Market News Today — AI-Curated Stock & Crypto Headlines

Centrica shares dropped 9% after the company halted its £800 million share buyback program due to lower earnings, but reported resilience in a challenging market.

BHP Group's earnings exceeded expectations, driven by a strong copper performance, leading to a record high in Australian shares.

Eni has made a significant natural gas and condensate discovery offshore the Ivory Coast, which is expected to boost the company's natural gas resources and potentially attract investors.

Transocean is acquiring Valaris in an all-stock deal worth $5.8 billion, with Valaris shareholders receiving a 31.6% premium.

Mitsui & Co is in advanced talks to buy a minority stake in Qatar's massive LNG expansion project, a significant development in the global energy sector.

Volvo's shares plummeted to a record low after missing analyst expectations in its fourth-quarter earnings report, citing a combination of unfavorable market conditions and a price war in China.

Rocket Companies' shares rose 6% after CEO Varun Krishna announced a surge in mortgage loan volume, driven by lower borrowing costs and revived demand, indicating a positive outlook for the company's financial performance.

Shell and BP are seeking U.S.

Kenya launched its biggest-ever IPO for 65% of state-owned pipeline company Kenya Pipeline Company, aiming to raise $824 million for energy infrastructure expansion.

Energy shares have started the year strongly, with the S&P 500 Energy Sector gaining 6.8% year-to-date, driven by geopolitical tensions and a rise in Brent oil prices to $64.15 per barrel.

A major Chinese shareholder, Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco), is likely to support Rio Tinto's potential takeover of Glencore, providing additional exposure to copper supply.

Coterra Energy is in talks with Devon Energy about a potential merger, which would create a new heavyweight in the Permian Basin, sending Coterra's shares higher.