Latest News
-
Orsted Braces for Rights Issue Approval After US Offshore Wind Setbacks
Danish offshore wind developer Orsted cut its 2025 profit outlook on Friday, just hours before it is poised to secure shareholder approval for a $9.4 billion emergency rights issue as it seeks to avert a looming credit downgrade.Once celebrated as a trailblazer in offshore wind, the state-controlled group now finds itself in dire straits, grappling with industry-wide challenges as risks pile up on its U.S. projects due to President Donald Trump's opposition to wind power.Adding to its troubles, low wind speeds in July and August and a delay to a project under construction off Taiwan prompted it on Friday to cut its operating profit outlook for 2025.The stakes are high for the Danish firm, which has transformed itself from oil producer DONG Energy into a global renewables leader, its market value increasing fivefold between its 2016 IPO and a 2021 peak.But supply chain disruptions, surging interest rates, project delays, and Trump’s anti-wind policies have battered the offshore wind sector, sending Orsted’s shares tumbling by 85% from their peak.At the heart of the drama are Orsted’s U.S. projects Sunrise Wind and Revolution Wind, both of which have been thrown into uncertainty.Two-thirds of the fresh capital it is seeking to raise is earmarked for Sunrise Wind, a project that saw potential co-investors flee after the Trump administration ordered Equinor to halt a neighboring wind farm in April.U.S. officials also issued a stop-work order for the nearly completed Revolution Wind facility last month, prompting the joint venture running the project to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the decision.The rights issue is critical for Orsted’s survival and its ability to retain its credit rating."We do this to ensure that we can continue to lead the expansion of offshore wind in our core markets here in Europe for the critical years to come," CEO Rasmus Errboe told reporters at a meeting of EU countries' energy ministers in Copenhagen on Thursday.Ratings agency S&P Global warned that the equity raise might only buy the company three to six months of relief from construction delays before facing additional credit pressures.S&P already downgraded Orsted to BBB- in August, the lowest investment-grade rating. Any further downgrade would push it into junk territory - a label that would impact its ability to finance future projects.Norwegian state-controlled energy firm Equinor, a 10% shareholder in Orsted, has thrown a lifeline, pledging to inject up to 6 billion crowns ($941.2 million) into the rights issue.Equinor CFO Torgrim Reitan described the moment as a crucial juncture. "We find it important to be a long-term and supportive investor in a period like this," Reitan said, hinting at a deeper strategic collaboration between the two companies.The extraordinary general meeting is scheduled to begin at 0700 GMT in Copenhagen. The rights issue will likely be approved with a two-thirds majority.($1 = 6.3751 Danish crowns)(Reuters - Reporting by Stine Jacobsen and Jacpob Gronholt-Pedersen in Copenhagen and Nora Buli in Oslo; Editing by Jan Harvey)
-
Blue Water bids $10 billion for Citgo parent
Blue Water Acquisition Corp announced on Friday it had submitted an offer worth $10 billion to purchase the parent company of Venezuelan-owned refiner Citgo Petroleum. The proposal also included a $3.2 million settlement for holders of Venezuelan bonds that were in default. The auction for PDV Holding's payment to up to 15 creditors was closed by a U.S. court last month, after an officer who oversaw the auction received improved bids. However, the court stated that it would accept unsolicited bids if they were submitted after the deadline. Blue Water Acquisition Corp. is a special-purpose acquisition company that was formed to identify high-potential businesses in diverse sectors. This includes healthcare. The company offers cash or stock distributions for creditors and settlements to holders of PDVSA 2020 bonds, who will be paid in cash or shares of the publicly-listed entity that owns Citgo. In a press release, Blue Water CEO Joseph Hernandez said that the $10 billion plan would allow creditors to recover immediately and also participate in Citgo's future as a U.S. publicly traded company. Robert Pincus, a court officer, changed his recommendation last month to Elliott Investment Management affiliate Amber Energy. He had chosen a subsidiary owned by miner Gold Reserve in July as the frontrunner. Now, Gold Reserve is trying to disqualify Elliott's affiliate bid. Next week, the Delaware court will hold a procedure conference ahead of a hearing on the final sale in mid-September. Judge Leonard Stark would then make a decision about who won the auction. The court has not yet released any information regarding Blue Water's bid in public dockets as of Friday afternoon. (Reporting and editing by Marianna Pararaga)
