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French and Benelux stocks: Factors to watch
Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or even individual stocks. Atenor Atenor completed on Monday a capital share increase of 61.0 millions shares CTP CTP announced Monday that it had successfully placed 1 billion euros in green bonds. D'Ieteren Group D'Ieteren Group announced on Monday its results for the full year of 2024. It said that it expects to see its adjusted profit prior to tax slightly increasing in 2025. FRANCE/MOLDOVA - Moldova and the French Development Agency have signed a deal worth 30 million euros ($32.5million) to improve energy efficiency in the post-Soviet country, said President Maia Sandu after her meeting with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. RENAULT/NISSAN : The board of directors for Nissan 7201.T will meet Tuesday to discuss possible successors to Makoto Uchida. He is being pressured to step down because the Japanese automaker has been experiencing deteriorating earnings and that merger talks with Honda 7267.0T have failed. SES SES announced a strategic partnership with Lynk Global on Monday for Direct-to-Device services (D2D). Voltalia Voltalia announced on Monday that Yoni Ammar has been appointed as the group's vice CEO. Pan-European market data: European Equities speed guide................... FTSE Eurotop 300 index.............................. DJ STOXX index...................................... Top 10 STOXX sectors........................... Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors...................... Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors..................... Top 25 European pct gainers....................... Top 25 European pct losers........................ Main stock markets: Dow Jones ............... Wall Street Report ..... Nikkei 225............. Tokyo report............ London report ........... Xetra DAX............. Frankfurt items......... CAC-40................. Paris items............ World Indices..................................... Survey of global bourse outlook ......... European Asset Allocation........................ News in a glance Top News ............. Equities.............. Main Oil Report ........... Main currency report .....
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Greenland's election tests its independence as US interest looms
Greenland is voting in general elections on Tuesday. Some locals see this as an historic opportunity to break free from Danish rule, especially at a moment when U.S. president Donald Trump offered to invest billions if Greenland joined the United States. The election of the Inatsisartut Parliament, which has 31 seats, could increase U.S. influence on Greenland. This sparsely populated island is at the center of a geopolitical competition for dominance in Arctic as global warming makes its resources more accessible, and opens up new shipping lanes. China and Russia are intensifying military activity in this region. The United States is trying to keep up. Greenland is a Danish territory that has been around since 1953. It's three times larger than Texas, but only has 57,000 people. Greenland gained autonomy in 1979, when it formed its first parliament. However, Copenhagen still controls the foreign affairs, defence, and monetary policies, and contributes just under $1 billion to the economy each year. Local governments gained greater autonomy in 2009. They also have the right to declare their full independence via a referendum. However, they have not done so out of concern that living standards could drop without Denmark’s economic support. The island is rich in natural resources including rare earths, which are used by high-tech industries from electric cars to missile systems. Greenland, however, has not been able to produce them as quickly due to the environmental concerns and severe weather. China also controls this sector to a near-total extent, making it difficult for other companies to secure buyers or make a profit. No exit polls or polls of voters are expected. In a January poll, a majority of Greenlanders supported independence but were divided on the timing and impact it could have on their living standards. Since taking office in January, Trump repeatedly expressed his interest in acquiring Greenland. This is a resurgence of a theme that he used during his previous administration. He said the island was vital for U.S. national security. Pledges of Investment He refused to rule out the use of military force at first, which alarmed many Greenlanders. However, he softened his position later, saying he would "respect the will of local people" and that he was "ready to spend billions of dollars" on the Greenlanders if they decided to join the U.S. Greenland Prime Minister Mute Ede stressed that the island was not for sale, and called for a coalition government in order to resist pressure from outside. In an interview aired by Danish broadcaster DR on Monday, he described Trump's offer of cooperation as disrespectful and expressed willingness to work with other countries. Trump's interest in Greenland has shaken the status quo and, combined with the growing pride in Inuit culture among the indigenous people, independence was at the forefront of the election. Masaana Edde, editor of the local newspaper Sermitsiaq, said that Trump had pushed independence to the limit. It has put a lid over everyday issues. The six major parties, including Ataqatigiit, the Inuit ruling party, and Siumut, the government coalition partner, all support independence, but have different views on when and how it can be achieved. Naleraq, the main opposition party that supports independence, gained momentum in the run-up to the elections, thanks to the U.S.'s interest and new accusations about Denmark's historical exploitation of Greenland’s mineral wealth. Qunanuk, a Naleraq Candidate, said: "This is our election for independence." The party believes that U.S. interests strengthen Greenland's positions in secession negotiations with Denmark. It aims to put a deal to Copenhagen to a vote in time for the next four-year election. Egede, Egede's editor, said that the party may be able to increase its five current seats but it is unlikely to achieve a majority. More than a dozen Greenlanders were interviewed in Nuuk. All of them said that they supported independence. However, many also expressed concerns about the economic impact and the elimination of Nordic welfare programs like free healthcare and schooling. Greenland depends on Denmark for around half of its state budget. (Reporting and editing by Sharon Singleton; Additional reporting by Louise Rasmussen, Editing by Sharon Singleton).
