Today: 7 February 2026
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Zurich’s £8bn Beazley bid jolts FTSE 100 to a fresh record as GSK rallies, AI fears hit data stocks

Zurich’s £8bn Beazley bid jolts FTSE 100 to a fresh record as GSK rallies, AI fears hit data stocks

Zurich Insurance has proposed to buy Beazley for up to 1,335 pence per share, valuing the deal at about £8 billion. Beazley’s board said it would support the offer if Zurich makes a firm bid by Feb. 16. Beazley shares rose 9% on the news. The FTSE 100 hit a new intraday high, with GSK up and Relx and LSEG under pressure from AI concerns.
4 February 2026
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Reckitt Benckiser share price ticks up in London as buyback tranche ends; RKT eyes March results

Reckitt Benckiser share price ticks up in London as buyback tranche ends; RKT eyes March results

Reckitt Benckiser shares rose 0.4% to 6,154 pence in early London trading after completing part of its £1 billion buyback and a share consolidation. The company now has 644,753,406 voting shares outstanding. Investors await a special dividend and full-year results in March. New shares began trading Feb. 2 following shareholder approval.
4 February 2026
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Diageo share price ticks up in London as China shake-up talk returns ahead of Feb 25 results

Diageo share price ticks up in London as China shake-up talk returns ahead of Feb 25 results

Diageo shares rose 0.6% to 1,706.5 pence in early London trading Wednesday amid renewed speculation over a China asset sale. Investors await interim results and management commentary set for Feb. 25. Trading volume reached about 138,000 shares early, with the company’s market cap near £38 billion. No official plans to exit China have been announced.
4 February 2026
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Sage Group share price slips again: AI selloff hits SGE.L ahead of AGM

Sage Group share price slips again: AI selloff hits SGE.L ahead of AGM

Sage Group shares fell 3.9% to 837 pence in London by mid-morning Wednesday, extending losses amid concerns that AI automation could threaten software subscription revenues. The company reported a 10% rise in organic revenue to £674 million and continued its buyback program, purchasing nearly 2 million shares on Feb. 3. Sage’s annual general meeting is set for Thursday, with a final dividend of 14.40 pence up for approval.
4 February 2026
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3i Group shares dip as GIC tops 5% stake — what investors watch next

3i Group shares dip as GIC tops 5% stake — what investors watch next

3i shares fell 0.25% in early London trading after a filing showed Singapore’s GIC crossed a 5% ownership threshold. The company last week issued 31.4 million new shares to GIC in a £1 billion deal for a larger stake in Dutch retailer Action. 3i reported diluted NAV at 3,017 pence per share as of December 31 and holds a 62.3% stake in Action valued at £22.4 billion.
4 February 2026
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RBI gives Yes Bank’s CEO pick the green light: Vinay Tonse set for top job

RBI gives Yes Bank’s CEO pick the green light: Vinay Tonse set for top job

India’s central bank has approved Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as Yes Bank’s new managing director and CEO for a three-year term, pending shareholder approval. Tonse will succeed Prashant Kumar after his term ends April 6. Tonse previously led retail operations at State Bank of India. The appointment follows Sumitomo Mitsui’s 24% stake purchase in Yes Bank last year.
4 February 2026
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BAE Systems share price ticks up as Ukraine air-defence buy, $195m US Marines order and buyback hit tape

BAE Systems share price ticks up as Ukraine air-defence buy, $195m US Marines order and buyback hit tape

BAE Systems shares edged up 0.1% to 1,933.5 pence in London after new Ukraine and U.S. defense contracts. The company secured a $195 million U.S. Marine Corps order and will supply air defense systems to Ukraine via a Swedish-Danish deal. Over 1,200 BAE workers in northwest England began a strike Feb. 2 over pay. BAE repurchased 110,541 shares for cancellation on Feb. 3.
4 February 2026
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Prudential plc share price ticks higher after new buyback filing; UBS lifts target

Prudential plc share price ticks higher after new buyback filing; UBS lifts target

