Today: 24 March 2026
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Khadija Saeed

A dedicated markets reporter, she covers stocks, macroeconomics, and major business developments with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy.

3i Group plc shares hit 52-week low as Action worries erase January rally

3i Group plc shares hit 52-week low as Action worries erase January rally

3i Group shares fell 2.89% to 2,927 pence on Monday, hitting a new 52-week low as doubts persisted over future growth at its main asset, discount retailer Action. The stock closed below Hargreaves Lansdown’s estimated NAV of 3,030.14 pence. 3i valued its Action stake at £22.4 billion in January and reported strong sales growth, but analysts warn returns may slow. Investors await more detail at a March seminar.
10 March 2026
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SSE PLC insiders buy shares as utility enters key UK grid spending phase

SSE PLC insiders buy shares as utility enters key UK grid spending phase

SSE Plc disclosed Monday that CEO Martin Pibworth and six other executives acquired a total of 45 shares under its all-employee share plan, ahead of a closed period starting April 2. The company faces scrutiny over its ability to fund a £33 billion, five-year grid expansion, with five major transmission projects already under construction and 75% of key planning consents secured.
10 March 2026
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Beazley Plc Filings Reveal Big Holders as Zurich’s $11 Billion Takeover Gap Holds

Beazley Plc Filings Reveal Big Holders as Zurich’s $11 Billion Takeover Gap Holds

Wellington Management, Vanguard, and Polar Capital disclosed stakes of 6.21%, 5.03%, and 1.33% in Beazley Plc after Zurich Insurance’s £8.1 billion takeover offer. Beazley shares closed Monday at 1,289 pence, 3.4% below Zurich’s 1,335 pence offer. Citadel, D.E. Shaw, and Man Group also reported positions. Zurich expects the deal to close in the second half of 2026, pending approvals.
9 March 2026
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Persimmon Plc Shares Slide Ahead of 2025 Results as UK Housebuilder Pressure Builds

Persimmon Plc Shares Slide Ahead of 2025 Results as UK Housebuilder Pressure Builds

Persimmon Plc shares dropped 5.5% to 1,223.5 pence on Monday ahead of its full-year results due March 10. The fall followed warnings from rivals Vistry and Taylor Wimpey about lower margins and profits amid rising build costs and weaker demand. Persimmon previously reported 2025 completions up 12% and expects profit at the upper end of forecasts. Investors await any update on its 2026 outlook.
9 March 2026
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London Stock Exchange Group launches ESG scores in growth push before EU rules bite

London Stock Exchange Group launches ESG scores in growth push before EU rules bite

London Stock Exchange Group launched new ESG scores and sustainability analytics, covering 16,000 companies and over 1 million bonds, ahead of the EU’s July 2026 ESG Rating Regulation. LSEG plans to seek ESMA authorisation this year. The product uses 220 indicators and a rules-based scoring system. The move follows a £3 billion buyback and ongoing pressure from activist investors for faster growth.
9 March 2026
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Sunbelt Rentals Holdings starts $1.5 billion buyback after NYSE debut, buys 663,882 shares in first week

Sunbelt Rentals Holdings starts $1.5 billion buyback after NYSE debut, buys 663,882 shares in first week

Sunbelt Rentals Holdings repurchased 663,882 shares worth about £36.2 million between March 2 and March 6, its first buyback after moving its main listing to New York. The shares were bought on the London Stock Exchange and will be held in treasury. Sunbelt’s NYSE shares rose 1.25% to $75.36 on Monday. The company’s next earnings call is set for March 12.
9 March 2026
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NatWest Mortgage Rates Rise Again as UK Rate-Cut Hopes Crumble

NatWest Mortgage Rates Rise Again as UK Rate-Cut Hopes Crumble

NatWest Group will raise mortgage rates for existing customers and additional borrowing from March 10, following recent hikes for new borrowers. Barclays, Halifax, and Santander are also increasing rates, while some smaller lenders have withdrawn products. The average UK two-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 4.84% this week. Mortgage approvals in January fell to a two-year low, according to Bank of England data.
9 March 2026
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BAE Systems Wins 7-Year Danish Army Training Deal as Europe Rearms

