Daily coverage of equity markets, sectors, and major indices.
In-depth reporting on U.S. and global stock markets, including index performance, sector rotation, earnings reactions, volatility trends, and notable single-stock moves. Designed to help traders and investors understand what is driving price action across equities.
20,611 total articles
Puig Brands plunged after both companies confirmed the end of negotiations to form a combined luxury beauty group with Estée Lauder. The proposed $40 billion transaction, first acknowledged in March 2026, unraveled amid publicity, contract renegotiations and complications tied to key brands. Estée Lauder shares rose sharply in extended trading whil…
Softcat PLC shares jumped nearly 9.5% to 1578.5p in today’s trading, extending a recovery sparked by a robust H1 FY2026 performance and an upgraded full-year profit outlook. Strong operating profit growth, high cash conversion and a recently paid interim dividend have combined with a bullish analyst consensus and accelerating AI-related corporate s…
Macquarie has identified four technology companies listed in Hong Kong and China that it views as well positioned to benefit from demand drivers including AI datacenter infrastructure, increased semiconductor equipment purchasing, and upgrades to smartphone components. The bank's selections emphasize firms in precision manufacturing, imaging sensor…
Puig's stock tumbled almost 13% in early trading on Friday after discussions with Estée Lauder over a potential merger, first reported in March, were discontinued. Reports that Charlotte Tilbury sought to renegotiate terms related to her remaining minority stake were cited as a complicating factor. Estée Lauder's shares climbed 10.1% in after-hours…
Britain’s benchmark shares opened modestly higher on Friday, supported by a strong trading update from Softcat that pushed the mid-cap index ahead of its larger counterpart. The rise came despite official figures showing the largest monthly fall in UK retail sales in almost a year and continued geopolitical uncertainty tied to the Iran conflict.
European stock indices opened positively on Friday as investors balanced hopeful comments about talks with Iran against persistent geopolitical and economic uncertainties. Major benchmarks registered modest gains by early European hours, while energy markets stayed under pressure from continued closures in the Strait of Hormuz. Economic indicators …
European equities edged higher on Friday as market participants reacted positively to indications of progress in negotiations between the United States and Iran. The STOXX 600 climbed 0.5% to 623.79 points by 0703 GMT, while Germany posted improving consumer sentiment and 0.3% economic growth in the first quarter of 2026. Sector gains were supporte…
Tokyo's stock market closed higher, with the Nikkei 225 up 2.74% as gains in Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors powered the advance. Several large-cap issues posted double-digit percentage increases, while a handful of insurers, property and pharmaceutical names finished lower. Market breadth was positive, volatility eased and key commodities…
Stephen Colbert concluded his 11-season run on late-night television with a final episode that mixed heartfelt thanks to his audience, pointed jokes about his cancellation by CBS and a surprise appearance by Paul McCartney. The program closed with McCartney and Colbert performing the Beatles song "Hello, Goodbye." The cancellation, announced by CBS…
Australian equities finished the session higher, with the S&P/ASX 200 rising 0.41% as strength in Metals & Mining, Materials and Resources stocks supported the market. Guzman Y Gomez, Paladin Energy and Iluka Resources were the session's biggest risers, while Lend Lease, Telix Pharmaceuticals and Seek were notable decliners. Market breadth favored …
Taiwan stocks finished lower after the close on Friday, with the Taiwan Weighted index falling 0.39%. Strong gains in several individual names were offset by steep declines among a subset of electronics and materials companies. Commodities and currency moves were modest, with crude and Brent edging higher while gold retreated.
Shares of Zhipu AI and MiniMax climbed sharply after a Bloomberg report said both firms were considered top contenders for inclusion in Hang Seng indexes during the quarterly review. Zhipu, trading as Knowledge Atlas Tech Joint Stock (HK:2513), rose 26.2% while MiniMax Group Inc (HK:0100) jumped nearly 17%. Inclusion would affect eligibility for th…
DeepSeek has informed prospective backers it will emphasize pioneering artificial intelligence research and the pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI) rather than short-term commercial rollouts as it advances a fundraising effort that could value the company near $45 billion. Founder Liang Wenfeng has indicated the company will keep devel…
PCG Power, a Chinese clean-energy company founded in 2022 that develops commercial and industrial distributed photovoltaic and clean energy power stations, is preparing an initial public offering in Hong Kong and may submit its listing application as soon as August. The company is targeting a valuation between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, while the…
Europe’s effort to cut dependence on U.S. card networks such as Visa and Mastercard is being hampered by disagreements between the European Central Bank and private financial institutions. Banks worry that a centrally backed digital euro and regulatory changes to merchant fees will erode revenue, delaying legislation and complicating the developmen…
Tech names tied to artificial intelligence have delivered the majority of positive returns in European equities over the past six weeks, according to TS Lombard, even as the Iran war and an associated energy shock damp economic activity and weigh on broader market performance. Two AI-focused baskets - one centered on semiconductor supply-chain firm…
Lenovo Group reported a 27% year-on-year increase in fiscal fourth-quarter revenue to $21.6 billion, topping analyst forecasts, as robust consumer demand for PCs ahead of anticipated price increases boosted shipments and market share. The company also reported surging net profit, notable growth in its infrastructure and AI server businesses, and hi…
JPMorgan is reported to be negotiating a transaction that would move portions of the risk tied to more than $4 billion of net asset value (NAV) loans—loans backed by private equity fund assets—to outside investors. The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter, says the bank would retain the loans on its balance sheet while transferri…
Nintendo has asked manufacturing partners to assemble about 20 million Switch 2 consoles for the fiscal year ending next March, a production plan roughly 20% higher than its public sales projection of 16.5 million units. The target is subject to change depending on consumer demand, and follows reports of strong early uptake and an announced Septemb…
Japanese stocks tied to quantum computing traded notably higher following strong gains by U.S. peers after the U.S. government said it would award $2 billion in grants to nine firms in the sector and take minority stakes in each. Tokyo-listed Fixstars, Systems Engineering Consultants and NF Corp led the move, while U.S. recipients included IBM, whi…
Asian equity markets extended gains on Friday, driven by a rebound in chipmakers after Nvidia issued an upbeat outlook for AI-related spending. Major indexes across Japan, Hong Kong, China and South Korea advanced and were set for weekly gains. However, lingering uncertainties around U.S.-Iran talks - including disagreements over Iran’s uranium sto…
Shares of Asian companies that supply Nvidia rose on Friday after the chipmaker signalled continued demand driven by artificial intelligence. Positive commentary from AMD's chief executive amplified investor appetite for firms exposed to chipmaking, while Japanese suppliers posted notable gains and South Korean large-cap names eased back after prio…
Hengli Group, grown from a bankrupt textile mill into one of China’s largest private refiners, has been placed on U.S. sanctions for purchases of Iranian oil, a charge the company denies. The move - which included roughly 40 shipping firms and vessels - has led to immediate operational and commercial effects, prompted Beijing to invoke a 2021 law t…
Australia's competition regulator issued infringement notices that led to A$39,600 penalties for both Coles and Brownes Foods Operations. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission says Coles published two exclusive milk supply agreements that imposed production volume caps, while Brownes failed to clearly set or justify minimum prices in two…
SoftBank Group shares continued a steep advance on Friday, trading near last year’s peak after a fresh intraday jump. Investors remain bullish on the company’s AI-related holdings and on potential listings of assets backed by the group, while renewed strength in AI-focused semiconductor stocks has further supported the rally. SoftBank also recently…
