Today: 7 February 2026
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Shan Ahmed Khan

As a journalist focused on finance and the stock market, he delivers fast, reliable, and easy-to-understand coverage of market news.

Marks & Spencer share price ends Friday higher — what traders watch next week

Marks & Spencer share price ends Friday higher — what traders watch next week

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:28 GMT — Market closed. Marks & Spencer Group (MKS.L) shares closed up 0.9% on Friday at 366.8 pence, with London markets shut over the weekend. About 25 million shares changed hands, and the stock sits about 12% below its 52-week high of 417.8p. (lt.morningstar.com) The rise capped a week in which the shares gained about 4%, after a choppy start to January. Investors have treated M&S as a quick gauge of the British consumer: food has held up, while discretionary spend looks less dependable. (Investing.com) Next week brings two data points that can move rate
17 January 2026
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Budget 2026 curveball? India weighs joint taxation for couples as ICAI pushes overhaul

Budget 2026 curveball? India weighs joint taxation for couples as ICAI pushes overhaul

New Delhi, January 17, 2026, 14:41 (IST) India’s finance ministry is mulling an optional joint taxation system for married couples ahead of the Union Budget, NDTV reported on Jan. 16. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/union-budget-2026-joint-taxation-budget-2026-big-tax-relief-for-married-couples-all-about-joint-taxation-10762217 The idea has gained traction amid tax changes dominating pre-budget discussions, with households eager for relief that hits their take-home pay right away. Moving to joint filing would also break from India’s longstanding practice of taxing spouses separately. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Budget on Sunday, Feb. 1, at 11 a.m. in the Lok Sabha, according to The Week. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju confirmed
17 January 2026
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Severn Trent share price: SVT closes higher as Ofwat scrutiny keeps UK water stocks in focus

Severn Trent share price: SVT closes higher as Ofwat scrutiny keeps UK water stocks in focus

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:24 GMT — Market closed. Severn Trent (SVT.L) closed Friday at 2,835 pence, gaining 16 pence, or 0.57%. With London markets closed for the weekend and no new company updates, trading remained quiet. The water utility’s market cap stands near £8.54 billion. Its latest disclosure on the London Stock Exchange’s Regulatory News Service (RNS) dates back to Jan. 2. (London South East) This matters now. On a quiet tape, regulated utilities move more on big-picture factors — policy risks, interest rates, and changing hunger for steady dividends — than on company-specific news. The stock ends up
17 January 2026
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Smiths Group share price hits new 52-week high — buyback keeps SMIN in focus into next week

Smiths Group share price hits new 52-week high — buyback keeps SMIN in focus into next week

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:21 GMT — Market is now closed. Smiths Group Plc (SMIN.L) shares climbed 1.95% on Friday, finishing at 2,612 pence and hitting a new 52-week high, even as the FTSE 100 slipped 0.04%. The stock surpassed its previous peak of 2,574 pence from the day before. Trading volume stood at 789,474 shares, below the 50-day average of roughly 1.1 million. (MarketWatch) The recent gain came after a 4.15% surge on Thursday to 2,562 pence, marking another fresh one-year peak, in a session where the FTSE 100 climbed 0.54%. Smiths has made two swift advances up the
17 January 2026
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SSE share price hits a 52-week high — here’s what could move the UK utility next week

SSE share price hits a 52-week high — here’s what could move the UK utility next week

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:19 GMT — The market has closed. SSE Plc (SSE.L) shares climbed 1.12% to finish at 2,343 pence (£23.43) on Friday, hitting a fresh 52-week peak. The UK utility outpaced a flat broader market despite lighter trading volumes. (MarketWatch) This move is significant as SSE occupies a sweet spot between two favored investor plays: regulated electricity networks offering steady returns, and renewables projects that secure long-term revenues when policy backing is certain. This week, SSE gained renewed government-backed support for a major offshore wind project, bringing a sharper policy focus. Even with the stock close to
17 January 2026
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Ashtead Group share price: Buyback filing keeps traders focused as London heads into Monday

Ashtead Group share price: Buyback filing keeps traders focused as London heads into Monday

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:15 GMT — Market closed. Ashtead Group shares dipped 22 pence, or 0.41%, ending Friday at 5,302 pence in London. During the session, the stock fluctuated between 5,268 and 5,346 pence. (Investing.com) Ashtead’s ongoing wave of buyback announcements is crucial as the equipment rental giant aims to highlight cash returns ahead of its planned move to list primarily on the New York Stock Exchange. The company, which operates as Sunbelt Rentals, is already the second-largest equipment rental firm in the U.S. (Reuters) On Friday, a regulatory filing revealed Ashtead purchased 72,300 ordinary shares for treasury on
17 January 2026
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Standard Chartered share price hits new 52-week high — what to watch for STAN.L on Monday

Standard Chartered share price hits new 52-week high — what to watch for STAN.L on Monday

