The latest Market Talks covering Equities. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires throughout the day.
1117 ET - Qatar stocks fall after an explosion at Ras Laffan Industrial City, a key hub for the country's liquefied natural gas industry, killed 13 people, while the U.A.E. markets end up. Operational incidents can weigh on sentiment even when fundamentals remain intact, as international investors often react first to headlines before assessing the details, says Milad Azar of XTB MENA. U.A.E. markets, meanwhile, continue to benefit from healthy liquidity, resilient earnings and domestic growth themes, Azar says. Qatar's QE Index falls 0.3%; the Dubai Financial Market General Index rises 0.3% and Abu Dhabi's benchmark index gains 0.2%. (farhan.rafid@wsj.com)
1016 ET - Exxon Mobil put a timeline on its plans to move its legal home: the oil company expects its redomiciliation from New Jersey to Texas to take effect on July 1. As part of the change, ExxonMobil Holdings Corporation will become the publicly traded parent company, replacing Exxon Mobil Corporation of New Jersey, the company says. Shares will continue to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol XOM. Exxon won shareholder approval for the move last month, after CEO Darren Woods pitched Texas as a state where lawmakers, judges and juries better understand the oil business, lending a kind of familiarity that would lead to what he called more reasonable and productive decisions from the state's officials and citizens. (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)
0922 ET - Sartorius's second-quarter results are expected to benefit from a return to growth in its equipment business alongside continued strength in its consumables arm, J.P. Morgan analysts say in a research note. Strong equipment-sales growth in the second quarter should make up for a decline in the first and help the German supplier of lab equipment report flat equipment sales for the first half as a whole, the analysts say. Sartorius is expected to post quarterly sales of 932 million euros, up 7% at constant currency, with an underlying Ebitda margin of 29.9%, according to JPM. "With structural demand drivers remaining intact, we expect the [second-quarter] results to be reassuring," the analysts add. Shares rise 0.2%. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)
0813 ET - A surge in Getty Images appears to be pulling up shares of merger partner Shutterstock. Getty Images more than doubles in the premarket after announcing a display agreement with OpenAI. Getty says the agreement enables the use of Getty Images' content for display within ChatGPT, enhancing visual responses. "High-quality, licensed visual content makes AI-powered search and discovery more useful and more trustworthy," Getty Chief Executive Craig Peters says. "This partnership with OpenAI reflects a shared recognition of that." Shutterstock, which is in the midst of a $3.7 billion merger with Getty Images, is up 20% premarket. (connor.hart@wsj.com)
0757 ET - A long-awaited recovery at Gucci owner Kering looks well structured, analysts Piral Dadhania and Richard Chamberlain at RBC Capital Markets write in a note. The French luxury group is aiming to restore revenue growth and boost earnings under new boss Luca de Meo, who moved to the company from car maker Renault last year. The building blocks of that plan are mostly in place, RBC says, pointing to a breaking-down of barriers between the group's houses, which includes the likes of Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta, as well as star player Gucci. "The next step is delivery of these near-term goals to justify proof of concept which, if achieved, would mark a turning point in Gucci's recent trajectory and would be well received, in our view," Dadhania and Chamberlain say. RBC has a sector-perform rating and a 340-euro target on the stock; shares trade slightly down at 270.70 euros. (joshua.kirby@wsj.com; @joshualeokirby)
0742 ET - CRH's valuation of Dallas-based Arcosa could worry investors, Bernstein's Pujarini Ghosh and Victor Acitores write. New York-listed CRH said it will acquire Arcosa in a deal valued at around $8.5 billion Monday. Given Arcosa's current market valuation of $6.7 billion, CRH's management will need to outline synergies in order to justify the price, the analysts say. However, the acquisition will complement the construction group's existing U.S. operations. Arcosa's asphalt and aggregates business adds to CRH's road-building business, they say. The tie-up could allow CRH to raise prices and expand margins, they add. (josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)
