Mateusz Kaczmarek, Author at TechStock²

Spain’s €60 Nationwide Transport Pass Starts 19 January 2026: What’s Included, What’s Not, and How It Compares Across Europe

Published: December 17, 2025 Spain is preparing to roll out one of Europe’s most talked-about mobility policies: a flat-rate, nationwide public transport pass designed to make everyday travel cheaper and to push more people out of cars and onto trains and buses. The headline numbers are simple: €60 per month for adults and €30 per month for anyone under 26—with the Spanish government now confirming the start date as 19 January 2026. RTVE+2The Guardian+2 But the fine print matters. This is not a “ride anything everywhere” ticket from day one—at least not yet. Here’s what today’s reporting (17 December 2025)

17 December 2025

Stock Market

Ethical Label Market Heads Toward $1.96T by 2034 as B2BINPAY Expands White‑Label Crypto Payments for Banks (Dec. 17, 2025)

Ethical labels are becoming a trillion-dollar trust layer for consumer goods, while stablecoins push banks toward white‑label crypto payments. Here’s what’s driving both trends on Dec. 17, 2025. On Dec. 17, 2025, two very different corners of the global economy delivered the same message: trust is now a product feature—and increasingly, a technology stack. In consumer goods, “ethical labels” (think organic, Fairtrade, cruelty‑free, halal, and clean-label claims) are shifting from marketing add‑ons to purchase-deciding signals. A market outlook distributed via GlobeNewswire points to a massive runway for the ethical label ecosystem—powered by regulatory pressure, buyer expectations, and technology like QR

17 December 2025

Cryptocurrency·Fintech

BP (BP.) share price rebounds as oil jumps; buyback update and Petrobras–Lightsource bp solar JV keep investors focused (17 Dec 2025)

BP plc (LSE: BP.) ended Wednesday higher after a sharp slide the prior session, with a bounce in crude prices and a fresh buyback disclosure helping to reset the near‑term narrative for the FTSE 100 heavyweight. Hargreaves Lansdown+2Reuters+2 Below is all the major BP‑related news and market drivers in circulation on 17.12.2025, plus what they mean for BP’s strategy and the share price into year‑end. BP share price today: recovery after Tuesday’s drop BP shares closed at 432.65p, up 10.25p (+2.43%) on the day, according to Hargreaves Lansdown pricing at the close. The move recoups part of Tuesday’s selloff and

17 December 2025

Energy·LSE:BP.·Oil Prices·Stock Market

Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) news today: FCA flags “agentic AI” risks as banks prepare customer trials; LLOY shares near yearly highs — 17 Dec 2025

Lloyds (LLOY) is in focus on 17 December 2025 as the FCA highlights new “agentic AI” risks ahead of planned customer trials in 2026, while UK inflation cools and LLOY shares trade close to 52‑week highs. Lloyds Banking Group plc (LLOY) is ending Wednesday in the spotlight for two big, connected themes: the next wave of customer-facing AI and the macro outlook for UK banks. A Reuters report says Lloyds is among the lenders working with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the industry moves toward “agentic AI” trials that could automate budgeting, saving and investing decisions for customers. Reuters

17 December 2025

LSE:LLOY·Stock Market

Anglo American (AAL) Jumps as Canada Approves Anglo‑Teck Merger: Key Commitments, Timeline, and What Comes Next (Dec. 17, 2025)

Anglo American (LSE: AAL) rises after Canada clears the Anglo‑Teck merger under the Investment Canada Act. Here’s what investors should watch next. Anglo American plc (LSE: AAL) is back in the spotlight today after the company confirmed a major regulatory breakthrough for its proposed “merger of equals” with Canada’s Teck Resources—one of the defining mining deals of 2025 and a bellwether for how governments are approaching critical minerals in an era of electrification and supply-chain security. In a regulatory news release dated 17 December 2025, Anglo American said it and Teck have received Government of Canada approval under the Investment

17 December 2025

LSE:AAL·Mergers & Acquisitions·Mining Industry·TSX:TECK.A

Mortgage Rates Today (Dec. 17, 2025): 30-Year Fixed Hovers Near 6% After the Fed Cut—What It Means for Refinancing and a $700,000 Mortgage

Mortgage rates are still refusing to “follow the Fed” in a straight line, even after the Federal Reserve’s December policy move. If you’re shopping for a home or debating a refinance, today’s numbers—and the reason they’re behaving this way—matter more than the headlines. After the Fed cut its target range for the federal funds rate by 0.25 percentage point to 3.5%–3.75% on December 10, many borrowers expected mortgage rates to slide quickly. Instead, rates have stayed in a tight band in the low-6% range, and in some surveys they’ve even ticked higher week-over-week. Federal Reserve+1 Below is a December 17,

