Today: 8 February 2026
Subscribe
Browse Category

LSE:NWG News 17 December 2025 - 6 February 2026

UK Stock Market Forecast 2026: FTSE 100 clings to rate-cut bets as AI jitters hit data stocks

UK Stock Market Forecast 2026: FTSE 100 clings to rate-cut bets as AI jitters hit data stocks

London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.2% by midday Friday, led by gains in Barclays, NatWest, and Lloyds, while RELX dropped 3.5% amid an AI selloff. The Bank of England held rates at 3.75% after a narrow vote and signaled possible cuts if inflation slows. Sterling fell 0.6% against the dollar. Markets now expect the Bank Rate to fall to 3.0% by March 2027.
6 February 2026
········
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Steadies Near Flat as AI Jitters Drag RELX

UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Steadies Near Flat as AI Jitters Drag RELX

RELX fell 4.2% and Sage Group dropped 2.8% Friday, leading FTSE 100 decliners as AI disruption fears hit data and software stocks. The FTSE 100 was flat at 10,310.70 by 10:47 GMT. Sterling and UK bonds slid after a narrow Bank of England vote revived rate cut bets. Halifax reported UK house prices rose 0.7% in January, topping £300,000 for the first time.
6 February 2026
············
NatWest share price ends near a 52-week high as buybacks roll on ahead of Feb. 13 results

NatWest share price ends near a 52-week high as buybacks roll on ahead of Feb. 13 results

NatWest shares rose 1.8% to £6.65 on Friday, closing just below their January high after the bank disclosed new share buybacks and updated its voting rights count. The bank repurchased over 1.5 million shares this week, all to be cancelled. Trading volume lagged the 50-day average. Investors now await the UK rates decision on Feb. 5 and NatWest’s annual results on Feb. 13.
31 January 2026
··
UK stock market today: FTSE 100 rises toward 10,200 as banks lead gains

UK stock market today: FTSE 100 rises toward 10,200 as banks lead gains

Bank shares pushed London’s FTSE 100 up 0.5% to 10,197 on Tuesday, while the FTSE 250 was flat. UK shop prices rose 1.5% year-on-year in January, the fastest pace in nearly two years. Dr Martens dropped 8.7% after warning on demand. Cranswick signaled profits at the top end of its forecast range.
27 January 2026
············
NatWest share price rises as buyback update meets shifting BoE rate-cut bets

NatWest share price rises as buyback update meets shifting BoE rate-cut bets

NatWest shares rose 1.6% to 660 pence in early London trading after the bank announced new buybacks and plans to cancel repurchased shares. JPMorgan raised its price target for NatWest to 750 pence. The bank bought back 830,691 shares on Jan. 21, reducing outstanding shares to about 7.99 billion. Investors await the Bank of England’s Feb. 5 decision and NatWest’s earnings on Feb. 13.
22 January 2026
··
NatWest share price in focus: NWG ends higher after buyback update as UK banks ride GDP bounce

NatWest share price in focus: NWG ends higher after buyback update as UK banks ride GDP bounce

NatWest shares rose 1.4% to 639 pence Thursday after the bank announced new share buybacks at an average price of 640.29 pence. The FTSE 100 closed at a record high, led by gains in major UK banks. UK GDP grew 0.3% in November, rebounding from October’s decline. Investors await next week’s labour and inflation data for clues on Bank of England rate cuts.
16 January 2026
·····
UK stock market today: FTSE 100 hits fresh record as Schroders jumps, Dunelm dives

UK stock market today: FTSE 100 hits fresh record as Schroders jumps, Dunelm dives

The FTSE 100 reached a new record on Thursday, rising 0.45% by mid-morning, while the FTSE 250 gained 0.7%. Asset managers and banks led the advance, with Schroders and Ashmore posting strong results. Dunelm plunged 16.6% after warning on profits. Official data showed UK GDP grew 0.3% in November.
15 January 2026
·········
Lloyds hit with data watchdog questions as Barclays, NatWest buybacks keep UK bank shares in focus

Lloyds hit with data watchdog questions as Barclays, NatWest buybacks keep UK bank shares in focus

Britain’s data watchdog is investigating Lloyds after the bank used aggregated staff banking data in pay talks, The Guardian reported. Lloyds shares rose 0.8% to near a 52-week high. Barclays and NatWest disclosed new share buybacks, with Barclays repurchasing 3.5 million shares and NatWest buying back 842,406 shares on January 14. UK bank stocks have surged more than 80% over the past year.
15 January 2026
····
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

NatWest shares rose 1.2% to 637.8 pence in early London trading after the bank announced further buybacks, purchasing over 1.6 million shares for cancellation on Jan. 13 and 14. Investors await the Feb. 13 annual results for updates on targets and capital returns. Morgan Stanley expects new medium-term goals and a possible cut to NatWest’s capital ratio target.
15 January 2026
··
Jefferies lifts Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest price targets as UK bank rally rolls into 2026

