By Marcus Devlin
Two decades covering equity markets. Writes on single stocks, sectors, valuations and the trades behind the tape.
Berenberg Raises Bechtle Price Target but Sees Q2 Update as Steady, Not Stellar
Berenberg raised its price target for Bechtle to €34.50, but expects the IT firm's Q2 update on August 12 to be in line with Q1. The bank li
Nextage Doubles First-Half Profit, Raises Full-Year Guidance on Strong Demand
Nextage's first-half profit more than doubled to 8.88 billion yen, driven by robust demand and better per-vehicle margins. The company raise
Swiss Life Likely to Announce CHF250 Million Share Buyback on Sept 1
Swiss Life may restart its share buyback program with a CHF250 million announcement on Sept 1. Berenberg says the insurer's strong solvency
Dealmakers Target Drones, Drugs, and Gold in a Surge of Cross-Sector M&A
A wave of mergers this week spans underwater drones, private banking, biotech, chemicals, and gold mining. The deals show companies betting
EM Stocks Pause as Stronger Dollar Pressures Currencies Ahead of Earnings
Emerging-market stocks steadied Monday, but currencies slipped as the US dollar firmed. Investors are waiting on earnings to see if the rall
Aluminum Prices Climb as LME Stockpiles Slip Below 300,000 Tons, Raising Supply Fears
Aluminum prices rose as LME stockpiles dropped below 300,000 tons for the first time since 2022. The thinner buffer makes prices more sensit
Solstice Advanced Materials and Element Solutions in $27 Billion Merger Talks
Solstice Advanced Materials and Element Solutions are in talks for a mostly stock merger of equals valued at about $27 billion. The deal aim
Japan's Nikkei Flat as Chip Stocks Cool and Tokyo Targets Steel Imports
Japan's Nikkei 225 finished nearly flat as chip stocks cooled after a strong run, while Tokyo moved to impose anti-dumping duties on steel i
Rubber Futures Rebound on Short-Covering and Liberia Export Ban
Rubber futures in Japan and China rebounded after a sharp selloff, as traders closed short positions and Liberia's export ban tightened supp
EasyJet Soars 11% on Sweetened £5.5B Take-Private Bid; European Markets Flat
EasyJet shares surged 11% after Castlelake sweetened its take-private offer, valuing the airline at up to £5.5 billion. The broader STOXX 60
Bernstein Cuts Kering Forecasts, Sees Gucci Recovery Delayed Until Late 2026
Bernstein has cut its forecasts for Kering, saying Gucci's recovery is slower than expected. The bank now sees growth returning only by late
Unimicron Raises $1.4 Billion in Global Share Sale to Fund Raw Material Purchases
Unimicron Technology is offering 50 million global depositary shares at a 3%-5.8% discount to raise about $1.4 billion. The funds will be us