Prudential plc bought back 265,056 shares on Feb. 3 at an average £12.117 each, following a 317,142-share buyback the previous day. Shares rose 0.3% to 1,224 pence after the insurer confirmed the repurchases, part of a $1.2 billion buyback plan. UBS raised its price target to 1,400 pence, keeping a “buy” rating. Full-year results are due March 19.
4 February 2026
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Novo Nordisk stock hammered as Ozempic maker warns 2026 sales may fall up to 13%

Novo Nordisk stock hammered as Ozempic maker warns 2026 sales may fall up to 13%

Novo Nordisk warned adjusted sales and operating profit may fall 5% to 13% in 2026, citing U.S. price cuts and rising competition from Eli Lilly. Shares plunged 18% in early Copenhagen trading. CEO Mike Doustdar called the U.S. price reductions for Wegovy “painful.” Novo also flagged patent expiries and pressure from compounded GLP-1 drugs.
4 February 2026
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Standard Chartered share price climbs ahead of BoE as STAN.L hovers near 52-week high

Standard Chartered share price climbs ahead of BoE as STAN.L hovers near 52-week high

Standard Chartered shares rose 1.2% to 1,901.5 pence in early London trading Wednesday, holding near recent highs after hitting a 52-week peak on Monday. Investors are watching for the Bank of England’s rate decision Thursday and the bank’s full-year results due Feb. 24. Trading volume on Monday was 2.1 million shares, below the 50-day average.
4 February 2026
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GSK stock swings after earnings as new CEO Luke Miels sets softer 2026 outlook

GSK stock swings after earnings as new CEO Luke Miels sets softer 2026 outlook

GSK shares rose 1.4% Wednesday morning after new CEO Luke Miels issued a 2026 outlook projecting slower sales growth and warning of possible weakness in vaccines and general medicines. The company reported 2025 sales up 7% to £32.67 billion and forecast 2026 turnover growth of 3% to 5%. Investors remain focused on GSK’s ability to manage looming HIV patent expirations.
4 February 2026
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NatWest share price hits fresh 52-week high as pension-transfer chatter swirls

NatWest share price hits fresh 52-week high as pension-transfer chatter swirls

NatWest shares rose 1.3% to a 52-week high of 703 pence in early London trading Wednesday. The bank disclosed a buyback of 767,600 shares and is reportedly considering selling UK pension assets with Santander. UK bank stocks advanced as the FTSE 100 hit a record, while investors await the Bank of England’s rate decision Thursday. NatWest’s annual results are due Feb. 13.
4 February 2026
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Stock Market Today

CSL share price in focus after ASX sell-off: what investors watch before Feb 11 results

CSL share price in focus after ASX sell-off: what investors watch before Feb 11 results

7 February 2026
CSL Limited shares closed down 0.4% at A$180.50 Friday as the S&P/ASX 200 dropped 2.03% to 8,708.80. CSL will report half-year results and announce its interim dividend on Feb. 11, with the stock set to trade ex-dividend March 10. A filing showed 59,992 CSL conditional rights lapsed this week. The company’s market value stands near A$87 billion, down about a third in the past year.
Macquarie Group share price slips 2% after APRA eases liquidity curbs — what to watch next week

Macquarie Group share price slips 2% after APRA eases liquidity curbs — what to watch next week

7 February 2026
Macquarie Group shares fell 2.17% to A$207.83 Friday, marking a third straight decline as the ASX 200 slid 2%. Australia’s regulator trimmed liquidity requirements for Macquarie Bank after improvements in controls. Macquarie Asset Management announced two UK utility deals, including full ownership of Last Mile Infrastructure and the purchase of Energy Assets Group. Investors await Tuesday’s operational briefing.
Wall Street Feels the Heat (and Thrill): Fed Cuts, Tariffs & Mega-Mergers Set NYSE Buzz

Stock Market Today 07.02.2026

7 February 2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: February 7, 2026, 12:00 AM ESTUpdated: February 7, 2026, 1:13 AM EST Crude Oil Prices Rise on Dollar Weakness, Geopolitical Tensions February 7, 2026, 12:52 AM EST. Crude oil prices edged higher on Friday, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar and escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East. March WTI crude gained 0.41%, rebounding from early losses, while gasoline prices rose 1.38%. Doubts over a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal loom after reports of Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment, raising the risk of military action and potential disruption of vital shipping routes. Additionally, a surge in U.S. consumer
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