Europe

Analysts do not expect a fuel shortage in Ukraine next month. After Russian missile strikes virtually destroyed Ukraine's refining capability, the country became almost completely dependent on fuel imported from Europe, particularly western, central, and southern Europe. Enkorr fuel consultancy in Kyiv said that the average daily diesel deliveries over a 'four-day period from 23 March 'to 26 March 'were 21,400 metric tonnes, up from 19,400 tons during the same time last week. The consultancy stated that if the current pace is maintained, imports in March could reach 565,000 tons. This would be 9% more than the 522,000 ton estimate...

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France or Benelux. ECB/VILLEROY : According to the Italian newspaper La Stampa, France's central bank chief Francoisvilleroy de Galhau, the?European Central Bank aims to stop any inflation caused by energy. However, it is still too early to talk about dates for interest rate increases. France/Israel: According to a German Foreign Office statement, the foreign ministers from Germany, France, Italy, and Britain have urged Israeli lawmakers to drop a bill that would allow the death penalty to be imposed in Israel. HAL TRUST HAL Trust, a Dutch investment...

Oil prices dropped on Friday, and were on track to have the steepest weekly drop?in the past six months. This was after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that talks with Iran on a 'peaceful end' had been going well and he would pause his attacks on Iran’s energy plants for ten days. Brent futures dropped 84 cents or 0.8% to $107.17 a barrel at 0353 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Futures lost $1.02 or 1.1% to $93.46 a barrel. On a weekly basis, both benchmarks traded 4.6% lower despite Brent increasing 5.7% and WTI gaining 4.6% Thursday due to fears...

Weekly data from the European Commission on Thursday showed that diesel prices at the pump in the EU's 27 members?states reached their highest level since records began in 2005. The average EU-27 diesel price per litre was 2.06 euros on 23 March, up from 1.95 euro the previous week. Data is based on fuel prices, including tax. * The average retail diesel price is now above?2 per litre, for the first since June 2022. This was the last major fuel supply shock after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The EU petrol prices rose to 1,89 euros per litre, up from...

A Russian official said on Thursday that a drone attack from Ukraine damaged an industrial area near one of Russia's largest?oil refineries. According to reports on Wednesday, at least 40% of Russia's capacity for oil exports has been halted following Ukrainian drone strikes, a disputed assault on a major pipe and the seizure or tankers. According to Alexander Drozdenko, more than 20 drones have been shot down in the northern Leningrad area. "The attack has been repelled in the Kirishi district." Drozdenko told Telegram that there was damage to the industrial area. Drozdenko ?did not specify what part of the...

The markets overshoot and the recent dramatic increase in bets placed on higher interest rates due to the Middle East energy crisis is the latest example: although the move was logical, its magnitude remains questionable. The Iran War shows no signs of stopping and the?markets are still in flux. Rates traders may need to take a break and re-evaluate. The abrupt change in global 'rate outlook' reflects concerns about the short-term impact on inflation of the soaring prices for oil and gas. Federal Reserve now has a higher probability of raising U.S. interest rates in this year rather than cutting...

Confindustria, Italy's leading business lobby, forecast that the economy would grow by 0.5% in this year. This is a reduction from the 0.7% it had predicted in October. It also warned of'strong' 'downside risks' if the Iran conflict continues. The third largest economy in the Eurozone saw its gross domestic product rise by 0.5%, marking the third consecutive year of growth below 1%. Confindustria stated in its bi-annual report that the 0.5% growth scenario for 2026 was based on an "optimistic hypothesis" that?the conflict in Iran would be over by March's end. The business group warned that if the hostilities...

The minutes from the most recent meeting of the Riksbank on monetary policy showed that the future is uncertain. Erik Thedeen, Governor of the Riksbank, said that it was difficult to assess?the effects? of war but warned of the dangers of stagflation (higher inflation and lower growth). Thedeen stated in the minutes that "given the length of time the crisis has been going on and the effects already being felt by the energy infrastructure, I am concerned about the long-term impact this may have on the supply of oil and natural gas in the world." On March 19, the Riksbank...

