Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Market Performance
FTSE 100 bloomberg.com is set to hold near record levels as European stocks traded mixed with earnings in focus. Hong Kong's Hang Seng wsj.com rebounded after the city reclaimed its IPO crown with 119 new listings raising over triple the funds of the previous year.
Corporate Earnings & Results
Jupiter ft.com posted its first annual net inflow since 2017, signaling a turnaround at the UK asset manager. Schneider Electric investing.com posted record revenue of €40.15 billion, though its CFO announced plans to step down. Puma bloomberg.com forecast another loss and scrapped its dividend as it clears inventory to position for 2027 growth.
Capital Markets & Buybacks
LSEG bloomberg.com CEO David Schwimmer said the £3 billion buyback is the "right amount" amid activist pressure from Elliott. Sony bloomberg.com expanded its buyback plan to $1.6 billion, more than doubling its previous target. Deutsche Telekom investing.com trimmed its Germany outlook after Q4 profit fell 9% on dollar headwinds.
Regional Markets & Policy
Kenya's shilling bloomberg.com defied emerging market volatility, trading in an unusually narrow band against the dollar for 18 months. South Africa's budget bloomberg.com delivered "strong" performance according to Moody's, with markets responding positively as the rand strengthened and bond yields fell. India bloomberg.com held the line on Russian oil purchases as trade deal uncertainties loomed.
Financial Sector Developments
Erste Group bloomberg.com said net interest income may exceed expectations after its €7 billion Poland deal. Axa's CEO bloomberg.com acknowledged concerns over private credit while reassuring investors about the firm's low exposure. Man Group bloomberg.com saw $1.4 billion in net inflows in Q4 2025, with its CFO confident about 2026 outlook.
M&A & Strategic Moves
Dubai Aerospace bloomberg.com agreed to buy Macquarie Air Finance for $7 billion, expanding its fleet to over 1,000 aircraft. CK Group bloomberg.com took an unusual approach in its $14 billion UK power sale to Engie, bypassing investment banks entirely. KKR bloomberg.com sold a stake in post-trade firm OSTTRA to six banks in the latest financial-market infrastructure deal.
Industry Trends
Construction firms bloomberg.com are pivoting to data centers as the one booming area amid struggling housing and weak industrial activity. Drax Group bloomberg.com took a hit on biomass projects in Canada and the UK as profit fell. WPP bloomberg.com is targeting £500 million in annual cost savings by 2028 as part of a sweeping restructuring to return to growth.
Regulatory & Market Structure
India's market regulator bloomberg.com broadened rules for $385 billion stock funds to add gold and silver, giving actively managed equity funds greater flexibility. Nasdaq ft.com is pushing to fast-track founders while letting index trackers hold the bag, according to reports.