0704 ET - Syensqo recently announced a strategic review of its performance and care segment, which should improve its valuation, Deutsche Bank Research analysts say in a research note. The review should accentuate the Brussels-based chemical company's focus on high-growth end-markets like semiconductors and aerospace, the analysts add. "Overall, the catalyst path looks pretty good," the analysts say. The analysts like Syensqo's profile but say it will take some time for management to rebuild the relationship with markets, after a loss of trust in the fourth quarter. The company will report second-quarter results on July 30. Shares trade 0.3% higher at 67.25 euros. (nina.kienle@wsj.com)
0657 ET - Pepco is moving from being a company in restructuring to one more focused on growth and higher shareholder returns, Citi's Rafal Wiatr writes. The discount retailer reported a rise in first half profit on May 21 and said it plans to increase its dividend payout ratio to 40%, from 25% over time. It also plans to return 400 million euros to shareholders this fiscal year."The recent results confirm that the business has reached a turning point, indicating that Pepco is shifting from a period of fixing operational issues to a phase of focused growth," Wiatrsays. Citi upgrades its rating on the stock to buy from neutral and increases its target price to 40 Polish Zloty from 31 zloty.Shares are up 2.9% to 35.74 zloty. (ian.walker@wsj.com)
0656 ET - Hugo Boss is set to book a weak second quarter as the ripples from the Middle East war continue to hit sales, analysts at J.P. Morgan write in a note to investors. The German premium-fashion company is likely to record a sharper decline in its top-line over the quarter than the 6% drop over the first three months of the year, according to JPM's estimates. Tougher comparison bases will hurt the sales print, as will a heavier blow from the Iran conflict, "both in terms of the impact in the region as well as the implications on consumer confidence and tourist dynamics in Europe," the bank says. Still, a takeover bid from investor Frasers Group should offer some support to Hugo Boss shares, the analysts say. JPM has a neutral rating and a 40-euro target on the stock; shares lose 1.9% at 38.07 euros. (joshua.kirby@wsj.com; @joshualeokirby)
0652 ET - ASML's order book is likely full for calendar year 2027, Bank of America analysts write. The Dutch manufacturer of semiconductor-making equipment is set to provide an outlook for orders when it reports second-quarter earnings on July 15. Higher uptake of ASML's most advanced lithography machines will allow the company to take a greater share of clients' spending, while manufacturing efficiencies will increase profit margins, the analysts say. Slow progress for Chinese competitors also bodes well for ASML, they say. The analysts increase their price target for the stock to 2,022 euros. Shares rise 1.9% to 1,698.4 euros. (josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)
0628 ET - Infineon Technologies is best-placed to benefit from the rising clamor for power semiconductors, Bernstein analysts write. The huge energy demands of AI data centers and the rising price of power technology mean that the German analog chip maker's key market will expand significantly between now and 2030, they say. Demand for power semiconductors--the chips that process electricity, as opposed to the information-processing chips made by companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company-- is set to surpass supply, driving up prices and benefiting Infineon's pricing power, the analysts write. "Infineon is a key beneficiary of power semis, given its high exposure and strong market leadership." The analysts increase their forecasts for adjusted diluted earnings per share and margins over the next three years. Infineon shares rise 5.1%. (josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)
0615 ET - RELX's upcoming first-half results should show robust underlying trends, but uncertainty over the Middle East conflict remains, Bernstein analysts write in a note. The information-and-analytics group is due to publish its results on July 23. While the company has limited exposure to the Middle East, it still needs to comment on the impact, the analysts say. As RELX had previously indicated, events scheduled for the second quarter in the region have been postponed to the second half and are still expected to take place, even though the situation remains uncertain. Additionally, its events in the second half are expected to see a decline in attendance and revenue, they say. Shares are down 0.8% at 23.58 pounds. (najat.kantouar@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 22, 2026 11:17 ET (15:17 GMT)
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