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.
30,213 total articles
European equity indices opened lower following a weekend of tense developments between the United States and Iran. President Donald Trump’s statement about an "immediate" blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, followed by a softer Pentagon clarification, and the end of lengthy U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan without a new agreement, unsettled markets. Oil p…
Japanese equities ended lower on Monday, with the Nikkei 225 retreating 0.62% as Paper & Pulp, Transport and Communication sectors weighed on the market. Gains in several large-cap names were offset by steeper losses elsewhere, while oil prices climbed and the yen moved higher against the dollar in late trading.
RBC Capital Markets downgraded Associated British Foods Plc (ABF) to "underperform" from "sector perform" and reduced its price target to 1,850p from 2,050p, citing an erosion in Primark's competitive position and weaker-than-expected earnings across ABF's divisions. The bank trimmed FY26-28 profit forecasts and lowered adjusted EPS for FY26 and FY…
Shanghai-based AI firm StepFun is dismantling its offshore holding structure and moving toward an onshore corporate setup to support a proposed Hong Kong initial public offering, sources say. The decision follows recent regulatory guidance from Chinese authorities targeting so-called red-chip arrangements and comes as a surge of Chinese companies p…
On April 13, European equity futures fell sharply after U.S.-Iran negotiations failed to yield a breakthrough, prompting Washington to prepare for a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Contracts tracking major European benchmarks dropped over 1%, while oil surged past $100 a barrel and interest-rate futures signaled multiple hikes priced in…
Vietnam is increasingly mirroring elements of China’s governance and technology framework, tightening state oversight while expanding cooperation with Chinese firms, documents and sources show. The consolidation of power around the party chief, To Lam, and recent policy moves on data, telecoms, state-led investment and market intervention signal a …
Jefferies upgraded Starbucks Corp. to Hold from Underperform and raised its price target to $92 from $86 after the company completed a China joint venture and showed initial signs of stabilization in its U.S. business. The brokerage says the China deal meaningfully reduces Starbucks' international exposure but is retaining a conservative earnings o…
RBC Capital Markets has moved WH Smith Plc (LON:SMWH) from 'outperform' to 'sector perform', lowering its price target to 650p and trimming FY26-27 pre-tax profit forecasts by 3-4%. The broker points to weaker UK labour market prospects, rising mortgage costs linked to the Iran conflict, higher airfares, temporary Heathrow store closures and new fo…
Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed lower, down 0.39%, with losses concentrated in the Gold, Information Technology and Industrials sectors. Telix Pharmaceuticals, New Hope and Pro Medicus were among the session's top gainers. A2 Milk, Life360 and Orora posted the steepest declines, with two names hitting multi-month lows. Volatility ticked up…
Baker Hughes has agreed to sell its Waygate Technologies division to Sweden's Hexagon for roughly $1.45 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, with Hexagon financing the acquisition through cash and available debt capacity. The move follows Baker Hughes' larger recent acquisition of Chart Industries and is…
Wise Plc reported a 24% increase in underlying income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 alongside a 27% rise in cross-border volume, driven by growth in both consumer and business activity. The company reiterated expectations for FY26 margins while moving forward with a planned U.S. primary listing targeted for May 11 and a retained secondary l…
Bill Ackman told investors his outreach to Vincent Bollore was his first move after announcing a $64 billion bid for Universal Music Group. Ackman described Bollore’s initial response as "music to my ears" and said the French billionaire’s support is indispensable. Bollore directly and indirectly controls just under 32% of Universal following Viven…
Taiwan's benchmark extended its rally on Monday, with the Taiwan Weighted index closing up 1.60% to a fresh record high. Broad gains were driven by the Electronic Parts/Components, Communication and Internet and Chemicals sectors, while individual stocks showed pronounced moves on both the upside and downside. Energy-related commodity prices climbe…
RBC Capital Markets in a note dated Monday identified Next, Inditex and Sainsbury’s as outperform selections within European retail, saying rising fuel, freight and food prices linked to the Iran conflict are likely to keep central banks on a tightening path and create a more difficult backdrop for consumer spending. The broker downgraded Associate…
This weekly recap reviews five Wall Street analyst upgrades and the principal arguments behind each call. Evercore upgraded Waters Corporation (WAT) on confidence in management execution and a second-half recovery; Rosenblatt raised Arista Networks (ANET) on expected AI-driven revenue acceleration and large deferred revenue; TD Cowen boosted Freshp…
Meta Platforms is building a photorealistic, AI-driven 3D character modeled on its chief executive to interact with employees. The project is part of a larger, multi-billion-dollar effort to develop advanced personal AI capabilities and to close gaps with other leading AI developers. The character is being taught the CEO’s mannerisms, tone and publ…
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk agreed in Seoul to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, centering defence cooperation. The leaders pledged to deepen collaboration across defence production, technology transfers and training under a $44.2 billion framework pact signed in 2022, wh…
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is on track to report a fourth consecutive quarter of record profit, driven by robust demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. Consensus estimates compiled via an LSEG SmartEstimate project quarterly net income of T$542.6 billion ($17.1 billion), reflecting a roughly 50% year-on-year jump in ne…
Asian equity indexes fell at the start of the week after weekend negotiations between the United States and Iran produced no breakthrough, and Washington said it would prepare to impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. Markets tracked weaker U.S. futures and a sharp rebound in crude prices, with Brent rising 8% and topping the $100 per barrel ma…
McDonald’s is preparing a U.S. rollout of several new cold beverages, including a Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, a Dirty Dr Pepper and a Mango Pineapple Refresher, with energy drinks expected on sale starting in August. Company documents reviewed by a news outlet indicate the drinks will be priced below comparable items from competitors as the cha…
U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo on Sunday, calling him "weak" on crime and "terrible" for foreign policy after the pope publicly condemned recent U.S. and Israeli actions in the war on Iran and urged reflection on the treatment of migrants. Trump posted his remarks on Truth Social and later told reporters he was not a "big fan" of t…
Third Point, led by Daniel Loeb, has decided not to press a proxy fight at real estate data company CoStar Group and has sold its full holding, citing a change in conviction about its activist thesis. The move follows a sharp decline in CoStar's share price and comes after months of engagement and earlier signals that Third Point would seek board c…
Ryohin Keikaku Ltd (TYO:7453) saw its shares rise after reporting a robust half-year performance and lifting its full-year forecasts for the fiscal year to August 2026. The company cited strong domestic sales, improving overseas operations and a weaker yen as drivers behind the uplift in revenue and profit guidance.
JBS and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 have ratified a tentative two-year contract covering nearly 3,800 employees at the company's Greeley, Colorado beef processing plant. The deal, reached after bargaining sessions on April 9-10 and following about a month of strikes, locks in an almost 33% wage increase over two years, shields worker…
U.S. equity futures dropped more than 1% Sunday evening after ceasefire negotiations with Iran failed over the weekend and the U.S. announced plans for a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The rout followed a strong, energy-led rise in March consumer prices and a sharp rebound in crude prices, leaving markets on edge ahead of a busy first-quar…