The Philippines' ambassador to the United States stated that it is working closely with Washington in order to securing waivers and exceptions to allow oil to be purchased from sanctioned U.S. countries. This will 'ensure supply. The Philippines, which is heavily dependent on imported fuels, declared on Tuesday a national energy emergency in order to deal with Middle East War fallout, including oil procurement. In a series of phone messages, Jose Manuel Romualdez said: "We're working with the State Department on getting waivers or exemptions for oil purchases from sanctioned U.S. countries." Romualdez responded that "all options" are being considered...

The Iran War and the global energy crisis it unleashed could have "killed" the idea of an asset that fits all. It is not a novel concept given the poor performance of the U.S. Treasuries did well after the Russian invasion of Ukraine four years earlier. The extraordinary fall in gold prices since the U.S. and Israeli strike on Iran, February 28, has brought it into the spotlight. In times of increased economic, geopolitical or financial uncertainty, investors tend to flock to gold, Swiss franc, Treasuries and the dollar. These are the assets that will most likely serve as a...

Dutch Central Bank Governor,?Olaf Sleijpen?said Tuesday that the rising oil and gas prices will likely affect the economy faster than they did during '2022's energy crisis. The Dutch representative in the ECB Governing Council stated that he and his colleagues would have more information on their April meeting about the second-round effect, which occurs if firms raise?their price to offset higher input cost and employees demand higher wages. We can't control the price of oil and gas, but we are able to act if we notice second-round effects. "I think we'll have more information?on that front - in April", he...

The British government announced on Monday that the Iranian ambassador in the UK was summoned. Last week, an Iranian national and a British-Iranian dual citizen were arrested on suspicion of aiding Iran's spy services. Two men were accused in a London Court last week of 'being involved in gathering information from Iranian spy services and conducting reconnaissance of Jewish targets within?Britain over a five-week period in the summer of last year. The British Foreign Office said that "national security is our number one priority and we take the threats posed by Iran and those who follow its orders 'extremely serious."...

Rio Tinto announced on Monday that operations had'resumed' at three of the four terminals in its 'Pilbara Iron Ore - Ports after Tropical Cyclone Narelle hit Western Australia. The storm disrupted shipments, but left its annual guidance unchanged. The miner was forced to?close two bauxite mining operations temporarily after Cyclone Narelle caused heavy rains and power outages on Australia's northeast coast earlier this month. South32 has also suspended operations at the?Gemco Manganese Mine, which is co-owned with Anglo American. Narelle slammed into Australia's northwest coastline?last weekend, forcing port closures in the iron-rich region of?Pilbara. Rio, the world's largest producer of...

Gold prices remained'steady' on Monday, despite a volatile session. A softer dollar met a surge in energy prices which fueled inflation fears and further dampened expectations of interest rate reductions by the U.S. Federal Reserve this year. As of 0431 GMT, spot gold was down 0.1% at $4,488.46 an ounce after swinging between a fall of more than 1% and a marginal increase earlier. U.S. Gold Futures for April Delivery lost?0.1% at $4,518.30. Dollar-denominated goods became more affordable to holders of other currencies as the U.S. currency eased. Gold's price movement?last weekend (when it ended a three-week loss streak) indicated...

Gold prices rose on Monday, as the dollar softened. However, gains were limited by an increase in energy costs that fueled inflation fears and dimmed expectations of interest rate reductions from the U.S. Federal Reserve this year. As of 0330 GMT, spot gold increased 0.3% to $4505.86 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for April Delivery gained?0.3% at $4,535.80. Dollar-denominated goods became more affordable to holders of currencies other than the U.S. Nicholas Frappell is the global head of institutional market at ABC Refinery. He said that gold's price action was a response to oversold behavior and could be a reversal...

Prices of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange rose 6% on Monday to close in on a four-year high after the two largest producers of the metal in the Middle East sustained damage over the weekend from Iranian attacks. Benchmark LME 3-month aluminium prices rose to $3.492 per metric tonne, the highest level since March 19 at the beginning of trading, as Gulf smelters Emirates Global Aluminium and Aluminium Bahrain assessed damage to their facilities. If the price of gold breaks above $3,546.50 on March 12, it will open the door to peaks not seen since the height of the...

