London, Feb 5, 2026, 08:23 GMT — Regular session
- London Stock Exchange Group shares down 1.9% early Thursday at 7,046p
- Stock remains volatile after an AI-driven selloff hit data and software names this week
- LSEG disclosed another tranche of buyback purchases, with shares slated for cancellation
London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSEG.L) shares were down 1.9% at 7,046 pence in early London trade on Thursday, a day after the stock hit a 52-week low of 6,684 pence. The shares closed at 7,180 pence on Wednesday and are down about 42% from a 12,185 pence high over the past year, data showed. (London South East)
The move keeps LSEG on traders’ screens after a sharp selloff in software and data stocks reignited a debate about whether artificial intelligence could weaken the grip that entrenched providers have on customers. LSEG fell nearly 13% on Tuesday and eased 0.1% on Wednesday, after investors focused on a new legal tool tied to Anthropic’s Claude large language model, Reuters reported. “The selloff … is a manifestation of an awakening to the disruptive power of AI,” said James St. Aubin, chief investment officer at Ocean Park Asset Management; Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called fears that AI would replace software “illogical,” the report said. (Reuters)
Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said the “likes of Relx, London Stock Exchange Group, Experian, Sage, Informa and Pearson were smashed” after Anthropic unveiled the product. He said the worry is that AI could squeeze margins at firms that charge for information and tools — or, in a worst case, “disintermediate” them, cutting them out of the workflow entirely. (The Guardian)
LSEG added fuel to the conversation on Thursday with another buyback update. The company said it bought 290,987 shares on Feb. 4 at an average price of 7,053.53 pence, with purchases ranging from 6,696 pence to 7,202 pence, and plans to cancel the stock. (TradingView)
The stock’s weakness comes against a firmer backdrop for the wider London market. The FTSE 100 closed at a record high on Wednesday, while investors kept a close eye on the Bank of England’s looming policy decision and the market’s shift away from growth-heavy names amid AI disruption worries, Reuters reported. (Reuters)
Buybacks are meant to be a steady bid. In plain terms, the company repurchases its own shares — often cancelling them — which reduces the number of shares outstanding and can lift earnings per share if profits hold.
That support is not guaranteed, especially when the selling is being driven by a narrative rather than a line item. The AI story has moved fast, and the market is trying to price a risk that is hard to model: whether customers stick with expensive data platforms or start building cheaper tools on top of new AI models.
But this can still go the other way. If the “AI replaces the middleman” argument spreads, investors may keep leaning on valuations for subscription and workflow businesses, even before there is evidence in revenue.
For now, traders are also watching whether the shares can stabilise above this week’s low and whether buyback disclosures — now arriving in a steady stream — change the tone.
Next up is LSEG’s preliminary results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2025, due on Feb. 26, when investors will look for any read-through on demand for its data products, the pace of the buyback, and management’s take on how AI fits into the business. (LSEG)
