SYDNEY — Anzac Day will be observed as a public holiday across every Australian state and territory on Saturday, April 25, 2026, but only residents in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia will enjoy an additional day off on Monday, April 27, creating uneven long weekends as the nation commemorates its fallen service members.

The variation stems from differing state and territory policies on when public holidays are observed if they fall on a weekend. While April 25 remains the official date for dawn services, marches and remembrance ceremonies nationwide, three jurisdictions have declared the following Monday a substitute holiday to provide workers with a meaningful break.

Fair Work Ombudsman guidance confirms Anzac Day is a national public holiday in all eight states and territories. However, the treatment of the weekend date creates a patchwork. NSW, the ACT and WA will observe both Saturday and Monday as public holidays, while Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory observe only Saturday.

In New South Wales, Premier Chris Minns’ government confirmed the extra Monday holiday, marking a policy shift. Previously, NSW did not always grant a substitute day when Anzac Day fell on a weekend. This year’s decision gives many workers a rare four-day break from Friday evening through Tuesday morning.

The Australian Capital Territory has aligned with NSW, declaring both days public holidays. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr noted the move honors the significance of Anzac Day while recognizing modern workforce needs. Public sector and most private employers will observe the additional Monday.

Western Australia continues its long-standing practice of providing a substitute day when Anzac Day lands on a weekend. The state will observe Saturday, April 25, and Monday, April 27, as public holidays, a policy welcomed by workers and unions.

For the majority of Australians, however, only Saturday counts as the public holiday. In Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, businesses and services will largely operate as normal on Monday, April 27. Employees rostered to work Saturday may receive penalty rates or time off in lieu depending on awards and agreements.

The discrepancy has sparked lively debate on social media and talkback radio. Many in non-substitute states expressed disappointment at missing a long weekend, while others argued that the solemn nature of Anzac Day should focus on commemoration rather than extra leisure time. Unions have used the occasion to renew calls for more consistent national public holiday rules.

Anzac Day holds profound cultural importance. The date marks the 1915 landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli. Dawn services, marches and community events will proceed nationwide on Saturday regardless of holiday status. Major ceremonies are planned at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Sydney’s Anzac Memorial, Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance and equivalent sites across the country.

Retail trading restrictions vary. In jurisdictions with only Saturday as the holiday, many shops will open normally on Monday. States granting the Monday holiday will see broader closures or reduced trading similar to other public holidays. Hospitality and tourism sectors anticipate strong demand in NSW, ACT and WA for the extended break.

Employers and employees are advised to check specific awards, enterprise agreements and state legislation. Penalty rates for working on public holidays remain applicable on April 25 everywhere, and on April 27 in the three jurisdictions observing the substitute day. Casual workers generally do not receive the day off but may be entitled to higher rates.

This year’s arrangement repeats a pattern seen in previous weekend Anzac Days. With the date falling on a Saturday again in 2027, similar debates are expected unless more states align policies. Federal efforts toward greater harmonization of public holidays have gained little traction so far.

Community events will bridge the differences. Schools are closed nationwide on Saturday, and many workplaces will pause for minutes of silence or allow staff to attend services. Veterans’ groups emphasize that remembrance transcends holiday entitlements.

Travel operators report mixed bookings. Destinations popular for long weekends, such as the NSW South Coast, Blue Mountains and Western Australia’s Margaret River region, expect surges, while other states anticipate standard Saturday traffic. Airlines and accommodation providers have adjusted pricing accordingly.

Historians and defense analysts note Anzac Day’s evolution from a solemn military commemoration to a broader reflection on service, sacrifice and national identity. The public holiday variations highlight Australia’s federal system, where states retain significant autonomy over employment and holiday matters.

As April 25 approaches, Australians are encouraged to check official government websites or the Fair Work Ombudsman for jurisdiction-specific details. Whether enjoying a single day of reflection or a full long weekend, the focus remains on honoring those who served and remembering the human cost of conflict.