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Oil prices fall on tariffs and slowdown fears
The oil prices dropped for a second consecutive day on Tuesday as fears grew over a possible U.S. economic recession, the impact that tariffs would have on global growth, and OPEC+'s focus on increasing supply. Brent futures dropped 6 cents or 0.1% to $69.22 per barrel at 0402 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude futures declined 13 cents or 0.2% to $65.90 per barrel. Donald Trump's protectionist policy has roiled global markets. Trump imposed and then delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico, his country's two largest oil suppliers. He also raised duties on Chinese products. China and Canada responded with their own tariffs. Trump has said that a "period" of transition is likely for the U.S. economy, but he declined to say whether it could be a recession due to stock market worries about his tariffs. Daniel Hynes is ANZ's senior commodity strategist. He said that Trump's remarks triggered a selling wave as investors began pricing in the possibility of a weaker demand growth. All three major U.S. indices suffered sharp drops on Monday. The S&P 500 experienced its largest one-day decline since December 18, and the Nasdaq dropped 4.0%, which was its largest single-day percentage decrease since September 2022. Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, said that Trump will not ease off on his tariff pressure against Mexico Canada and China. Alexander Novak, the Russian Deputy Premier, said that the OPEC+ Group had agreed to increase oil production starting in April. However, the group could change its mind if market imbalances were found. Despite market noise, Brent oil at $70 a bar is a very strong support. Oil prices could stage a technical rebound at the current levels. Suvro Sarkar said, Energy Sector Team Lead at DBS Bank. He added that the OPEC+ response to market conditions will remain flexible. Our opinion is that if oil prices continue to fall below $70 per barrel for a prolonged period of time, production increases may be suspended. "OPEC+ is also keeping a close eye on Trump's Iran-Venezuela policies," he added. The U.S. already revoked Chevron's license to operate in Venezuela, and it is yet to be determined if Iran sanctions will intensify. In the meantime, concerns about global growth will be dominant. A preliminary poll on Monday showed that crude oil stocks in the U.S. were likely to have increased last week while gasoline and distillate inventories are expected to be down. The poll was conducted in advance of two weekly reports, one from the American Petroleum Institute at 4:30 pm EDT (2030 GMT), and another by the Energy Information Administration (the statistical arm of U.S. Department of Energy) at 10:30 am EDT (1430 GMT) Wednesday. Reporting by Nicole Jao and Emily Chow, both in Singapore. Editing by Jacqueline Wong.
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London copper slips due to US tariff woes, soft dollar limits fall
London copper fell on Tuesday due to concerns about the U.S. trade war and tariff policy affecting demand. However, a weaker dollar cushioned the decline. The price of three-month copper at the London Metal Exchange (LME), a major exchange in London, had fallen by 0.1% to $9.517.5 per metric ton as of 0358 GMT. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most active copper contract fell by nearly 1%, to 77 710 yuan (10 721.58) per ton. Last week, the benchmark LME copper price reached a record high of $9 739 after U.S. president Donald Trump exempted automakers for a month from tariffs of 25% on Canada and Mexico. Trump refused to comment Sunday on the negative reaction of the market to his on and off again tariff actions against major U.S. trading partner, or whether the anxieties relating to his erratic policies could push a softening U.S. economy into recession. The longer-term effects of altered trade routes, and retaliation against tariffs, could be economic shocks and uncertainty for investment, and eventually headwinds for suites. This is especially true if tensions between the U.S.A. and China continue to rise. Here, you can see that the health of China has become more uncertain than it was during the previous tariff period. China consumes around half of the global copper supply annually. The yen, however, was the safe haven of choice for investors on Tuesday. It traded at near five-month-highs amid fears that a slowdown in U.S. economic growth could be due to tariffs. This has rattled U.S. stock markets and the dollar. The greenback is less expensive to buyers of other currencies. Other metals include LME aluminium, which fell by 0.5% to 2,681.5 per ton. Zinc also dropped 0.2%, to $2851, and nickel fell by 0.2%, to 16,515. Lead fell 0.7% to $2,035 while tin dropped 0.3% at $32,565. SHFE aluminium fell 0.6%, to 20,740 Yuan per ton. Zinc lost 0.8% at 23,670 Yuan. Lead gained 0.1% at 17,440 Yuan. Nickel rose 0.5% to 132.440 yuan, while tin fell 0.2% to 262,170.