17 December 2025

Federal Reserve·Real Estate

Diageo Shares Jump on $2.3bn Asahi Deal: What Today’s Kenya Exit Means for a Turnaround, Dividends and the £16 “Value” Debate

Diageo (LSE: DGE) is back in focus on 17 December 2025 after agreeing to sell its 65% stake in East African Breweries (EABL) to Asahi for $2.3bn. Here’s what the deal means for debt, dividends, and whether the share-price slump since 2022 is finally setting up a recovery. Investegate+2Reuters+2 London-listed drinks giant Diageo—the owner of Johnnie Walker and Guinness—has delivered one of its biggest corporate headlines of 2025, agreeing to sell its controlling stake in East African Breweries (EABL) to Japan’s Asahi Group in a transaction expected to generate estimated net proceeds of $2.3 billion after tax and transaction costs.

17 December 2025

Dividends·LSE:DGE·NSE:EABL·Stock Market·TSX:2502

Glencore (GLEN) News Today: Berenberg Upgrades to “Buy” as Peru’s Quechua Copper Deal Sharpens the Growth Story (17 December 2025)

Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is in focus on 17 Dec 2025 after a Berenberg upgrade to “Buy” (480p target) and fresh coverage of its Quechua copper project deal in Peru. Glencore plc (LSE: GLEN) is drawing fresh attention in early London trade as two narratives converge: renewed broker optimism and a copper-led expansion push in Peru. Glencore shares were higher in the morning session, trading around 382p (up roughly 2.5%) as the market digested both an analyst upgrade and ongoing reporting around the company’s move to secure the Quechua copper project adjacent to its Antapaccay operations. shareprices.com+1 All Glencore headlines we

17 December 2025

LSE:GLEN·Mining Industry

Shell Plc (SHEL) News Today, 17 Dec 2025: Kaikias Waterflood Greenlight, Schwedt Refinery Exit Talks, Buybacks Continue, and Nigeria Gas Expansion

Shell Plc (NYSE: SHEL) is in focus on 17 December 2025 after approving a Gulf of Mexico waterflood project, restarting efforts to sell its Schwedt refinery stake in Germany, continuing its $3.5bn buyback, expanding gas distribution in Nigeria, and appearing to step back from a key voluntary shipping decarbonisation framework. Shell Plc (NYSE: SHEL) is navigating a packed news cycle heading into mid-December, with fresh updates spanning upstream investment, European asset reshaping, shareholder returns, and gas-market growth in Nigeria. The combined headlines offer a clear snapshot of how CEO Wael Sawan’s Shell is trying to do two things at once:

17 December 2025

NYSE:SHEL

Phoenix Group (PHNX) Shares Jump After UBS Upgrade to “Buy” as UK Inflation Cools Ahead of BoE — 17 December 2025

Phoenix Group Holdings plc (PHNX) rose sharply on 17 Dec 2025 after UBS upgraded the FTSE 100 insurer to “Buy” and lifted its target price to 770p. Shares in Phoenix Group Holdings plc (LSE: PHNX) climbed on Wednesday after UBS upgraded the UK life insurer to “buy” from “neutral” and raised its price target to 770p from 670p. Shares Magazine The broker call helped push Phoenix to the top of the blue-chip leaderboard early in the session, with Alliance News reporting the stock “topped the FTSE 100” on the day’s opening rally. shareprices.com By the close, Phoenix had put in

17 December 2025

Inflation·LSE:PHNX

Barclays PLC (BARC) News Today (17 December 2025): Share Buyback Update, New Block Listing, Saudi Arabia Push, and Fresh UK Spending Signals

Barclays (BARC) updates its share buyback, files for a 20m-share block listing, pushes into Saudi Arabia, and flags shifting UK spend trends. Barclays PLC (LSE: BARC) is closing out 2025 with a packed news flow that spans shareholder returns, employee share plans, and a renewed Middle East investment-banking push—against a UK macro backdrop that’s putting interest rates back in the spotlight. On Wednesday, 17 December 2025, Barclays published a fresh update on its ongoing share buyback, filed for a new block listing tied to employee incentives, and featured in multiple reports touching everything from Saudi dealmaking ambitions to the latest

