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.

Fresnillo stock slides nearly 4% as silver cools — Citi target and Probe deal steps in focus

Fresnillo stock slides nearly 4% as silver cools — Citi target and Probe deal steps in focus

London, Jan 15, 2026, 09:12 GMT — Regular session Fresnillo (FRES.L) shares dipped on Thursday as silver prices slipped from their record highs, weighing on the London-listed miner. By 09:12 GMT, the stock had dropped 3.8% to 3,624 pence, down from Wednesday’s close of 3,766 pence. (Investing.com) Bullion pulled back after a strong rally. Spot silver dropped 3.4% to $89.63 an ounce, after hitting a record high of $93.57 earlier on Thursday. Gold slipped to $4,608.77 following a fresh peak the day before. Silver had cracked $90 for the first time on Wednesday. “Gold is down a bit … but
15 January 2026
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Ashtead share price ticks up after buyback filing as NYSE shift nears

Ashtead share price ticks up after buyback filing as NYSE shift nears

London, January 15, 2026, 08:58 GMT — Regular session Ashtead Group plc shares nudged up 0.2% to 5,280 pence (£52.80) in early London trade Thursday after the equipment rental company revealed another round of share buybacks. The firm purchased 70,900 shares for its treasury on Jan. 14, paying an average of 5,327.7247 pence each, with J.P. Morgan Securities serving as broker. (London South East) This update matters now since buybacks remain one of the few immediate tools management can use as investors await larger milestones, like a planned U.S. relisting. When a company buys back its own shares, it reduces
15 January 2026
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Diageo stock dips as China asset-sale talk lingers — what to watch next

Diageo stock dips as China asset-sale talk lingers — what to watch next

London, Jan 15, 2026, 09:15 GMT — Regular session Diageo shares fell 0.9% to 1,677 pence by 0915 GMT, erasing some of the previous session’s gains amid investor caution over potential asset sales in China. (MarketScreener) The stock moved after reports emerged that the Johnnie Walker and Guinness maker is weighing options for its China assets, possibly including a sale, as part of efforts to streamline operations and address debt as well as U.S. tariff pressures. Diageo has brought in Goldman Sachs and UBS to help with the review but declined to comment. (Reuters) China hasn’t lived up to the
15 January 2026
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Trip.com’s antitrust shock hits Hong Kong stocks as Hang Seng slips; Alibaba’s Qwen upgrade draws focus

Trip.com’s antitrust shock hits Hong Kong stocks as Hang Seng slips; Alibaba’s Qwen upgrade draws focus

HONG KONG, Jan 15, 2026, 16:30 HKT Hong Kong shares slipped Thursday, the Hang Seng Index ending 0.5% lower at 26,866.29. The index fluctuated between 26,808.35 and 27,206.84 during the session. Trip.com led the decline, tumbling as much as 21.7% on news of an antitrust probe before trimming its losses, dragging down sentiment across the tech sector. (Yahoo Finance) The pullback follows a robust start to the week that saw the benchmark climb past 27,000, fueled by global investors shifting focus away from U.S. markets and the yuan hitting its strongest level against the dollar since May 2023. “The Hong
15 January 2026
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Vodafone Group Public Limited Company stock slips after buyback notice; Feb. 5 update in focus

Vodafone Group Public Limited Company stock slips after buyback notice; Feb. 5 update in focus

London, January 15, 2026, 08:55 GMT — Regular session Vodafone Group (VOD.L) shares slipped roughly 0.5% to 99.34 pence in early London trading Thursday following the telecom’s latest share buyback update. The company revealed it repurchased 3,932,315 shares on Jan. 14 at a volume-weighted average price of 99.37 pence, factoring in trade size. Vodafone’s buyback program is gaining urgency as it approaches its deadline. The company announced in November that the plan, which started on Nov. 11, 2025, will wrap up by Feb. 4, 2026 at the latest, with a cap of 500 million euros ($544 million). Investors will keep
15 January 2026
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National Grid plc stock edges up in London as gilt yields slide — what to watch next

National Grid plc stock edges up in London as gilt yields slide — what to watch next

London, January 15, 2026, 08:46 GMT — Regular session. National Grid (NG.L) shares ticked up in early London trade Thursday, rising 0.6% to 1,174 pence, following a 1,167 pence finish. (Investing.com) Gilts—UK government bonds—rallied, knocking yields lower and easing pressure on income stocks. The 10-year gilt yield dipped to 4.34%. Citigroup strategist Jamie Searle described gilts as “a preferred long for 2026.” (The Guardian) National Grid informed investors that following the interim dividend, where some opted for shares instead of cash, it issued 7,084,688 new shares via its scrip dividend scheme. This brings the total with voting rights to 4,968,662,639
15 January 2026
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NatWest share price rises in early London trade after fresh buyback filing — what to watch next

NatWest share price rises in early London trade after fresh buyback filing — what to watch next

London, Jan 15, 2026, 08:50 GMT — Regular session. NatWest Group (NWG.L) shares climbed 1.2% to 637.8 pence by 0850 GMT on Thursday, pushing ahead of the broader FTSE as the bank announced additional buybacks in routine filings. (Investing.com) A steady stream of repurchase notices has kept the spotlight on shareholder returns, even as UK bank stocks fluctuate with shifts in interest-rate expectations and global risk appetite. This matters now because NatWest’s next major event is near enough for investors to begin adjusting their positions. Medium-term targets and the pace of buybacks usually get revisited when full-year results drop, and
15 January 2026
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London Stock Exchange Group stock in focus today: Digital Settlement House launch, buyback update and regulator pact