For many, the extra day in NSW, ACT and WA offers welcome respite. For others, Saturday’s observances provide sufficient opportunity to pause and pay respects. In either case, Anzac Day 2026 will see communities united in remembrance, even as holiday rules differ across the map.

Shares of Union Bank of India dropped another 2% on Friday, extending losses to 10% over two days after releasing its results for the fourth quarter of the financial year 2026, which failed to excite brokerages.

The public lender on Thursday reported a 6.6% year-on-year (YoY) rise in net profit to Rs 5,316 crore for the January-March quarter of FY26. Its net interest income (NII), however, slipped over 1% YoY to Rs 9,406 crore during the quarter under review.

Provisions saw a sharp spike during the quarter, increasing to Rs 1,055 crore from Rs 322 crore in the December quarter, marking a nearly three-fold rise, according to the company’s regulatory filing. Asset quality, however, improved, with the gross NPA ratio declining to 2.82% and the net NPA ratio easing to 0.48% during the quarter under review.

Along with the Q4 results, Union Bank of India recommended a dividend of Rs 5 per equity share for the financial year 2026, subject to necessary approvals. The record date to determine the eligibility of shareholders set to receive the dividend is yet to be announced.

Why Motilal Oswal remains ‘Neutral’ on Union Bank shares?

Motilal Oswal maintained its ‘Neutral’ rating on the shares of Union Bank of India, with a target price of Rs 180 apiece, implying a marginal upside potential over the stock’s previous closing price of Rs 179.71 apiece on NSE. The domestic brokerage said that the company’s net profit beat its estimate by 18%, led by NPA recoveries and lower opex. This was partly offset by lower NII and higher-than-expected provisions.
NIM contraction was majorly attributed to the transmission of the repo rate cut, Motilal noted, adding that the management expects growth to sustain at 13-14% while the CD ratio shall remain comfortable at approximately 82-83%.
Union Bank of India reported a modest quarter, with NIM contraction weighing on performance, although stronger other income supported an earnings beat, even as credit costs were elevated due to the creation of standard asset provisions, the domestic brokerage said. “Loan growth improved following a subdued 1H, while deposit growth also rebounded in a seasonally strong quarter, with the bank remaining cautious on bulk deposits. Management has guided for loan growth of 12-14%, with a continued focus on margin-accretive expansion. Margins came in below expectations, largely impacted by repo rate transmission following the Dec’25 rate cut. The bank has built a standard asset provision buffer of ~INR30b (including ~INR7b created in 4Q), while the estimated ECL transition impact stands at ~INR42-43b. Asset quality continued to improve overall, although slippages were marginally higher in 4Q,” it further said, adding, “We fine-tune our estimates and project FY27E RoA/RoE at 1.1%/13.9%. We expect loans to expand at a 10.5% CAGR over FY26-28.”

Union Bank of India share price

Union Bank of India dropped over 2% to trade at Rs 175.52 apiece on Friday. The stock has fallen around 10% in two days after announcing its Q4 earnings during market hours on Thursday. The stock has declined around 7% in one month, but is up 15% in 2026 so far.

In the longer term, the shares of the bank gained around 37% in one year and more than 139% in three years.

Also read: Why is the stock market falling today?

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

As global markets navigate a complex mix of geopolitical uncertainty and economic resilience, investors are closely watching how the ongoing West Asia tensions unfold. Despite initial fears of prolonged disruption, recent trends suggest a more measured response from financial markets, particularly in the United States.

In an interaction with ET Now, Steve Englander from Standard Chartered Bank shared his perspective on the evolving situation, noting that neither side appears eager to escalate tensions further.

“Well, look, I think both sides are clearly hesitant to reinitiate hostilities. Both are hoping that the other one is in a more difficult economic and political situation and will cave first.”

He pointed out an interesting shift in market behavior. While US equities have pulled back slightly from their highs, their correlation with oil prices has weakened significantly compared to the early weeks of the conflict. Even Israeli equities, he observed, are hovering near all-time highs.

“In some ways, you can say that the pressure on Trump may be less than the Iranians are counting on, given that the asset markets seem to be dealing with this relatively well.”

