,600 pence but flagged a long wait for Teck synergies and uncertainty around De Beers. Investors await full-year results and updates on deals and disposals on Feb. 20.

GSK stock price: EU nod for Nucala in COPD puts the focus on Monday trade

EU Regulations·LSE:GSK.L·Pharmaceuticals·Stock Market

8 February 2026

GSK shares closed Friday up 0.8% at 2,198 pence after the EU approved expanded use of Nucala for adults with uncontrolled COPD. Chairman Jonathan Symonds bought 2,500 shares earlier in the week. The stock is up 17% over the past week and nearly 49% in 12 months. GSK trades ex-dividend on Feb. 19.

BAT stock ends week higher as buyback rolls on; investors eye Feb 12 results

Earnings Reports·LSE:BATS.L·Stock Market

8 February 2026

British American Tobacco shares closed up 1.2% at 4,609 pence on Friday, outpacing the FTSE 100 ahead of its preliminary results due Feb. 12. The company bought back 121,668 shares this week for cancellation. CEO Tadeu Marroco received 364 shares under a bonus scheme. Investors are watching for updates on BAT’s nicotine alternatives and sector competition after Philip Morris International’s latest results.

SSE share price ends higher — what to watch before Monday’s London open

LSE:SSE.L·Stock Market

8 February 2026

SSE shares closed up 1.21% at 2,510 pence in London on Friday, trading near a 52-week high. The company guided for 2025/26 adjusted earnings per share of 144–152 pence after reporting a 64% jump in regulated networks investment and a 7% rise in renewables output. Investors are watching Ofgem’s transmission price-control deadline and UK interest rate signals.

Meta Stock Slips on AI Spend Jitters as $4 Trillion Valuation Chatter Grows

Artificial Intelligence·NASDAQ:META·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Meta shares fell 1.3% Friday after the company projected 2026 capital spending of up to $135 billion, up sharply from $72.22 billion in 2025. Investors expressed concern over rising AI costs and pressure on cash flow, despite Meta reporting a 24% jump in fourth-quarter revenue to $59.89 billion.

HSBC share price ends Friday up 2.2% — what to watch before London reopens

LSE:HSBA·Stock Market

8 February 2026

HSBC shares closed up 2.2% at 1,305.8 pence in London on Friday, while its New York stock rose and Hong Kong shares fell. Market participants now expect the Bank of England’s key rate to drop to 3.0% by March 2027, with two more cuts in 2026 nearly priced in, Reuters reported. HSBC’s next results are due Feb. 25.

Shell share price in focus after Kazakhstan investment pause and PwC audit switch

Energy Sector·LSE:SHEL.L·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Shell will pause new investments in Kazakhstan amid ongoing legal disputes over $16.5 billion in contested costs at major oilfields, CEO Wael Sawan said. Shell shares closed at 2,774.5 pence on Friday. The company repurchased 1.64 million shares on Feb. 6 as part of its ongoing buyback. Shell named PwC as auditor from 2027, replacing EY, which is under investigation by UK regulators.

Rio Tinto share price steadies after Glencore talks end, with Feb 19 results next test

Earnings Reports·LSE:GLEN·LSE:RIO·Mining Industry·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Rio Tinto shares closed up 0.25% at 6,843 pence in London after the company ended takeover talks with Glencore. British law now blocks new talks for six months. Investors await Rio’s annual results on Feb. 19 as iron ore prices hover near $100 a ton.

RELX share price slides again on AI worries; what to watch ahead of Feb 12 results

LSE:REL·Stock Market

8 February 2026

RELX shares fell 4.6% to 2,145p on Friday, near a 52-week low, despite the FTSE 100 closing higher. The company disclosed a new buyback of 465,361 shares on Feb. 6 and has repurchased over 8.8 million shares since Jan. 2. Investors await RELX’s full-year 2025 results on Feb. 12 amid concerns over AI’s impact on its core business.

Glencore shares steady after Rio walks away — what to watch before Monday’s trade

LSE:GLEN.L·Mining Industry·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Glencore shares closed up 0.6% at 478.10 pence Friday after Rio Tinto ended merger talks, issuing a “no intention to bid” statement. Glencore’s board rejected the proposed deal terms, citing concerns over valuation and governance. Attention now turns to possible asset sales, including its $5 billion Kazzinc stake, ahead of Glencore’s annual results on Feb. 18.

iFAST stock slides into a big week: earnings date, Singapore budget and what traders watch next

Earnings Reports·SGX:AIY

8 February 2026

iFAST shares closed down 3.2% at S$9.64 Friday ahead of its full-year results due Feb. 12. About 2.6 million shares changed hands as the company heads into a week packed with earnings and Singapore’s Budget 2026 announcement. The Straits Times Index fell 0.8% to 4,934.41. DBS and other major financials report next week, heightening market volatility.

Jardine Matheson stock slides 2.4% into weekend — what investors watch before SGX reopens

LSE:JMH·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Jardine Matheson shares dropped 2.4% to US$75.71 in Singapore Friday, with 293,900 shares traded. The Straits Times Index fell 0.8%, ending a three-day record streak. Indonesian stocks and the rupiah also slid after Moody’s cut the country’s credit outlook. Jardine’s full-year results are due March 10.

City Developments (SGX:C09) share price in focus after S$709m Tanjong Rhu land bid

Real Estate·SGX:C09·Stock Market

8 February 2026

City Developments Ltd shares fell 0.6% to S$9.57 after it and Woh Hup topped bids for a Tanjong Rhu residential site at S$709.25 million. The Urban Redevelopment Authority said the tender closed Feb 5 but has not awarded the site. CDL’s stock remains near a 52-week high. Full-year results are due Feb 27.

Sembcorp Industries share price at S$6.05: what to watch before Feb 25 results

Earnings Reports·SGX:U96.SI·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Sembcorp Industries shares closed down 0.33% at S$6.05 on Friday, with 4.3 million shares traded. The company will release FY2025 results before market open on Feb. 25 and hold a webcast at 11 a.m. Investors are watching for updates on cash flow, spending, and its A$6.5 billion Alinta Energy acquisition in Australia.

Wilmar (SGX:F34) share price slips as palm oil turns lower; what to watch next week

SGX:F34·Stock Market

8 February 2026

Wilmar International shares fell 0.9% to S$3.44 on Friday as Singapore’s Straits Times Index slipped 0.8%. Malaysian palm oil futures posted their first weekly decline in five weeks ahead of industry events and data releases. The Malaysian Palm Oil Board will report January figures on Feb. 10. Wilmar’s full-year results are due Feb. 26.

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