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Data shows that only seven countries will meet WHO standards for air quality in 2024.
Data showed that only seven countries met the World Health Organization's (WHO) standards for air quality last year. Researchers warned, however, that the fight against smog will become even more difficult after the United States stops its global monitoring. According to data compiled by Swiss air monitoring firm IQAir, Chad and Bangladesh had the highest average smog levels in 2024. These levels were more than 15-times higher than WHO guidelines. IQAir stated that only Australia, New Zealand and the Bahamas made the cut, as did Barbados, Grenada Grenada, Estonia, and Iceland. There are significant data gaps in Asia and Africa that cloud the global picture. Many developing countries rely on air quality sensors installed on U.S. Embassy and Consulate buildings to track smog levels. The State Department, citing financial constraints, has ended the program. Last week, more than 17-years of data were removed from airnow.gov, the official U.S. Government air quality monitoring website, including readings taken in Chad. Christi Chester-Schroeder is IQAir’s air quality scientist. She said that most countries have other data sources. However, these data are often the only ones available to the public. Data concerns prevented the Chad from being included in IQAir's list for 2023. However, it was ranked as the most polluted nation in 2022 due to Sahara dust and uncontrolled crop burns. The average concentration of dangerous airborne particles, known as PM2.5, was 91.8 micrograms/cubic metre (mg/cu/m2) in the United States last year, a little higher than 2022. Only 17% of cities met the WHO standard of 5 mg/cu.m. India, which is ranked fifth in smog rankings, behind Chad (the top smog country), Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo saw the average PM2.5 drop 7% over the past year to 50.6mg/cu m. Byrnihat in the heavily industrialised northeast of the country, was the first city to register a PM2.5 average of 128mg/cu m. Chester-Schroeder warns that climate change plays a greater role in pollution. Higher temperatures have caused more intense and longer forest fires to rage through South East Asia and South America. Christa Hasenkopf of the Clean Air Program of the University of Chicago Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) said that after the U.S. program is closed, at least 34 other countries will no longer have access to reliable data on pollution. Hasenkopf stated that the State Department program improved air quality and increased life expectancy in cities where monitors were installed. It also reduced hazard allowances to U.S. diplomatic staff, meaning it paid for itself. She said, "It is a huge blow to efforts around the world to improve air quality." (Reporting and editing by David Stanway)
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MWCC Partners with W-Industries On A Multi-Million Dollar Project to Further Enhance Offshore Well Control Capabilities
Houston, Texas – [March 10, 2025] – Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC), a leader in deep water well control, has awarded a multimillion contract to W-Industries for the engineering, fabrication, and delivery of its new drill-ship deployed containment system. This new equipment will further strengthen MWCC’s ability to respond to potential deep water well control incidents—an essential safeguard for the offshore oil and gas industry.Under this contract, W-Industries will leverage its industry expertise to design, manufacture, and integrate the seven key flowback modules of MWCC’s new MODU Deployed Containment System (MDCS). This new equipment will further enhance MWCC’s already extensive capabilities to capture and keep hydrocarbons out of the environment in the event an incident well cannot be immediately shut-in. Designed to operate reliably in challenging offshore environments, the flowback solution will provide dependable performance for up to six months, allowing sufficient time for relief wells to be drilled to permanently plug the well.“W-Industries is proud to partner with MWCC on this critical project,” said Michael Bain, SVP Integrated Systems at W-Industries. “With our extensive technical experience in offshore automation and modular fabrication, we are dedicated to delivering an efficient and robust solution that will significantly enhance MWCC’s containment response capabilities.” “MWCC is excited to work with W-Industries on this important enhancement to our current flowback capabilities, a great example of our never-ending focus on continuous improvement” said David Nickerson, CEO of MWCC. “W-Industries’ expertise in delivering highly automated modular processing systems is exactly what MWCC was looking for.”This partnership reinforces W-Industries’ leadership in offshore energy innovation, particularly in supporting industry safety initiatives and regulatory requirements. By contributing to MWCC’s continued advancements in well control capabilities, W-Industries is demonstrating its commitment to operational safety, regulatory compliance, and offshore risk mitigation. This positions the company as a trusted partner for offshore and subsea energy solutions, ensuring that well containment technology continues to keep pace with developments in offshore drilling practices. About MWCCMarine Well Containment Company (MWCC) is an independent company founded in 2010 to address the need for a deepwater well containment response capability in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. MWCC is a not-for-profit operation, headquartered in Houston, Texas, consisting of nine member companies. The organizations’ members are some of the world’s largest offshore deepwater operators and make up roughly 70 percent of drilling activity in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. More information about MWCC is available at marinewellcontainment.com.About W-IndustriesFounded in 1984, W-Industries is a leading engineering, automation, and fabrication company specializing in providing integrated solutions for the energy and industrial sectors. With expertise in automation and controls, power distribution, modular fabrication, and field services, W-Industries is dedicated to delivering innovative, turnkey solutions for complex offshore and onshore projects. Headquartered in Spring, Texas, with a global presence, W-Industries supports major energy companies and contractors worldwide with a commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence.For more information:Commercial Partner Azam Jahangir [email protected]