-
Blue Water makes bid of $10 billion for Citgo parent
Blue Water Acquisition Corp announced on Friday that it had submitted a $10 billion offer for Citgo Petroleum's parent company, which is owned by Venezuela. The offer also includes a $3.2billion settlement proposal to bondholders of Venezuelan bonds in default. The court has said that it will accept unsolicited bids if they are received after the deadline. Blue Water Acquisition Corp. is a special-purpose acquisition company that was formed to identify high-potential businesses in diverse sectors and to complete them. The company offers cash or stock distributions for creditors and settlements for PDVSA 2020 bonds holders to be paid in cash or shares of the publicly-listed entity that will own Citgo. In a press release, Blue Water CEO Joseph Hernandez said, "Our $10 billion offer would allow creditors to recover immediately and also participate in Citgo's future as a U.S. publicly traded company." (Reporting and editing by Marianna Pararaga)
-
US stocks reach record highs as weak employment data fuels rate-cut bets
U.S. stock prices briefly reached record highs before trading lower on Friday. Data showing that U.S. employment growth slowed in August led investors double down on their bets the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates this month by up to 50 basis points. The speculation that the Fed would lower rates more aggressively sent Treasury yields tumbling and the U.S. Dollar plummeting, but gold reached a record high of $3,600 an ounce. Equity markets are viewed as a positive by many investors when interest rates drop. This could result in lower borrowing costs for business. Gold, which doesn't pay interest, tends to shine as well when rates are low, and there is a lot of uncertainty. Art Hogan, strategist at B Riley Wealth Management, Boston, stated that "this number today puts back on the table a rate cut of 50 basis points at the next policy meeting." "More importantly, I believe 75-basis point before the end the year is pretty much a lock." The U.S. government reported that nonfarm payrolls rose by just 22,000 jobs in August, after a 79,000-job increase upwardly revised in July. This was below the forecast of 75,000. S&P 500 Index reached a record of 6,532.65 in early trading before pulling back and being down 0.32%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record in the early minutes of trading before slipping 0.5%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite Index remained unchanged. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 8.3 basis points, or 6.4 basis point, in line with the expectation of lower rates. The dollar index fell 0.5% to 97.747, as lower Treasury yields affected the U.S. Dollar. The euro rose by 0.6% to $1.17625, thanks to a softer dollar. In Europe, STOXX 600 fell 0.2% in Europe, while the FTSE 100 remained unchanged. France's CAC 40 dropped 0.3%. The MSCI World Equity Index finished just 0.13% up due to a muted equity performance. Olu Sonola is the head of U.S. Economic Research at Fitch Ratings, New York. He said that the warning bell that was ringing in the U.S. Labor Market a month earlier just got louder. A weaker than expected jobs report is almost certain to lead to a 25 basis-point rate reduction later this month. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has already reinforced speculation about rate cuts with an unexpectedly dovish address at the Fed symposium held in Jackson Hole last month. The market sentiment has improved in recent days, after the global stock markets fell this week, and European long-dated bond rates reached their highest levels in years. Investors were concerned about various countries' finances. France's 30 year yield was 4.3873% on Friday, down from its peak of 4.523% a day earlier, and the UK 30-year yield was 5.553%. This is after borrowing costs reached their highest levels since 1998 in the previous week. The benchmark German 10-year yield was 2.7051%. Data released on Friday revealed that German industrial orders fell unexpectedly in July. The U.S. has signed an agreement to lower auto tariffs for Japan after months of negotiation. The dollar fell 0.7% against the Japanese yen. The oil prices fell for a third day in a row, before a weekend meeting between OPEC producers and their allies. Brent crude futures closed 2.2% lower, at $65.50 per barrel. U.S. crude dropped 2.5% to $61.87. The European Union energy commissioner said that the bloc would be happy to hear about President Donald Trump's plans to stop buying Russian crude. Gold spot was up 1.2% to $3,589.01 an ounce after hitting a record of $3,597.66. The metal is on course for its biggest weekly gain in almost four months.