The European Union trade commissioner stated that he had a "very constructive" meeting on Saturday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, on the sidelines of the?World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting in Cameroon. Maros Sefcovic, the commissioner of Maros Sefcovic, said that they had agreed to continue working on critical minerals with the United States. Tariffs were also discussed. After months of uncertainty about President Donald Trump's tariff threats and new import levy, EU lawmakers passed legislation on Thursday that will 'fulfill the bloc's part of its trade deal with the U.S.' in Turnberry, Scotland last July. Washington was worried that...

The head of Schindler, a Swiss?lift manufacturer, said on?Tuesday that the company will contest any?merger between rivals Kone Elevator and TK Elevator in front of antitrust authorities. Bloomberg News reported last 'week that Finland's Kone is in talks to purchase TK Elevator. The merger would make Schindler the second largest lift manufacturer in the world, surpassing the current leader OTIS. Schindler CEO Paolo Compagna stated that the deal would be "a bloodbath", bound to disrupt the lift industry as the world's third and fourth largest lift manufacturers would have to integrate overlapping customer bases and production sites, and teams. Compagna...

Prices of copper and aluminium fell on Friday as U.S. president Donald Trump extended the deadline for striking Iran’s energy plants. Markets appeared skeptical?about the prospects?of an agreement?between the two sides. In official open-outcry trade, the benchmark three-month price of copper at the London Metal Exchange fell by 0.3% to $12,115 per metric tonne. Since the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran began on 28 February, copper, which is widely used for power and construction has fallen by 9%, threatening economic growth and causing inflation. Macquarie analysts stated in a research report that "prices lack fundamental support, and are expected...

Rosimushchestvo, the federal agency for property management, said that a seized?stake? in Russian gold producer Uzhuralzoloto? (UGC?) could be sold at auction next month. The agency stated that the preparations for auction were in progress. The state owns 67.2% in the company, which at current market prices is worth $1.3billion. A Russian court ruled in July 2025 that Konstantin Strukov's?majority share?, which he had previously owned, should be transferred to?the state. This was part of an 'wider pattern' of 'nationalisations, of assets owned by Russian companies or fledgling Western firms. The Moscow law firm NSP estimated last year that the...

MOSCOW, 27 March - Severstal is one of Russia's four largest steelmakers and plans to reduce investment by a fifth?and labour by 5% by 2026. This is due to a falling?demand? for steel in the face of an economic recession. The demand for metals in Russia's major industries - construction, energy, automobile and machinery manufacturing - is decreasing as businesses halt investment because of high interest rates to curb inflation. Metals production has been affected by Western sanctions and drones from Ukraine. "The industry's situation is getting more difficult." The demand for steel in Russia has dropped 31% since 2024....

Singapore announced plans to transform the city-state of Singapore into a gold trading center for the entire Asia. Regulators and industry players are working together to improve the trading, clearing, and storage infrastructure. Singapore is one of many Asian financial centers racing to increase their gold trading and capture more bullion flows. Hong Kong, too, is pushing to expand the gold market's links with Shanghai. The Singapore Bullion Market Association and the Monetary Authority of Singapore have identified four areas of focus. These include the expansion of gold-related products on the capital markets and the establishment of a trust clearing...

Three people familiar with the matter said that Guinea and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), had reached an agreement which will prevent a looming arbitration over the seizure last year of the miner’s local unit. According to traders and officials, as part of a broader resolution, traders have explored bauxite deals that are linked to the assets seized, including structures where upfront payments on future shipments would be used to settle?EGA claims. The deal is still being finalised. It follows the government taking over Guinea Alumina Corporation, EGA's subsidiary for bauxite, in October, following a dispute about alumina refineries. It then...

Three people familiar with the matter said that Guinea and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), have reached an agreement which 'will prevent a looming arbitral hearing' over last year's seizure by 'the miner's' local unit. According to traders and government officials, as part of a broader resolution, traders have explored bauxite deals that are linked to the assets seized, including structures whereby upfront prepayments for future shipments would help settle EGA claims. The deal is still being finalised. It follows the government taking over Guinea Alumina Corporation,?EGA's subsidiary for bauxite, in October, following a dispute about alumina refineries. The company then...