Today: 26 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.

Vodafone Group PLC’s UK unit in Virgin Media O2 broadband talks, reports say

Vodafone Group PLC’s UK unit in Virgin Media O2 broadband talks, reports say

VodafoneThree is in talks with Virgin Media O2 for a broadband wholesale deal that would let it sell home internet over Virgin Media O2’s network, according to the Financial Times and The Times. VodafoneThree had about 2 million broadband customers at the end of December and aims to more than double that by 2034. Vodafone shares closed down 1.34% at 106.85 pence in London on Monday.
10 March 2026
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Tesco PLC Tests 24/7 Royal Mail Parcel Lockers at UK Stores as Convenience Race Intensifies

Tesco PLC Tests 24/7 Royal Mail Parcel Lockers at UK Stores as Convenience Race Intensifies

Tesco has begun a six-month trial of Royal Mail parcel lockers outside selected UK stores, offering 24/7 parcel services. The trial covers sites in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Barrow, Burnham-on-Sea, Bury, Cullompton, Horwich, March, and Preston. Tesco’s market share rose to 28.7% in the 12 weeks to Feb. 22, according to Worldpanel data. Sainsbury’s and Co-op have also announced Royal Mail locker partnerships.
10 March 2026
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Aviva plc Restarts £350 Million Buyback as Shares Slide — Why Analysts Still See Value

Aviva plc Restarts £350 Million Buyback as Shares Slide — Why Analysts Still See Value

Aviva bought 20,000 shares for cancellation under its £350 million buyback, but shares closed down 2.58% at 611.2 pence. The company reported a 25% rise in 2025 operating profit to £2.2 billion, boosted by the Direct Line takeover. Aviva forecasts a combined operating ratio below 94% in the UK and Ireland this year. The final dividend of 26.2 pence awaits shareholder approval on May 14.
10 March 2026
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Sage teams with SumUp on free UK tax tool ahead of Making Tax Digital deadline

Sage teams with SumUp on free UK tax tool ahead of Making Tax Digital deadline

Sage Group and SumUp will launch a free accounting and tax-filing tool for UK sole traders inside SumUp’s platform, ahead of new HMRC digital filing rules starting April 6. The tool will automate HMRC-ready filings for users with over £50,000 in combined self-employment and property income. HMRC estimates about 864,000 people will be affected in the first year. The threshold drops to £30,000 in 2027.
10 March 2026
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International Consolidated Airlines Group SA slides as oil shock and BA flight disruption threaten recovery

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA slides as oil shock and BA flight disruption threaten recovery

IAG shares fell up to 6% alongside Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, and Wizz Air as Brent crude surged and Middle East conflict disrupted routes. British Airways remains unable to fly to several Middle East cities, adding extra Muscat-Heathrow flights through March 12. Over 40,000 Middle East flights have been cancelled since Feb. 28. IAG recently beat 2025 profit forecasts and launched a €500 million buyback.
10 March 2026
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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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Stock Market Today

  • Bio-Techne (NASDAQ:TECH) Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations Amid Sector Challenges
    March 26, 2026, 5:57 AM EDT. Bio-Techne (NASDAQ:TECH) reported flat Q4 revenues of $295.9 million, beating analyst estimates by 2% in the research tools and consumables subsector. Despite strong earnings, the stock has declined 18.5% following results, mirroring a broader 18.6% drop in the sector. These firms supply essential laboratory products to academia, biotech, and pharma, benefiting from recurring revenue but facing pricing pressures and funding fluctuations. Growth drivers include expanding fields like synthetic biology and personalized medicine alongside increasing lab automation. Bio-Techne CEO Kim Kelderman highlighted solid execution despite a stabilizing environment. The sector remains sensitive to macroeconomic and supply chain risks, but demand for advanced research tools continues to support revenue stability.
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