17 December 2025

LSE:BARC·Stock Market·UK Economy

HSBC Today (17 December 2025): New Hong Kong Credit-Income Fund, India Wealth Push, and What’s Moving HSBC Stock

HSBC is in focus on 17 Dec 2025 after launching a new credit-income fund in Hong Kong and opening a wealth-led branch in Indore, India, as rates and Hang Seng deal timing stay in the spotlight. HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC) is ending the year with a familiar playbook: double down on Asia’s wealth growth engine, broaden product shelves for income-hungry investors, and keep a close eye on how fast interest rates are heading lower in the UK and Europe. Two HSBC-linked developments stand out today (17.12.2025): At the same time, the market backdrop is shifting: UK inflation fell more than

17 December 2025

HKG:0005·LSE:HSBA·NYSE:HSBC·Stock Market

UK Inflation Drops to 3.2% in November as Food Prices Cool — Bank of England Rate Cut Looms

UK inflation fell to 3.2% in November, driven by cheaper food, tobacco and clothing discounts. Markets now expect a BoE rate cut on 18 December. Britain’s inflation rate cooled more sharply than expected in November, strengthening the case for an interest-rate cut just days before the Bank of England’s final policy decision of the year. Official figures show easing price pressures across groceries, clothing and tobacco—welcome news for households still feeling the cost-of-living squeeze, and a key input for policymakers weighing how quickly to bring borrowing costs down. Office for National Statistics+2Sky News+2 The headline: inflation cools faster than forecast

17 December 2025

Bank of England·Inflation·Interest Rates·UK Economy

BC Hydro Power Outages Update: Windstorm Fallout Lingers Across B.C.’s South Coast as New Wind Gusts Loom (Dec. 17, 2025)

VANCOUVER / VANCOUVER ISLAND / FRASER VALLEY — Crews are still repairing storm damage across British Columbia’s South Coast after a powerful windstorm and heavy rain knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of homes and businesses earlier this week. At the peak on Monday, BC Hydro reported outages affecting more than 90,000 customers across the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands, with additional outages expected while winds persisted. Global News+1 Today’s (Dec. 17) updates add a new layer of urgency: Environment Canada is warning of strong westerly wind gusts up to 80 km/h in parts

17 December 2025

Weather

Portland General Electric faces scrutiny over data center costs as Oregon POWER Act hits its first big test

Oregon utility watchdogs say Portland General Electric’s proposed “Peak Growth Modifier” could shift long-lived grid upgrade costs from fast-growing data centers to households—despite the state’s new POWER Act. Here’s what’s in dispute, what PGE says, and what regulators decide next. Oregon’s push to stop homeowners from subsidizing energy-hungry data centers is colliding with a high-stakes regulatory fight now unfolding around Portland General Electric (PGE). In recent reporting, the Oregon Citizens Utility Board (CUB) accused PGE of trying to sidestep the intent of the state’s new POWER Act—an affordability-focused law designed to make large-load customers like data centers pay a larger

17 December 2025

Data Centers·Energy Policy·NYSE:POR

Prudential plc (PRU) Rallies on Fresh Buybacks as ICICI Prudential AMC IPO Wins SEBI Approval – 27 November 2025

Prudential’s share price pushes higher after another round of buybacks and a key green light for its Indian asset-management joint venture. Prudential Share Price Today: PRU Near Highs After Technical Breakout Prudential plc’s London‑listed shares (LSE: PRU) finished Thursday’s session at 1,093.5p, with a quoted spread of 1,093.5p (sell) to 1,094.0p (buy), up 12.5p on the day — a gain of roughly 1.16%. That comfortably beat the FTSE 100, which was broadly flat, up only about 0.06%. Hargreaves Lansdown+1 The move extends a strong run: With today’s close at 1,093.5p, Prudential now trades roughly 13% above its 200‑day moving average

27 November 2025

Stock Market

Halfords (HFD) HY26 Results: Cycling Sales Jump 9% as Motoring Club Nears 6m Members

London, 27 November 2025 — Halfords Group plc (LON:HFD), the UK’s best‑known motoring and cycling retailer, has reported a steady first-half performance for its 2025/26 financial year, powered by a strong rebound in cycling and continued growth in its garages and motoring club. For the 26 weeks to 26 September 2025 (“HY26”), group revenue rose 3.3% to £893.3 million, with like‑for‑like (LFL) sales up 4.1%. Underlying profit before tax edged up 1% to £21.2 million, while reported profit before tax slipped slightly to £17.2 million due to non‑underlying costs. Halfords Company Halfords also confirmed that it remains on track to