The US dollar, meanwhile, has shown signs of strengthening against major global currencies. However, Englander cautioned against attributing this solely to oil price movements or geopolitical developments.
“No, it is certainly having an impact on other regions, and again the Iranian side is probably hoping that that leads other countries to put pressure on the States to back off.”He added that the dollar’s movement is more closely tied to equity market performance than to oil dynamics.

“I would say that the dollar is weaker than it was before when oil prices hit these levels, but I do not think it is because of oil. I think that the negative correlation between the dollar and equity prices has been the strongest correlation over the last couple of weeks.”

Interestingly, the resilience of US equities may itself be contributing to a softer dollar.

“Paradoxically, the fact that the US equities are so robust is making the dollar weaker, and you are not seeing a global equities collapse.”

When it comes to market focus, Englander believes the spotlight has shifted away from geopolitical risks toward corporate performance, especially in the technology and AI sectors.

“It is possible, but setting aside the war, say the war had never happened, US earnings would still be strong. The AI productivity drive would still be strong, and probably stronger than in other countries.”

He also highlighted structural advantages within the US economy, particularly its labor market flexibility.

“It is easy to fire people, and that is unfortunate when it happens, but it is also easy to hire people. So, I think that the ability to adjust is strongest certainly within G10 and the US as compared to Europe or Japan.”

Turning to bond markets, the US 10-year yield—currently around 4.33%—has repeatedly faced resistance near the 4.4% mark. While some see this as a ceiling tied to geopolitical stress, Englander views it differently.

“Well, looking at the same thing, you can look at oil prices, you can look at inflation breakevens, you can look at Treasury yields—they have all been very strongly correlated, and that correlation is still in place.”

He expects yields to rise further over time, regardless of the conflict.

“Ultimately, I think that US yields are going to go above 4.4 even without the war. There is enough going on in terms of activity picking up, real returns picking up—the direction of travel for bond yields is higher.”

For now, while uncertainties persist, markets appear to be taking the situation in stride—balancing geopolitical risks with strong economic fundamentals and corporate performance.

Shares of Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy (SW Solar) dropped 2% to their day’s low of Rs 216 on the BSE on Friday after it posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 135 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, marking a 143% increase from Rs 55 crore reported in the same period last year.

Revenue from operations, however, declined 23% year-on-year to Rs 1,946 crore, compared to Rs 2,519 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. Revenue slipped 7% quarter-on-quarter from Rs 2,092 crore recorded in the October-December quarter.

On a sequential basis, the company returned to profitability after reporting a loss of Rs 2.8 crore in Q3FY26.

Sterling and Wilson, a major MEP and EPC contractor across power, solar energy and data centres in India, reduced its total expenses by 24% year-on-year to Rs 1,844 crore, down from Rs 2,420 crore in Q4FY25. Expenses also fell 11% compared to the previous quarter.

These costs were primarily related to construction materials, stores and spare parts, employee benefits and finance charges, among others.

On the segment front, the EPC business generated revenue of Rs 1,863 crore in Q4FY26, lower than Rs 2,028 crore in Q3FY26 and Rs 2,459 crore in Q4FY25. Meanwhile, revenue from operations and maintenance services rose to Rs 81.26 crore, compared to Rs 63.25 crore in the preceding quarter and Rs 59 crore in the year-ago period.
FY26 was SWREL’s strongest period yet, delivering record quarterly PAT and 4.5 GW execution, as management said. “As we look forward to FY27, our record Rs 11,813 crore order book and expanded 13.5 GW O&M platform provide unmatched revenue visibility and stability. Our diversification into Wind and BESS projects is being well appreciated, and we see these two verticals contributing significantly to our future growth,” it added. SW Solar shares have been on a tear lately, soaring as much as 35% in the last 1 month. Despite the recent surge, the stock is down 3% in the last six months and about 34% in the last 1 year.

Sensex, Nifty today: Catch all the LIVE stock market action here

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Operator

Hello, and welcome to the Croda International Q1 2026 Sales Update Call. Please note, this call is being recorded. [Operator Instructions]

I will now hand you over to your host, Steve Foots, to begin today’s conference. Please go ahead, sir.