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:15 GMT — Market closed. Standard Chartered shares ended Friday at 1,878.5 pence, gaining 1.5% and hitting a fresh 52-week peak. The stock outperformed a largely unchanged broader market. (MarketWatch) Standard Chartered is now considering selling its entire Botswana operation, not just its wealth and retail units, the country’s central bank revealed. The sale could take 12 to 15 months, with the regulator set to supervise the handover. Standard Chartered is exploring options for its credit-card business in India, including a possible sale, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the situation. (Morningstar) Stepping aside from deal
17 January 2026
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Vodafone stock weekend watch: buyback filing and Feb. 5 update set the next moves

Vodafone stock weekend watch: buyback filing and Feb. 5 update set the next moves

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:15 GMT — Market closed. Vodafone (VOD.L) closed Friday at 100.80 pence, edging up 0.05% after moving between 100.40 and 101.40 pence during the session. The stock remains close to its 52-week peak of 104.15 pence, with London markets now closed for the weekend. (Investing.com) This is significant as Vodafone has increased its focus on shareholder returns amid its restructuring efforts. Buybacks often help stabilize trading during slow periods. The company has announced plans for share repurchases worth up to 2 billion euros, funded by the sale of Vodafone Spain and Vodafone Italy. It also follows
17 January 2026
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EPFO’s UPI withdrawal plan could roll out by April — plus “Suvidha” helpers to fix PF snags

EPFO’s UPI withdrawal plan could roll out by April — plus “Suvidha” helpers to fix PF snags

New Delhi, January 17, 2026, 14:24 IST India’s Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is set to allow subscribers to transfer a portion of their provident fund savings directly into their bank accounts via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) by April, a senior source told PTI. Subscribers will authenticate these transfers using their UPI PIN, the source added. (Moneycontrol) This change is significant for a retirement fund system that manages millions of withdrawals and complaints, with workers frequently needing cash urgently for things like illness, housing, or education. EPFO handles over five crore claims annually, mostly withdrawal-related. Officials say the move
17 January 2026
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Experian share price slips into the weekend as dividend FX set — what to watch next week

Experian share price slips into the weekend as dividend FX set — what to watch next week

London, Jan 17, 2026, 09:05 GMT — Market closed. Experian (EXPN) shares ended Friday down 1.02%, closing at 3,296 pence. The dip came as the credit data company announced the exchange rate for its first interim dividend ahead of the weekend. (MarketScreener) The next big moment for the stock is coming up soon. Experian plans to report third-quarter trading for FY26 on Jan. 21. Back in November, CEO Brian Cassin told investors to expect full-year total revenue growth around 11% and organic growth near 8% — “at the top end” of its earlier forecast. (FT Markets) The dividend update highlights
17 January 2026
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SpaceX’s NROL-105 launch puts new U.S. spy satellites in orbit as NRO ramps up “proliferated” fleet

SpaceX’s NROL-105 launch puts new U.S. spy satellites in orbit as NRO ramps up “proliferated” fleet

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, California, Jan 17, 2026, 00:42 PST SpaceX sent a Falcon 9 rocket skyward late Friday, carrying an unknown number of U.S. reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office. The first-stage booster touched down safely back at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/16/live-coverage-nro-spacex-to-launch-reconnaissance-satellites-from-vandenberg/ This mission is key to the NRO’s push for a “proliferated architecture” — moving away from a few large, costly satellites that risk total failure, toward a network of many smaller ones. The agency envisions a constellation of hundreds of satellites, with launches scheduled through 2029. Friday’s launch, called NROL-105, blasted off at
17 January 2026
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BAE Systems share price: buyback filing and Ukraine jitters set up Monday trade

BAE Systems share price: buyback filing and Ukraine jitters set up Monday trade

London, Jan 17, 2026, 08:50 GMT — Market closed BAE Systems plc (BA.) shares closed Friday up 2.3% at 2,088p, outperforming a flat FTSE 100 as the weekend approached. Trading volume hit 5.6 million shares, below the 50-day average, indicating a sentiment-driven push rather than heavy liquidity demand. (MarketWatch) London has closed, but Friday’s action holds weight as defence stocks are increasingly a shortcut for investors betting on geopolitics and government budgets. BAE is also trimming its share count with buybacks, a tactic that can boost earnings per share even if revenue growth slows. That combination has the power to
17 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

SGX share price dips at week’s end after record profit; what investors watch next

SGX share price dips at week’s end after record profit; what investors watch next

7 February 2026
Singapore Exchange shares closed 0.4% lower at S$17.57 on Friday, despite reporting record half-year results and a higher dividend earlier in the week. Broker targets diverged after the update, with Maybank and DBS raising targets while Citi stayed bearish. Investors are watching for signs of momentum from derivatives and equity-market reforms as the next session opens Monday.
South32 share price drops 4% in ASX rout — what investors watch before results

South32 share price drops 4% in ASX rout — what investors watch before results

7 February 2026
South32 shares fell 4.1% to A$4.41 Friday as Australian miners dropped in the worst ASX session since April 2025. The S&P/ASX 200 lost 2%, erasing almost A$70 billion in value. South32’s half-year results and interim dividend decision are set for Feb. 12. Markets reopen Monday with investors watching for further volatility.
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