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Singapore iron ore prices rise on the back of increased China demand
The price of Singapore Iron Ore Futures increased on Tuesday due to expectations that demand will increase as steelmakers from the north region of China, its largest consumer, plan to restart production after the conclusion of the annual parliament meeting. The gains, however, were limited by concerns about demand. A potential reduction in steel production in China this coming year, and the escalating trade friction caused by Donald Trump's latest tariffs, have all contributed to the lowering of the market. As of 0321 GMT the benchmark April iron ore traded on the Singapore Exchange rose 0.76%, to $100.65 per metric ton. Earlier in the session, the price had fallen to its lowest level since the 14th January, at $98.85. The May contract for iron ore on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange closed the morning trade at 773.5 Yuan ($106.73). This was 0.19% less than what it opened at. Analysts at Chaos Ternary Futures wrote in a report that "Hot Metal output has still room for growth in March, as some steelmakers will likely increase production in North China after the "Two Sessions"." The annual Chinese legislative meeting, Two Sessions, began on March 4, and will end later that day. Iron ore demand is usually gauged by the hot metal production. Prices of key steelmaking components fell on Monday due to a weak macro-sensation as expectations for more stimulus from China faded, and fears over the impact of Trump's new tariffs clouded demand. Coking coal and coke, which are both steelmaking ingredients, have also declined, by 1.39% apiece. The Shanghai Futures Exchange has seen a stagnation in the steel benchmarks. Rebar dropped 0.93%, while hot-rolled coils fell 0.48%. Wire rod also lost 1.33%. Stainless steel gained 0.11%.
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London copper slips due to US tariff woes, soft dollar limits fall
London copper fell on Tuesday due to concerns about the U.S. trade war and tariff policy affecting demand. However, a weaker dollar cushioned the decline. The price of three-month copper at the London Metal Exchange decreased by 0.4%, to $9.494.5 per metric ton as of 0155 GMT. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most active copper contract fell by 1.1%, to 77610 yuan (10,694.80 dollars) per ton. Last week, the benchmark LME copper price reached a record high of $9 739 after U.S. president Donald Trump exempted automakers for a month from tariffs of 25% on Canada and Mexico. Trump refused to comment Sunday on the negative reaction of the market to his on and off again tariff actions against major U.S. trading partner, or whether the anxieties relating to his erratic policies could push a softening U.S. economy into recession. The longer-term effects of altered trade routes, and any retaliation against tariffs, could be economic shocks and uncertainty for investment, and eventually headwinds for suites. This is especially true if tensions between the U.S.A. and China continue to rise. Here, you can see that the health of China has become more uncertain than it was during the previous tariff period. China consumes around half of the global copper supply annually. The yen, however, was the safe haven of choice for investors on Tuesday. It traded at near five-month-highs amid fears that a slowdown in U.S. economic growth could be due to tariffs. This has rattled U.S. stock markets and the dollar. The greenback is less expensive to buyers of other currencies. Other metals include LME aluminium, which fell by 0.7% to 2,674 per ton. Zinc also declined, falling 0.6% to 2,840, and nickel, which fell 0.8% to 16,425. Lead fell 0.6% to $2,037 while tin dropped 0.5% at $32,500. SHFE aluminium fell 0.8%, to 20,700 Yuan per ton. Zinc lost 0.9%, to 23,640 Yuan. Lead gained 0.2% at 17,455 Yuan. Nickel fell 0.2% to 131 500 yuan, and tin dropped 0.3% to 261,940.
Colombian Petro claims drug traffickers are threatening to kill him using missiles
On Tuesday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said that drug traffickers had acquired two missiles, which they planned to fire on his plane in order to kill it. He cited the success of the efforts he has made to combat the drug trade.
"You know they are going to fire a missile on my plane that the drug dealers have bought and stored," said Petro. Petro claimed that the missiles were not one but two, without providing any evidence. They were in the possession of Carlos Fernando Triana, the new director for Colombia's National Police.
He added: "We know who these people are, but it's time to act." Without naming the group that might be behind this plot, he did not name any names.
According to the Ministry of Defense, Colombian security forces have seized an unprecedented 883.8 tons of cocaine, up from 746 tons in 2023.
The main causes of the six-decade conflict, which has claimed more than 450,000 lives, are cocaine production and trafficking as well as illegal gold production. Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta, Writing by Oliver Griffin
(source: Reuters)