SoftBank Plans $4.8 Billion Share Buyback Following Pressure From Elliott; The proposed share buyback isn't as large as the one urged by the activist shareholder Wall Street Journal; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y] 13 Mar 2020. TOKYOSoftBank Group Corp. said it would spend as much as 500 billion ($4.8 billion) to buy back up to 7% of its own shares, following plunging stock prices and a pressure campaign from one of the world's most aggressive activists. Stock-Buyback Plans Shrink; The new coronavirus may threaten companies' buyback plansthough a down market could also create a buying opportunity Wall Street Journal (Online); New York, N.Y. 09 Mar 2020. U.S. corporations are signalling a reduced appetite for stock buybacks this year, undermining a pillar of support for stocks at a time of heightened volatility. Companies authorized around $122 billion in future buybacks through February, according to data compiled by equity research firm Birinyi Associates, marking a nearly 50% drop from the same period a year ago and representing the slowest pace in three years Required: Discuss the benefits of share buybacks. While having lots of firms suspend buybacks under current market conditions, advise with reasonings if SoftBank should suspend their share buyback plan?