Jefferies lifts Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest price targets as UK bank rally rolls into 2026

Jefferies raised price targets on Barclays to 560p, Lloyds to 119p, and NatWest to 720p, citing room for UK bank shares to rise. UK banks now account for 17% of the FTSE 100 but still trade at a 25% discount to the wider market. Barclays kept Lloyds rated “overweight” and cut NatWest to “equal weight,” citing stronger capital returns at Lloyds. Shares were mixed in early London trading.
8 January 2026
····
Fresh Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest price targets hint at more upside for UK bank sharesLONDON,

Fresh Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest price targets hint at more upside for UK bank sharesLONDON,

Jefferies raised price targets for Lloyds to 119p, Barclays to 560p, and NatWest to 720p, citing room for UK bank shares to rerate despite a strong 2025. Lloyds traded near 99.6p, Barclays at 481p, and NatWest at 629p on Thursday. Barclays kept Lloyds “overweight” but cut NatWest to “equal weight,” citing diverging capital and earnings outlooks.
8 January 2026
····
Top UK Stocks to Buy Today (24 December 2025): Best FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 Shares to Watch on the London Stock Exchange

Top UK Stocks to Buy Today (24 December 2025): Best FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 Shares to Watch on the London Stock Exchange

BP agreed to sell a 65% stake in Castrol to Stonepeak for $10.1 billion, generating about $6 billion for debt reduction. The London Stock Exchange closes early at 12:30 GMT for Christmas, with thin trading and the FTSE 100 steady. Wickes completed a £20 million buyback, while Barclays and NatWest advanced in the Evelyn Partners auction. The pound remains above $1.35.
24 December 2025
·········
NatWest Group Plc Stock (NWG) Hits New 52-Week High as Buyback Continues: Today’s News, Analyst Forecasts and 2026 Catalysts

NatWest Group Plc Stock (NWG) Hits New 52-Week High as Buyback Continues: Today’s News, Analyst Forecasts and 2026 Catalysts

NatWest Group shares hit a 52-week high of 648.80p in London trading on December 23, up about 62% over the past year. The company disclosed it bought back 882,353 shares on December 22 at an average price of 643.06p as part of its ongoing £750 million repurchase program. The rally comes despite the Bank of England cutting rates to 3.75% and increased mortgage competition.
23 December 2025
··
NatWest Group Plc Stock (NWG): Latest News, Forecasts and Analyst Views on 17 December 2025

NatWest Group Plc Stock (NWG): Latest News, Forecasts and Analyst Views on 17 December 2025

NatWest reported continued share buybacks this week, purchasing over 1.6 million shares for cancellation on 15 and 16 December. The bank is also preparing retail trials of “agentic AI” systems, with an announcement expected in early 2026. Regulators are monitoring closely, citing potential risks from rapid, AI-driven market moves. Analyst price targets have tightened after a strong 2025 rally.
17 December 2025
·
1 2

Stock Market Today

Tower Semiconductor stock jumps again on Nvidia optics tie-up as earnings near

Tower Semiconductor stock jumps again on Nvidia optics tie-up as earnings near

8 February 2026
Tower Semiconductor shares rose 7.7% to $139.04 Friday after announcing a collaboration with Nvidia on AI data-center networking. The stock touched $141 intraday and gained another 1% after hours. Investors await Tower’s Feb. 11 earnings for details on its silicon photonics work. No financial terms or shipment timeline were disclosed.
Longsys Electronics stock heads into Monday after new guarantees; what 301308 investors watch next

Longsys Electronics stock heads into Monday after new guarantees; what 301308 investors watch next

8 February 2026
Longsys disclosed new guarantees for a 100 million yuan Hong Kong loan and a $9 million Brazil credit line, bringing its total approved guarantee quota to 11 billion yuan and outstanding guarantees to 5.81 billion yuan. The company said all guarantees are for consolidated subsidiaries and within approved limits. Shares closed at 288 yuan Friday, down 1.6%. China inflation and credit data are due this week.
MACOM stock price steadies near highs into Monday after earnings pop and fresh filings

MACOM stock price steadies near highs into Monday after earnings pop and fresh filings

8 February 2026
MACOM shares rose 3.5% to $235.87 Friday after the company reported fiscal Q1 revenue of $271.6 million and raised its full-year data center growth outlook to 35–40%. Fidelity’s FMR LLC disclosed a 10.7% stake, while shareholder Susan Ocampo filed to potentially sell up to 100,000 shares. Stifel raised its price target to $255. MACOM expects to repay $161 million in convertible notes in March.
Go toTop