Stock Market 4 February 2026

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

Prudential plc shares nudged up in early London trade Wednesday after the Asia-focused insurer announced another share buyback. The stock gained 0.3% to 1,224 pence on a 15-minute delay. UBS raised its price target to 1,400 pence from 1,385, maintaining a “buy” rating, according to a broker roundup.

4 February 2026

LSE:PRU·Share Buybacks·Stock Market

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

Novo Nordisk shares dropped sharply on Wednesday after the Danish pharmaceutical giant flagged a potential 13% decline in sales and profit for 2026, marking a notable reversal for the company behind weight-loss drug Wegovy and diabetes treatment Ozempic. Early trading in Copenhagen saw shares plunge 18%, according to the Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/d148ce25-fa76-468b-b9ac-95c62a994a55

4 February 2026

Earnings Reports·NYSE:NVO·Pharmaceuticals·Stock Market

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

Standard Chartered shares climbed on Wednesday, holding near the upper end of their recent range as investors weighed central bank risks against a weak mood in European stocks. Around 09:05 GMT, the stock was up roughly 1.2% at 1,901.5 pence, after closing at 1,879.0 pence the day before. Trading during the session fluctuated between 1,888.5 and 1,910.0 pence.

4 February 2026

LSE:STAN·Stock Market·UK Economy

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

GSK shares recovered on Wednesday following the release of new CEO Luke Miels’ first sales forecast, which showed slower growth for 2026—a key test investors had been eyeing. After an early dip of roughly 1%, the stock climbed 1.4% by 0809 GMT.

4 February 2026

Earnings Reports·LSE:GSK·Pharmaceuticals·Stock Market

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

NatWest Group Plc shares climbed 1.3% to 703 pence in early London trading on Wednesday, hitting a new 52-week peak. The stock kicked off at 697.4 pence and was last seen fluctuating between 695 and 703 pence on 15-minute delayed data, compared to a previous close of 694.2 pence.

4 February 2026

LSE:NWG.L·Stock Market

Compass Group share price rises as CPG investors brace for Thursday’s trading update

Shares in Compass Group PLC climbed 1.39% to 2,194 pence by 0836 GMT on Wednesday, as the FTSE 100 edged up 0.56%. The stock fluctuated between 2,177 and 2,213 pence early in the session, following a close of 2,164 pence on Tuesday.

4 February 2026

LSE:CPG·Stock Market

National Grid share price rises in London as €650m green bond terms land, Ofgem decision in view

National Grid shares ticked up in early London trading Wednesday, buoyed by a stronger market and news from its UK electricity transmission arm. The unit unveiled final terms for a euro-denominated green bond. The stock gained roughly 0.6% to 1,264 pence, up from Tuesday’s close of 1,256 pence.

4 February 2026

LSE:NG·Stock Market·UK Economy

Lloyds share price jumps toward a fresh high as corporate banking push report lands

Lloyds Banking Group shares climbed 1.4% to 114.2 pence by 0820 GMT on Wednesday, nearing a 52-week peak. The Financial Times reported that the UK’s largest mortgage lender is planning an expanded push into corporate banking.

4 February 2026

LSE:LLOY.L·Stock Market

Unilever share price today: ULVR edges higher near 5,070p ahead of Feb 12 results

Unilever shares edged up 0.4% to 5,066 pence by 0817 GMT, after opening at 5,033 pence and moving between 5,031 and 5,069 earlier this Wednesday. The stock ended Tuesday at 5,045 pence, up 1.1% for the day.

4 February 2026

Earnings Reports·LSE:ULVR.L·Stock Market

Barclays share price edges up as £500m buyback ends and BoE rate call nears

Barclays shares rose 0.34% to 503.3 pence by 0810 GMT on Wednesday. Traders are gearing up for the bank’s full-year results, due Feb. 10.

