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Stock Market News 18 December 2025

Barclays PLC Stock (BARC.L) Near 52-Week High as BoE Rate Cut Looms: Buyback Update, Evelyn Partners Deal Talk, and Analyst Targets

Barclays PLC Stock (BARC.L) Near 52-Week High as BoE Rate Cut Looms: Buyback Update, Evelyn Partners Deal Talk, and Analyst Targets

LONDON — 18 December 2025 — Barclays PLC stock is ending the year with momentum, hovering around the mid‑460s in pence and repeatedly testing fresh highs, as investors weigh a pivotal macro backdrop against very company-specific catalysts: an active share buyback, renewed attention on UK financial regulation, and ongoing market chatter about a potential wealth-management acquisition. Barclays (LSE: BARC, Reuters ticker BARC.L; NYSE ADR: BCS) has benefited from a broader rerating of European and UK bank stocks in 2025—helped by resilient earnings, shareholder returns, and a growing belief that the sector can defend profitability even as interest rates drift lower.
18 December 2025
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Shell Plc Stock (SHEL) Today: Dividend Payment, Buybacks, New Projects and Analyst Forecasts — Dec. 18, 2025

Shell Plc Stock (SHEL) Today: Dividend Payment, Buybacks, New Projects and Analyst Forecasts — Dec. 18, 2025

Shell Plc stock is back in the spotlight on Thursday as a rebound in oil prices collides with a busy run of company developments—ranging from a dividend payment date and continued share buybacks to fresh project approvals, portfolio moves in Europe, and new drilling plans offshore Namibia. In early pricing, Shell’s U.S.-listed ADR (NYSE: SHEL) last traded around $71.55. Meanwhile, crude benchmarks were higher in Asian trading after renewed geopolitical risk headlines: WTI rose to about $56.38/bbl and Brent to about $60.10/bbl (at 0256 GMT), with markets weighing potential new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy and the practical impact of
18 December 2025
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Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) Share Price, News and Forecast: BoE Rate Cut and Motor Finance Risk in Focus

Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) Share Price, News and Forecast: BoE Rate Cut and Motor Finance Risk in Focus

18 December 2025 — Lloyds Banking Group plc (LSE: LLOY, NYSE ADR: LYG) is back in the spotlight as investors weigh a pivotal UK macro moment against a stubborn company-specific overhang: the Bank of England’s expected interest-rate cut and the still-evolving motor finance redress bill. Lloyds shares traded around 95.5p on Thursday, with the session’s range clustered in the mid‑90s and the 52‑week range spanning roughly 52p to 98p. Investing.com+1 That keeps the stock close to the upper end of its one‑year band after a strong 2025 run, while setting up what could be a decisive winter test: can capital
18 December 2025
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Unilever PLC Stock (UL, ULVR) on 18.12.2025: Analyst Forecasts, Magnum Spin-Off Fallout, and What Investors Watch Next

Unilever PLC Stock (UL, ULVR) on 18.12.2025: Analyst Forecasts, Magnum Spin-Off Fallout, and What Investors Watch Next

LONDON / NEW YORK — 18 December 2025. Unilever PLC stock is entering a new phase after one of its biggest structural moves in years: the demerger of its ice cream business into The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC) and the follow-on share consolidation for Unilever shareholders. Markets are now trying to answer a deceptively simple question with very non-simple inputs: is the “new Unilever” (more Beauty, Personal Care, and Wellbeing; less cold-chain logistics) a cleaner, faster-growth consumer staples compounder—or just a slimmer version of the same old battle? Reuters+2Unilever+2 On the US line (NYSE ADR: UL), Unilever last traded
18 December 2025
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BP PLC Stock News Today (Dec. 18, 2025): CEO Shake‑Up, Meg O’Neill Named Successor, and Why BP Shares Are Back in Play

BP PLC Stock News Today (Dec. 18, 2025): CEO Shake‑Up, Meg O’Neill Named Successor, and Why BP Shares Are Back in Play

