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Stock Market News 22 January 2026

Lloyds shares are above £1 again — UBS lifts target as investors do the dividend maths

Lloyds shares are above £1 again — UBS lifts target as investors do the dividend maths

Lloyds shares rose 1.8% to 103.25p in early London trading, surpassing the £1 mark ahead of full-year results due Jan. 29. UBS raised its price target to 103p but kept a neutral rating, citing post-2026 growth uncertainty. Analyst consensus puts the 12-month target at 101.11p, below the current price. Retail investors are watching for dividend prospects, with forecasts suggesting only modest gains.
22 January 2026
GSK share price steadies as $2.2bn RAPT deal lands amid fresh U.S. vaccine-policy risk

GSK share price steadies as $2.2bn RAPT deal lands amid fresh U.S. vaccine-policy risk

GSK shares rose 0.1% in early London trading as investors assessed the $2.2 billion acquisition of RAPT Therapeutics and changes to ViiV Healthcare’s ownership. The deal brings ozureprubart, a mid-stage food-allergy drug, into GSK’s pipeline. Pfizer will exit ViiV, with Shionogi raising its stake to 21.7%. Uncertainty over U.S. vaccine policy clouds the outlook ahead of GSK’s Feb. 4 results.
Barclays snaps up 2.5 million more shares as buyback presses on amid tariff volatility

Barclays snaps up 2.5 million more shares as buyback presses on amid tariff volatility

Barclays bought back 2,522,940 shares on Jan. 21 at an average price of 475.07 pence, bringing total repurchases since October to 86,403,909 shares. All repurchased shares will be cancelled, reducing the bank’s share capital to 13.83 billion ordinary shares. The buybacks come amid renewed tariff disputes and geopolitical tensions affecting markets. NatWest also repurchased 830,691 shares for cancellation on Wednesday.
BP buyback update nudges shares higher as oil slips and tariff talk shadows the sector

BP buyback update nudges shares higher as oil slips and tariff talk shadows the sector

BP bought over 3 million shares Wednesday under its buyback programme, raising treasury stock to nearly 752 million shares. Shares rose about 0.5% in early London trading. Oil prices slipped Thursday, with Brent at $64.96 a barrel and U.S. crude at $60.43. Earlier this month, BP moved 145 million treasury shares into employee schemes, adjusting total voting rights to 15.76 billion.
22 January 2026
BT share price jumps as Openreach steps up copper switch-off — UBS still says “sell”

BT share price jumps as Openreach steps up copper switch-off — UBS still says “sell”

BT shares rose about 2.3% in early London trading after Openreach expanded its copper "stop sell" programme by 132 exchanges, affecting 1.23 million premises. UBS kept its “sell” rating and 140p target, warning of pricing and investment risks. Openreach aims to move all providers to digital phone lines by January 2027. BT will report third-quarter results on February 5.
Hang Seng wobbles, then closes higher as Hong Kong inflation ticks up and Trump cools tariff talk

Hang Seng wobbles, then closes higher as Hong Kong inflation ticks up and Trump cools tariff talk

The Hang Seng Index closed up 44 points at 26,629 on Thursday after a volatile session, with turnover at HK$234.86 billion. Baidu hit a record high, Pop Mart surged, while China Life and Ping An fell. December consumer prices in Hong Kong rose 1.4% year-on-year, with underlying inflation at 1.2%. Mainland insurers lagged as tech stocks and financials led early gains.
22 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
HSBC share price climbs near a 52-week peak as BoE rate-cut bets shift — what investors watch next

HSBC share price climbs near a 52-week peak as BoE rate-cut bets shift — what investors watch next

HSBC shares rose 1.4% to 1,248.2 pence in early London trading, near a 52-week high, after UK inflation data and shifting rate forecasts. Barclays and Lloyds also gained. Morgan Stanley now expects the Bank of England’s next rate cut in March, following December inflation of 3.4%. The BoE meets Feb. 5, with HSBC’s annual results due Feb. 25.
Anglo American share price pauses near 52-week high as copper jitters; Feb 5 update looms

Anglo American share price pauses near 52-week high as copper jitters; Feb 5 update looms

Anglo American shares held steady in early London trading Thursday after a 4.87% surge to a one-year high on Wednesday. The stock traded at 3,402 pence by 0846 GMT. EU decisions on the Teck merger are expected Feb. 3 and Feb. 10, with Anglo’s Q4 production report due Feb. 5. Copper prices rebounded, but signs of weaker Chinese demand persist.

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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