4 February 2026

LSE:BARC.L·Stock Market·UK Economy

Shell stock jumps after Brazil Orca stake sale, with Q4 results next in focus

Shares of Shell Plc listed in the U.S. climbed on Tuesday, with the last price recorded at $77.63. The oil giant announced plans to offload a 20% stake in its Orca offshore Brazil project to Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company.

4 February 2026

Earnings Reports·Energy·NYSE:SHEL·Stock Market

BP share price climbs near 52-week high as oil firms and investors squeeze for answers

BP shares climbed 1.8% to roughly 475 pence during early London trades, edging near their 52-week peak of 476.2 pence. On Tuesday, the stock had closed at 466.5 pence.

4 February 2026

Energy Sector·LSE:BP.L·Oil Industry·Stock Market

Experian share price edges up after buyback update as AI fears rattle data stocks

Experian shares ticked up roughly 0.5% to 2,569 pence early Wednesday in London, following a close at 2,555 pence on Tuesday. The stock has fluctuated between 2,526 and 2,584 pence so far, holding close to the low end of its 52-week range.

4 February 2026

Artificial Intelligence·LSE:EXPN·Stock Market·Technology

Rolls-Royce share price ticks up on fresh buyback filing as investors eye Feb 26 results

Shares of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc ticked up on Wednesday following news of another tranche of share buybacks. By 0816 GMT, the stock climbed 6.5 pence, or 0.5%, to 1,242 pence, after peaking at 1,250.5 pence earlier in the session.

4 February 2026

LSE:RR.L·Share Buybacks·Stock Market

Rio Tinto share price ticks higher as Feb. 5 Glencore deal deadline looms

Rio Tinto shares edged up 0.6% to 7,081 pence early Wednesday in London, after briefly hitting 7,082 pence. The stock kicked off the day at 7,041 pence, continuing a strong streak from recent sessions.

4 February 2026

LSE:GLEN·LSE:RIO·Mining Industry·Stock Market

HSBC share price today: HSBA stock steadies near 1,301p as BoE decision, results loom

HSBC Holdings Plc shares looked poised for a steady open in London on Wednesday, trading at 1,301 pence on the bank’s investor page just before the market bell. In Hong Kong, shares slipped 0.6 Hong Kong dollars to HK$138.30, while the New York ADR fell 62 cents to $88.98.

4 February 2026

LSE:HSBA·Stock Market

British American Tobacco share price: BAT stock near 1-year high as buyback ticks on before results

British American Tobacco repurchased 117,545 shares on Tuesday under its ongoing buyback programme, paying a volume-weighted average price of 4,475.9562 pence per share—a figure that factors in the number of shares traded at each price. The company intends to cancel these shares, which will leave 2,176,662,435 shares outstanding after the cancellation, not counting treasury shares.

4 February 2026

LSE:BATS·Stock Market

LSEG share price extends AI-driven slide as investors brace for BoE, earnings

Shares in London Stock Exchange Group slid further on Wednesday, dropping 1.3% to 7,086 pence by 08:07 GMT. The stock hit 7,072 pence earlier, brushing close to a 52-week low.

4 February 2026

Artificial Intelligence·Bank of England·Earnings Reports·Stock Market

Anglo American share price hits 52-week high after 7% jump as Citi turns bullish ahead of Feb. 5 report

Anglo American plc enters Wednesday riding a surge after its shares hit a new 52-week peak in the last session. The miner closed Tuesday up 7.25% at 3,700 pence, though trading volume was a bit under its 50-day average.

4 February 2026

LSE:AAL.L·Mining Industry·Stock Market·TSX:TECK.B

Glencore share price in focus: $9bn Congo stake talks land as Rio Tinto deadline nears (GLEN.L)

Glencore shares are under the spotlight ahead of Wednesday’s London session after the miner revealed it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding. The deal could hand a U.S.-backed group a 40% stake in its copper and cobalt operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The stock last closed at 517.30 pence, up 16.30 pence, according to Glencore’s share-price feed.

4 February 2026

LSE:GLEN.L·Mining Industry·Stock Market