Latest market news
Independent UK financial coverage with full source attribution.
US airlines cut profit forecasts as jet fuel prices spike 20%
US airlines including American Airlines (AAL), Delta Air Lines (DAL), United Airlines (UAL), and Alaska Air (ALK) revised earnings estimates and full-year guidance downward in July 2026 after jet fuel prices rose 20%; Brent crude climbed above $100 per barrel and WTI rose alongside it during the same period.
J&J agrees $5.5bn settlement to resolve talc cancer lawsuits
Johnson & Johnson will pay $5.5 billion to settle roughly 69,000 US lawsuits alleging its talc products caused ovarian cancer, covering 99.75% of remaining claims.
Taiwan 5-year bond yield hits highest since 2008 after weak auction
Taiwan's five-year government bond yield rose to its highest level since 2008 on 28 July 2026, following a disappointing 20-year government bond auction and market pricing of a potential central bank rate increase.
Nvidia reportedly in talks to backstop $250bn OpenAI debt arrangement
Reports indicated Nvidia (NVDA) was in early-stage discussions to provide a $250 billion credit backstop for OpenAI, enabling debt financing for a data centre campus in Pike County, Ohio; the facility was reported as part of a broader $500 billion, 10-gigawatt project led by SoftBank.
BMW announces 8,000 job cuts; shares down 36% year-to-date
BMW announced plans on 29 July 2026 to cut approximately 8,000 roles globally, around 5% of its workforce, via voluntary redundancy. BMW AG ordinary shares had fallen 36% year-to-date as of the announcement date.
Shein swings to $99m Q1 loss ahead of Hong Kong IPO
Shein posted a $99m net loss in Q1 2026, reversing a $395m profit a year earlier, as it filed a draft prospectus for a Hong Kong listing with Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan as joint sponsors.
Fontainebleau wildfire burns 800 hectares near Paris
A 'very virulent' wildfire burned 800 hectares of the Fontainebleau forest by Monday, forcing evacuations and the first-ever deployment of fire bomber planes from southern France to the Paris region.
Two US troops killed in Iranian attack on Jordan base
Two American service members were killed and one is missing after Iranian ballistic missile and drone strikes hit Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on Friday.
Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino steps down; CBRL stock affected
Julie Masino departed as CEO of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store following a period of sales declines linked to a reversed logo rebranding; CBRL was the directly referenced instrument in coverage of the leadership transition.
US-Iran Hormuz shipping talks progressing; deal not yet finalised
Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Qatar reported on 28 July 2026 that US-Iran talks were progressing toward reviving a Strait of Hormuz memorandum of understanding. The White House was awaiting a Trump–Netanyahu meeting before committing.
Apple briefly hits $5 trillion market cap, second ever to do so
Apple's shares touched $342.89 on Tuesday, briefly giving it a market capitalisation of $5.04 trillion — only the second publicly traded company in history to reach the milestone after Nvidia.
Michael Burry warned of systemic risk in PE-owned insurer AI debt holdings
Michael Burry publicly warned on 27 July 2026 that private equity-owned insurers had concentrated holdings of AI-linked debt securities, characterising this as a potential threat to the AI investment cycle. No price moves or regulatory responses were reported.
PayPal Q2 2026 revenue $8.68bn; crypto adjustment and merger talks noted
PayPal reported Q2 2026 revenue of $8.68 billion and an $81 million earnings adjustment tied to crypto assets; PYPL was the directly named equity, and investor attention on potential merger discussions was reported alongside the results.
Australia June CPI prints 3.8%, below 4.0% consensus; RBA August hike probability drops
Australia's June 2024 CPI printed at 3.8% year-on-year, missing the 4.0% consensus, with the monthly reading falling 0.1% against an expected 0.2% rise. Market-implied probability of an RBA August rate hike dropped to approximately 4%, and traders reduced bets on further hikes for 2024.
US strikes Iran; LNG vessel hit as Hormuz shipping disruptions worsen
A US-owned LNG vessel was struck during a reported exchange of hostilities on 30 July 2026, following new US strikes on Iran attributed to attacks on US forces in Jordan; Saudi Arabian and other Persian Gulf oil loadings were already running at reduced levels prior to the incident.
FCC bans new Chinese robots and inverters on security grounds
The FCC added humanoid robots and connected power inverters to its Covered List on 28 July 2026, blocking new foreign-made models from US import, marketing or sale.
Saudi Aramco considers $5/bbl price rise for Asian crude buyers
Saudi Aramco was reported to be considering raising crude prices for Asian buyers by up to $5 per barrel, with loadings via the Suez-Mediterranean pipeline to Sidi Kerir increasing as the company rerouted exports away from Red Sea corridors. No confirmed pricing decision had been published at the time of reporting.
Russia charges Telegram's Durov with aiding terrorism
Russia's FSB charged Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism on 29 July 2026 and issued an international arrest warrant, alleging the platform failed to remove channels used by Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups.
Rio Tinto profit up 43%; Glencore trading division earns $2.9bn in H1 2025
Rio Tinto (RIO) reported a 43% H1 2025 profit increase and Glencore (GLEN) reported $2.9bn in trading division revenue, with both companies citing elevated commodity prices and geopolitical uncertainty as contributing factors.
US strikes IRGC sites after Iran kills three US soldiers in Jordan
Iran struck US installations in Jordan on July 28, killing three soldiers; the US retaliated on July 29 against dozens of IRGC facilities. WTI crude fell approximately $1 at the time of the US military confirmation.