BP PLC stock (LSE: BP.; NYSE: BP) is the kind of name that can drift into the background when oil is boring and the strategy is stable. December 18, 2025 is not one of those days. A surprise leadership change has put BP back on traders’ “must-watch” screens: BP confirmed that CEO Murray Auchincloss is stepping down effective today (Thursday, Dec. 18), with long-time BP executive Carol Howle taking over as interim CEO. The board has appointed Woodside Energy chief Meg O’Neill as the next permanent CEO, effective April 1, 2026. Investegate+2Reuters+2 BP’s London-listed shares were trading around the mid‑420s
18 December 2025
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Rolls-Royce (RR.L) Stock News Today: £200m Buyback, Analyst Targets, and 2026 Catalysts (Dec. 18, 2025)

Rolls-Royce (RR.L) Stock News Today: £200m Buyback, Analyst Targets, and 2026 Catalysts (Dec. 18, 2025)

London — December 18, 2025 — Rolls-Royce Holdings plc shares have spent much of 2025 doing what jet engines do best: generating thrust. The stock’s big re-rating has put it back on the everyday investor radar, but the story in late December isn’t just “up a lot.” It’s why it’s up, what management is doing with the cash, and which parts of the business could keep surprising (or disappoint) as the company heads into full-year results season. As of December 18, Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR.) was trading around 1,102p, within a 1,101p–1,129.5p day range, and inside a 52-week range of 557p–1,195p,
18 December 2025
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Rio Tinto plc Stock (RIO): UBS Highlights Argentina Lithium Upside as Simandou Exports Begin and a $10B Divestment Plan Takes Shape

Rio Tinto plc Stock (RIO): UBS Highlights Argentina Lithium Upside as Simandou Exports Begin and a $10B Divestment Plan Takes Shape

Dec. 18, 2025 — Rio Tinto plc stock is back in the spotlight today as investors weigh a new lithium-focused take from UBS against fresh reporting from Guinea’s Simandou iron ore mega-project and the miner’s broader strategy reset under CEO Simon Trott. On the Australia-listed line (RIO:AX), shares rose as much as 1.8% to a record high of A$143.89, after UBS said its confidence has increased in Rio Tinto’s lithium strategy following a deep dive into the company’s Argentina brine assets. UBS kept a neutral stance and an A$140 price target, noting execution discipline remains decisive even as the lithium
18 December 2025
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UK Stock Market Today (18 December 2025): FTSE 100 Set for a Cautious Open as BoE Rate Cut Looms; BP CEO Shock and Currys Results in Focus

UK Stock Market Today (18 December 2025): FTSE 100 Set for a Cautious Open as BoE Rate Cut Looms; BP CEO Shock and Currys Results in Focus

London, 18 December 2025 — The United Kingdom stock market is starting the day on a cautious footing, with the FTSE 100 expected to edge slightly lower at the open as investors brace for a high-impact mix of Bank of England policy, fresh US inflation data, and a global risk mood unsettled by renewed tech-sector “AI spending” jitters. TradingView+2Reuters+2 While the mood is wary, London equities remain supported by two powerful domestic tailwinds: a sharp downside surprise in UK inflation that has pushed rate-cut expectations close to “fully priced”, and a heavyweight energy sector that may benefit from rebounding oil
18 December 2025
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HSBC Holdings Plc Stock News Today (Dec. 18, 2025): Dividend Lands, Shares Hold Near Highs as Hang Seng Deal and Rate Cuts Shape the Outlook

HSBC Holdings Plc Stock News Today (Dec. 18, 2025): Dividend Lands, Shares Hold Near Highs as Hang Seng Deal and Rate Cuts Shape the Outlook

HSBC Holdings Plc stock is starting Dec. 18 with two narratives colliding in a very “2025 markets” way: cash coming back to shareholders today via a dividend payment, and a forward-looking debate over what happens next as central banks edge toward lower rates and HSBC pursues a major Hong Kong restructuring move. On the screen, HSBC looks steady and strong. Under the hood, investors are weighing a temporary buyback pause tied to the planned Hang Seng Bank take-private, a push into productivity tools like generative AI, and a set of legal and macro risks that will matter much more once
18 December 2025
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Vedanta Ltd Stock Hits Fresh Highs After NCLT Demerger Nod: Latest News, Broker Targets, Dividend Outlook and Key Risks (18 Dec 2025)