BAE Systems Wins 7-Year Danish Army Training Deal as Europe Rearms

BAE Systems said Monday its OneArc unit won a seven-year contract to upgrade Danish Army training software, including VBS4 and on-site support; financial terms were not disclosed. The announcement came as Europe became the world’s top arms importer and NATO launched Arctic drills involving Denmark and 13 other countries. Denmark plans to raise defense spending to 3.2% of GDP in 2025.
9 March 2026
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Unilever PLC Shares Slip as Oil Shock Revives 2026 Growth Doubts After Magnum Spin-Off

Unilever PLC Shares Slip as Oil Shock Revives 2026 Growth Doubts After Magnum Spin-Off

Unilever shares fell 0.64% to 4,903.5 pence in London on Monday amid a Europe-wide selloff triggered by oil prices surging over 25% to nearly $120 a barrel. The company last month warned 2026 sales growth would likely hit the bottom of its 4%-6% target range after weak results in Europe and the U.S. Developed markets make up 41% of turnover; fourth-quarter sales growth slowed to 0.1% in Europe.
9 March 2026
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Standard Chartered Pushes Ahead With $1.5 Billion Buyback After Profit Miss, CFO Exit

Standard Chartered Pushes Ahead With $1.5 Billion Buyback After Profit Miss, CFO Exit

Standard Chartered bought back 892,954 shares on March 6 as part of its $1.5 billion repurchase plan, spending $111.4 million so far. The bank’s shares fell 1.4% to 1,617 pence Monday amid broader market declines. CFO Diego De Giorgi left in February, with Peter Burrill named interim replacement. The buyback is expected to reduce the bank’s CET1 ratio by about 58 basis points.
9 March 2026
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Barclays PLC Shares Stay Under Pressure as MFS Fallout Meets Oil Shock

Barclays PLC Shares Stay Under Pressure as MFS Fallout Meets Oil Shock

Barclays shares fell 2.86% Monday as investors assessed its £495 million exposure to failed lender Market Financial Solutions and a surge in oil prices hit UK assets. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 both closed at five-week lows. Barclays declined to comment on regulatory scrutiny over its MFS exposure. Santander and other European banks also saw losses as crude oil jumped over 25% to nearly $120 a barrel.
9 March 2026
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BP PLC Shares Rise as Oil Prices Spike, but Traders Still Bet the Windfall Fades

BP PLC Shares Rise as Oil Prices Spike, but Traders Still Bet the Windfall Fades

BP shares rose 2.2% in London Monday as Brent crude briefly hit $119.50 a barrel, the highest since 2022, following the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. BP paused its $750 million share buyback last month to focus on debt reduction, with net debt at $22 billion. Global bonds fell as traders shifted from expecting Bank of England rate cuts to a possible hike by December.
9 March 2026
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Rio Tinto plc Drawn Into Hormuz Supply Shock as Amrun Bauxite Cargo Turns Toward China

Rio Tinto plc Drawn Into Hormuz Supply Shock as Amrun Bauxite Cargo Turns Toward China

A Rio Tinto bauxite shipment from Australia diverted to China after a blockage in the Strait of Hormuz, shipping data showed, as aluminium prices hit a four-year high. Aluminium Bahrain halted shipments and declared force majeure, while Norsk Hydro said Qatalum in Qatar was shutting down. Gulf smelters have little alumina in reserve, raising supply concerns. The direct financial impact on Rio Tinto remains unclear.
9 March 2026
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Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Expands Poland Defence Bet With PGZ as Europe Rearms

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Expands Poland Defence Bet With PGZ as Europe Rearms