Steve Foots
Group Chief Executive & Executive Director

Good morning, everyone. Many thanks for joining. So I’m here with Stephen and David, and together, happy to take your questions.

So first, just a few overview comments from me. Overall, quarter 1 sales were as we expected it, up 1% at constant currency and similar to a very strong quarter last year. And whilst we acknowledge the heightened uncertainty that the Middle East conflict has caused, it had no material effect on quarter 1, and there is no change to guidance for full year ’26.

So breaking our quarter 1 sales performance down by business, sales were up 4% in Consumer Care, driven by Beauty Actives and F&F. Life Sciences saw sales dip 3%, largely due to Crop Protection being 8% lower versus a strong prior year when we saw significant restocking. And industrial sales were down 2%, again against a strong prior period.

Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. announced on Thursday that its shareholders voted to approve its previously announced transaction with Paramount Skydance Corp. at a special meeting of stockholders.

“Shareholder approval marks another important milestone towards completing our acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, building on our successful equity and debt syndications and progress across regulatory approvals. We look forward to closing the transaction in the coming months and realizing the creation of a next-generation media and entertainment company that better serves both the creative community and consumers,” a Paramount spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

The deal would put Paramount CEO David Ellison in charge of two Hollywood studios, along with two major newsrooms in CNN and CBS News. Paramount Skydance would also own both Paramount+ and HBO Max, although executives have suggested that they would merge the services into one streaming platform.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances.

WHY NETFLIX’S CEO DROPPED HIS BID TO BUY WARNER BROS DISCOVERY AND TRUMP ‘DIDN’T CARE’

“We appreciate the support and confidence our stockholders have placed in us to unlock the full value of our world-class entertainment portfolio,” Warner Bros. Discovery Board Chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr. said in a statement. “With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community.” 

The merger would mean that two of Hollywood’s oldest studios are under one roof, but Ellison has said he would keep Paramount and Warner Bros. as stand-alone operations and the combined company would release more than 30 movies a year. 

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said that his team has “transformed” the company and returned it to “industry leadership” over the past four years.

“Today’s stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders. We will continue to work with Paramount to complete the remaining steps in this process that will create a leading, next-generation media and entertainment company,” Zaslav added.

CBS NEWS UNION MEMBERS HOLD 24-HOUR WALKOUT OVER FAILED CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH MANAGEMENT

In December, Warner Bros. announced it had reached a deal with Netflix to buy the Hollywood studio and HBO for $83 billion, prompting Paramount to launch a $108 billion hostile takeover bid for the entire company, including all of its cable assets like CNN, which would have been spun off into a separate company under the Netflix deal.

Netflix dropped a bid to buy Warner Bros. two months later after the studio announced Paramount’s offer to buy the entire company was “superior.” Paramount’s revised offer raised Warner Bros. Discovery’s value to $31 per share, putting the company’s valuation at $111 billion. 

Paramount also agreed to pay a $2.8 billion termination fee to Netflix. 

CBS NEWS IN TRANSITION: WHO’S IN AND WHO’S OUT AFTER A TUMULTUOUS YEAR AT THE NETWORK

Ellison’s billionaire father, Larry Ellison, is personally backing Paramount’s bid, committing $45.7 billion in equity through the Ellison Trust, while Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi and Apollo will provide a $57.5 billion debt commitment.

Critics of the Paramount takeover have sounded the alarm about putting two legacy studios under one company, which many speculate will result in mass layoffs. Others are concerned about Ellison taking over CNN after his attempts to reduce liberal bias at CBS have irked critics. 

Ellison has insisted that editorial independence “will absolutely be maintained” at CNN.  

In addition to CNN, Paramount would take over cable assets including Discovery, TNT, TBS, Food Network, Cartoon Network and Animal Planet.

CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

Shares of IT major Infosys slumped as much as 3.72% to their day’s low of Rs 1,194.50 on the NSE on Friday after it reported a 21% year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, at Rs 8,501 crore, compared with Rs 7,033 crore in the same period last year. Infosys ADRs also witnessed a decline, ending 4% lower.