London Stock Exchange Group stock in focus today: Digital Settlement House launch, buyback update and regulator pact

London, Jan 15, 2026, 08:37 GMT — Regular session Shares of London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG.L) inched up Thursday following the launch of a new digital settlement service, marking the latest in a series of developments keeping the stock in focus this week. The new platform arrives amid a rush by major market players to speed up settlement and boost automation, even as regulators tighten resilience rules for firms handling trading and post-trade infrastructure. For LSEG, the balance is crucial. The company operates a major exchange and clearing business while also providing data and analytics to banks and asset managers.
15 January 2026
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Lloyds share price nudges higher as Morgan Stanley flags UK bank upside ahead of Jan 29 results

Lloyds share price nudges higher as Morgan Stanley flags UK bank upside ahead of Jan 29 results

London, Jan 15, 2026, 08:54 GMT — Regular session Lloyds Banking Group shares edged up in early London trade on Thursday, rising 0.35 pence, or about 0.35%, to 101.35 pence and holding near a recent 52-week high. (Investing.com) The move comes as investors lean into the UK bank trade ahead of results, after Morgan Stanley said the sector still had room to run and flagged Lloyds’ 2026 cost target as something the market may be underpricing. The broker said Lloyds is expected to stick with a 50% cost-to-income ratio goal for 2026 — a measure of expenses as a share
15 January 2026
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HSBC stock rises on Singapore insurance sale talk — here’s what investors are watching next

HSBC stock rises on Singapore insurance sale talk — here’s what investors are watching next

London, January 15, 2026, 08:29 GMT — Regular session underway. HSBC shares ticked up Thursday following reports that the bank is considering selling its Singapore insurance unit, fueling chatter around CEO Georges Elhedery’s overhaul efforts. The London-listed stock rose 0.9%, hitting 1,223.8 pence by 08:28 GMT. (Google) This potential deal stands out as another step in HSBC’s drive to streamline and redeploy capital, despite positioning the market as central to its Asia wealth play. For equity investors, selling assets can suggest discipline—or spark new doubts about HSBC’s long-term holdings. HSBC is weighing a potential sale of HSBC Life (Singapore), Bloomberg
15 January 2026
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Standard Chartered stock rises as buyback rolls on; eyes on next results

Standard Chartered stock rises as buyback rolls on; eyes on next results

London, Jan 15, 2026, 08:26 GMT — Regular session Standard Chartered (STAN.L) shares climbed 0.9% to 1,853 pence in early London trading Thursday, matching the rise seen in other UK banks. HSBC edged up roughly 0.9%, while NatWest gained around 1.2%. (Investing.com) The move arrives as investors balance the bank’s steady buyback pace against a changing backdrop of rates and appetite for risk. At the moment, the stock is viewed more as a capital-return play than a restructuring bet. UK data arrived before the open, revealing the economy expanded 0.3% in November—beating forecasts. This is significant for banks, as it
15 January 2026
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Barclays stock edges up after fresh buyback update — what investors watch next

Barclays stock edges up after fresh buyback update — what investors watch next

London, Jan 15, 2026, 08:29 GMT — Regular session Shares of Barclays PLC (BARC.L) nudged up on Thursday following the bank’s announcement of an additional round of share buybacks, pushing further a programme that’s supported the stock’s momentum into 2026. At 0816 GMT, the price rose 0.6% to 482.7 pence. (Investors Chronicle) This update barely moved the day’s tape but hits on a theme investors revisit constantly: capital returns. Buybacks involve a company repurchasing and canceling its own stock, cutting the share count and potentially boosting earnings per share over time. European stocks edged higher Thursday morning. UK November GDP
15 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

Rio Tinto stock jumps as Glencore mega-merger is shelved; what to watch next week

Rio Tinto stock jumps as Glencore mega-merger is shelved; what to watch next week

7 February 2026
Rio Tinto’s U.S. shares closed up 2.5% at $93.37 Friday after the company ruled out a merger with Glencore, triggering a six-month “no-bid” lockout under UK takeover rules. Both companies cited disagreements over valuation. Attention now turns to Rio’s Feb. 19 results and iron ore prices, which fell below $100 a tonne amid weak Chinese demand.
iFAST share price drops 3% as markets shut; earnings next week in focus

iFAST share price drops 3% as markets shut; earnings next week in focus

7 February 2026
iFAST shares fell 3.2% to S$9.64 in heavy trading Friday, closing near the day’s low as investors awaited FY2025 results due Feb. 12. The stock is about 13% below its 52-week high. iFAST recently agreed to buy a 30% stake in Financial Alliance for S$19.6 million, pending regulatory approval. Assets under administration stood at S$30.62 billion as of Sept. 30.
Sembcorp Industries share price: what to watch after Friday dip as Feb 25 results near

Sembcorp Industries share price: what to watch after Friday dip as Feb 25 results near

7 February 2026
Sembcorp shares closed at S$6.05 on Friday, down 0.33%, as Singapore’s STI dropped 0.8%. Shareholders approved the A$6.5 billion Alinta Energy takeover on Jan 30, but the deal still faces regulatory and closing conditions. Sembcorp will release FY2025 results on Feb 25 before market open. Trading volume reached about 4.3 million shares.
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