Rolls-Royce Holdings signed a preliminary agreement with Poland’s PGZ to expand work on propulsion systems for military vehicles and naval vessels. The companies did not disclose financial terms, and the deal falls short of a firm order. The move comes as Poland seeks to access €43.7 billion in EU military loans and European arms imports surge, according to SIPRI data. Rolls-Royce’s mtu engines already power Polish military vehicles, including the new Borsuk.
9 March 2026
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BlackRock Fund Curbs Rattle Banks and Property Trades as Standard Motor Products Draws Bottom-Fishing Calls

BlackRock Fund Curbs Rattle Banks and Property Trades as Standard Motor Products Draws Bottom-Fishing Calls

BlackRock capped withdrawals from its $26 billion private-credit fund after requests topped $1.2 billion, deepening stress in property-linked trades despite a late Wall Street rebound. Fitch said U.S. private-credit defaults hit a record 9.2% in 2025. Wells Fargo fell 2% and Bank of America dropped 1.5%. BlackRock shares closed up 0.3% after earlier losses.
9 March 2026
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Opendoor Stock Swings After 4.99% Mortgage Offer Raises Fresh 2026 Profit Questions

Opendoor Stock Swings After 4.99% Mortgage Offer Raises Fresh 2026 Profit Questions

Opendoor Technologies shares fluctuated Monday as the company launched a 4.99% mortgage offer, below the 6% U.S. average. The rate applies only to buyers on its platform and is in beta, CEO Kaz Nejatian said. Opendoor reported a $1.3 billion net loss for 2025 and $1.1 billion in asset-backed debt. Analysts flagged risks to margins if home prices fall or funding remains expensive.
9 March 2026
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UiPath Stock Slips Ahead of Earnings as AI Bet Faces a March 11 Test

UiPath Stock Slips Ahead of Earnings as AI Bet Faces a March 11 Test

UiPath shares fell 0.8% to $11.77 Monday ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings report due March 11. Investors are watching for signs that new AI agent tools could impact UiPath’s core business and pricing power. Analysts expect $464.8 million in revenue and 25 cents a share. UiPath recently acquired WorkFusion and launched new healthcare products to expand its AI offerings.
9 March 2026
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Micron Technology rises as analysts look past Nvidia Vera Rubin HBM4 setback

Micron Technology rises as analysts look past Nvidia Vera Rubin HBM4 setback

Micron Technology shares climbed 2.3% Monday after Citi and Susquehanna raised price targets ahead of March 18 earnings. Reports said Nvidia’s Vera Rubin AI system will use HBM4 memory from Samsung and SK Hynix, not Micron, though Micron is expected to supply chips for mid-tier Rubin CPX models. The stock traded at $378.78 in afternoon trade.
9 March 2026
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NIO Inc Earnings Preview: China EV Maker Faces Crucial Margin Test After Rare Profit Alert

NIO Inc Earnings Preview: China EV Maker Faces Crucial Margin Test After Rare Profit Alert

NIO will report fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results before U.S. markets open Tuesday, after forecasting its first quarterly adjusted operating profit of 700 million to 1.2 billion yuan. February deliveries jumped 57.6% year-on-year to 20,797 vehicles. NIO recalled 246,229 vehicles in February over a software issue. Shares closed at $4.87 on Monday.
9 March 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • LSR.AX surges 10% on ASX with volume spike signalling momentum
    March 23, 2026, 11:39 PM EDT. LSR.AX stock jumped 10% intraday to A$0.022 on March 24, driven by a volume surge to 65.6 million shares, nearly four times the average. The price pierced the 50-day (A$0.013) and 200-day (A$0.018) moving averages, indicating short-term momentum for this micro-cap gold and base metals explorer. Technical signals highlight strong trend momentum despite overbought pressures. Lodestar Minerals, valued at A$7.6 million market cap, posts negative earnings but maintains solid liquidity with a current ratio of 4.95. Meyka AI assigns a hold rating (C+) citing weak profitability but manageable debt. Key risks include earnings deficits and commodity volatility. Today's volume spike offers a short-term catalyst but does not confirm a sustained recovery amid sector headwinds.
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