Revenue from operations came in at Rs 46,402 crore for Q4FY26, reflecting a 13.4% increase from Rs 40,925 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. On a sequential basis, profit after tax rose 28% from Rs 6,654 crore reported in Q3FY26. Revenue was up 2% quarter-on-quarter compared to Rs 45,479 crore in the October-December quarter.

Read More: Infosys Q4 Results: Cons profit jumps 21% YoY to Rs 8,501 cr, revenue rises 13%; Rs 25/share dividend declared

Operating margin for the reported quarter stood at 21%, unchanged year-on-year but higher by 260 basis points compared to the previous quarter. The company’s dollar revenue was $5,040 million, up 6.6% sequentially but down 1.2% year-on-year.

For FY27, Infosys has guided for revenue growth of 1.5% to 3.5% in constant currency, while maintaining an operating margin outlook of 20% to 22%.

What are experts saying?

Jefferies has maintained a Hold rating on Infosys shares and cut its target price to Rs 1,235, indicating limited upside or downside from current levels. The brokerage said the company’s March quarter results were broadly in line with estimates, but the weaker-than-expected FY27 revenue growth guidance of 1.5% to 3.5% disappointed. It also pointed to a 3% quarter-on-quarter decline in headcount and a 19% year-on-year drop in net new deal wins as key concerns.
Jefferies noted that the lower end of the guidance range reflects a worsening macro environment and continued geopolitical uncertainty, while the upper end assumes some improvement. Net new deal wins for Q4 stood at $1.3 billion, down 19% YoY, which the brokerage said was soft. This, along with the sharp reduction in headcount during the quarter, aligns with the company’s cautious growth outlook.
Morgan Stanley has maintained an Equal-weight rating on Infosys share price, while cutting its target price to Rs 1,380 from Rs 1,760 earlier, an upside of 11% from current levels. The brokerage highlighted a miss in Q4 across key metrics, along with a weak revenue growth outlook. It noted that the FY27 revenue guidance of 1.5% to 3.5% points to a lack of meaningful acceleration, with organic growth expected at around 2.5%, broadly in line with peers.

The Wall Street major also flagged that the ramp-down of a large European client is weighing on the near-term growth outlook. It added that AI-led productivity gains and pricing pressure are impacting the competitiveness of the core business. Margins are expected to remain in the range of 20.5% to 21.0%, with headwinds from wage hikes and M&A activity.
While estimates have been lowered, Morgan Stanley said earnings per share could see some support from currency tailwinds. It also noted that valuations are now correcting closer to peer levels, which may offer some downside protection, with the stock valued at around 15.8 times price-to-earnings.

Motilal Oswal has maintained a Buy rating on Infosys shares with an unchanged target price of Rs 1,450, implying a 17% upside from current levels. The brokerage said the company’s FY27 revenue growth guidance of 1.5% to 3.5% in constant currency, or 1.25% to 3.25% organic, is below its estimates at the upper end and signals rising pressure on the existing book of business. It noted that the increasing adoption of AI is leading to compression in the core business, as productivity gains are being passed on to clients. While part of this trend is also due to competitive intensity and pricing pressures in a weak demand environment, the brokerage expects deflationary impact to persist.

Motilal Oswal has factored in growth at the mid-point of the guidance at around 2.5% organic for FY27, which indicates a slowdown compared to FY26 growth of 3.1% in constant currency terms.

HDFC Securities has maintained a Buy rating on Infosys stock price with an unchanged target price of Rs 1,550. The brokerage noted that Q4 revenue was impacted by seasonal factors and slower client decision-making. It added that the company’s FY27 revenue growth guidance of 1.5% to 3.5% year-on-year came in below expectations, reflecting ongoing macro uncertainty. The demand environment continues to remain soft, with clients prioritising cost optimisation over large-scale transformation initiatives. Given the slower growth outlook, estimates have been trimmed by around 2% to 3%, with the stock valued at 18 times its March 2028 estimated earnings per share.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)