27 November 2025

Pennon Group (PNN) Swings Back to Profit in H1 2025/26, Halves Pollution Incidents and Confirms Guidance

Published: 27 November 2025 FTSE 350 water utility Pennon Group plc (LON: PNN) has reported a strong return to profitability in its half‑year 2025/26 results this morning, alongside sharp improvements in pollution performance and a reaffirmed outlook for the full year. pennon-group.co.uk+1 The market has reacted positively: Pennon shares were trading around 3–4% higher in early London dealing after the announcement, according to several market reports. Investing.com UK+1 Key takeaways at a glance Half‑year 2025/26 results: Pennon finally delivers the promised turnaround Today’s announcement covers the six months to 30 September 2025, Pennon’s first reporting period in Ofwat’s new K8

27 November 2025

LSE:PNN

Smiths Group Plc (SMIN) Kicks Off £1bn Buyback Tranche as Analysts Warm Up – 27 November 2025

London, 27 November 2025 – FTSE 100 engineering group Smiths Group Plc (LSE: SMIN) is firmly back in the spotlight today as it moves ahead with the first tranche of its new £1 billion share buyback programme, while analyst sentiment on the stock continues to improve. The combination of a sizeable capital return, solid recent results and fresh rating upgrades is sharpening investor focus on the stock as 2025 draws to a close. Key takeaways for investors £1 Billion Share Buyback Moves Into First Gear Smiths Group first unveiled its new £1bn share buyback alongside the Q1 FY2026 trading update

27 November 2025

Share Buybacks·Stock Market

IG Group Holdings plc (LON: IGG): Buyback Momentum and Dividend Strength in Focus – 27 November 2025

IG Group Holdings plc (LON: IGG) continued its £125 million share buyback today, repurchasing more stock as its FTSE 250 shares trade around 1,135p and feature in new rankings of top UK dividend stocks. Here’s what investors need to know on 27 November 2025. Today’s key IG Group headlines (27 November 2025) 1. Fresh “Transaction in Own Shares” RNS This morning, IG Group Holdings plc announced another daily tranche of its ongoing share buyback. The company disclosed that it purchased 45,260 ordinary shares on 26 November 2025, at prices between 1,028p and 1,050p per share, with a volume‑weighted average price

27 November 2025

Dividends·Share Buybacks·Stock Market

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Big Tech stocks swing on AI spending fears: Amazon slides, Nvidia rebounds as week ahead looms

7 February 2026

Amazon shares fell 5.6% Friday after projecting $200 billion in 2026 capital spending, while Nvidia jumped 7.9%. The Dow closed above 50,000 for the first time, but the Nasdaq is down 0.9% for the year. Microsoft and Alphabet also signaled major AI investments, sending software stocks down sharply. Chipmakers rallied as Nvidia reported surging AI chip demand.

Data Center Stocks Surge Into the Weekend: Digital Realty, Equinix and Vertiv Set Up a Big Week Ahead

7 February 2026

Digital Realty, Equinix, and Vertiv shares surged Friday, with Vertiv up 10% and Digital Realty rising 4.1%, as investors rotated back into AI-linked data center stocks. The move followed Amazon’s $200 billion and Alphabet’s $175–185 billion 2026 capex targets. Digital Realty set 2026 core FFO guidance at $7.90 to $8.00 per share. Wall Street ended the week broadly higher, led by chipmakers.

Quantum computing stocks bounce hard: IonQ, Rigetti, D‑Wave rally as traders reset for a data-heavy week

7 February 2026

IonQ, Rigetti, D‑Wave, and Quantum Computing Inc shares surged 15–21 percent Friday, erasing losses from the previous session. The rebound followed a Wall Street rally that sent the Dow above 50,000 for the first time. IonQ remains under scrutiny after a short-seller report questioned its Pentagon contract revenue. Investors await delayed U.S. jobs and inflation data next week.

Defense and space stocks rally, but Trump’s buyback-dividend squeeze is the next test

7 February 2026

U.S. space and defense stocks rose Friday, with sector ETFs gaining up to 4.8% and Lockheed Martin up 2.4%. Investors are awaiting a Pentagon list that could restrict buybacks and dividends at underperforming contractors under a Trump executive order. Companies named would have 15 days to submit remediation plans. Lockheed’s board approved a $3.45 per share dividend for Q1 2026.

Mateusz Kaczmarek

Stock Market Today