Vedanta Ltd Stock Hits Fresh Highs After NCLT Demerger Nod: Latest News, Broker Targets, Dividend Outlook and Key Risks (18 Dec 2025)

December 18, 2025 — Vedanta Ltd (NSE: VEDL, BSE: 500295) is back in the spotlight after its long-awaited demerger cleared a major legal hurdle, triggering a sharp re-rating conversation across Dalal Street. The stock has been trading around the ₹580 zone on December 18 after touching a fresh all-time high near ₹580.45 earlier this week, as investors position for what could become one of India’s most-watched corporate break-ups in 2026. mint+1 What’s different this time is not just price momentum—it’s the mix of catalysts behind it: the NCLT’s approval, improving clarity on the five-way split, and a wave of brokerage
18 December 2025
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Kaynes Technology India Ltd Share Price Today (18 Dec 2025): Why KAYNES Stock Is in Focus After Disclosure Clarifications, CRISIL Watch and New Semiconductor Tie-Ups

Kaynes Technology India Ltd Share Price Today (18 Dec 2025): Why KAYNES Stock Is in Focus After Disclosure Clarifications, CRISIL Watch and New Semiconductor Tie-Ups

Kaynes Technology India Ltd (NSE: KAYNES, BSE: 543664) is back in the spotlight on 18 December 2025—not because of a single headline, but because several threads (governance chatter, credit watch, institutional flows, and semiconductor ambition) are now pulling on the same stock-price string. Kaynes Technology+2CRISIL+2 As of midday trade, Kaynes was hovering around the ₹4,100 zone, far below its 52-week high of ₹7,822 yet above the 52-week low of ₹3,712.50, underscoring how quickly sentiment has swung in a company that was once one of the market’s most loved EMS (electronics manufacturing services) growth stories. The Economic Times+1 What follows is
18 December 2025
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BSE Ltd Share Price Today (Dec 18, 2025): Stock Rises Near ₹2,690 as Fresh Filings Flag GST Order, Social Stock Exchange Move; What Analysts Forecast Next

BSE Ltd Share Price Today (Dec 18, 2025): Stock Rises Near ₹2,690 as Fresh Filings Flag GST Order, Social Stock Exchange Move; What Analysts Forecast Next

Mumbai | December 18, 2025 — BSE Ltd (NSE: BSE), the operator of Asia’s oldest stock exchange, was trading around ₹2,688–₹2,691 on Thursday, up about 2% versus the previous close, even as broader market sentiment stayed mixed. mint+1 The move comes with investors digesting a cluster of recent exchange filings and governance updates—most notably a GST demand order totalling ₹7.25 crore, and a board-approved step tied to India’s Social Stock Exchange framework. NSE India Archives+1 Below is what’s driving the BSE Ltd narrative today, where analyst targets sit, and what could matter most for the stock into early 2026. BSE
18 December 2025
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1 … 1,201 1,202 1,203 1,204 1,205 … 1,947

Stock Market Today

Broadcom Stock Gets a Google AI Spend Lift as Jefferies Sees 60% Upside

Broadcom Stock Gets a Google AI Spend Lift as Jefferies Sees 60% Upside

7 February 2026
Google raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to $175 billion–$185 billion, with most spending expected on data-center chips. Broadcom shares rose about 2% after the announcement, while Nvidia and AMD slipped. Jefferies reiterated a buy rating on Broadcom, maintaining a $500 price target, implying a 62% upside from Wednesday’s close.
No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

7 February 2026
The IRS has not announced new federal stimulus payments for February 2026, and Congress has not approved fresh checks. Trump told NBC he is considering $2,000 tariff rebate checks but has not committed, saying any payout would likely come later in 2026. The IRS warns taxpayers to ignore texts and emails about “stimulus payments” and verify notices through official channels.
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