-
China delays its final decision in the canola dispute between Canada and China
China extended its investigation into Canadian canola exports on Friday, buying six months more for negotiations to ease a long-running trade dispute that was sparked by Ottawa’s tariffs against Chinese electric vehicles. A statement from the Ministry of Commerce stated that the anti-dumping investigation would now last until March 9, 2026. The Ministry cited the complexity of the situation as the reason for this. Beijing, the largest canola importer in the world, imposed preliminary tariffs of 75.8% for Canadian canola seeds imports. The final decision could lead to a different rate or reverse the decision. Heath MacDonald, Canada's Minister of Agriculture, said in an interview that his government hopes the Chinese move will give both sides more time to resolve their trade tensions. MacDonald stated that "if there is a chance to have a further dialogue and further communication with the Chinese government officials, we are doing this, it would be a big plus." On Friday, the Canadian government announced a new round of support for Canada's Canola Industry. This included subsidies for biofuel production at home, an improved biofuels regulation to encourage investment and subsidized canola loans. The main Canadian canola organizations said that they "hoped" the extension of preliminary duties would provide time to find a long-term solution. Canada, which is the largest canola exporter in the world, exported almost C$5 Billion ($3.63 Billion) worth of canola to China in 2024. About 80% of that amount was seed. If the steep duties on canola seeds remain in place, they will likely end these imports. China, who relies heavily on Canada to supply its canola seeds, imposed tariffs in March on canola meal and oil. Canada has also imposed tariffs against Chinese steel and aluminium. Ottawa is increasingly worried about losing a major customer, particularly as China seems to be shifting its focus towards Australian products. Kody Blois, Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan are headed to China between September 6-9 for meetings with Chinese officials to discuss trade issues. Saskatchewan, a prairie province in Canada, produces the bulk of the canola that is exported. Reports in July indicated that Canberra and Beijing are close to an agreement that would allow Australian suppliers the opportunity to ship five test canola cargoes into China. In the following month, COFCO, a Chinese state-run firm, imported Australia's first canola crop since 2020. After the China news, the Winnipeg ICE Canola Futures Market initially rose. However, a trader explained that some participants may have misinterpreted the headline to mean China suspended its duties rather than extended the preliminary duties into March. ICE November Canola settled lower by 0.55%. The canola industry in Canada has been waiting for a quick resolution of the duties and tariffs on canola. Reporting by Ethan Wang, Ryan Woo, and Ed White in Winnipeg. Editing by Kevin Liffey and Sharon Singleton. Alexandra Hudson, Marguerita Choy and Marguerita Hudson.
-
IMF warns of excessive debt after cutting Angola's economic growth forecast
IMF reduced Angola’s economic growth projection for 2025 from 2.4% to 2.1% on the back lower oil exports. The IMF warned on Friday that the risks had increased from last year in regard to the Southern African country’s ability to pay its bills. Angola must also embrace greater flexibility in its foreign exchange rate, according to the IMF. The IMF made the statement after reviewing the findings of an assessment mission conducted by staff in Luanda, Angola, in May. At that time the Fund had already reduced Angola's initial growth forecast for this year to 3%. The IMF stated that "Angola was hit by the volatility of oil prices, sovereign spreads and weakness in oil production during the first half 2025, which amplified the impact of these shocks." Angola, a small and open African economy that exports oil, has also faced difficulties this year when U.S. tariffs on trade roiled the financial markets. IMF warned Angola that the risks of this view had increased since last year. The IMF warned Angola against two unsustainable financing options, including too much internal debt and expensive short-term external loans. The IMF warned that "excessive reliance" on domestic finance "risks further increasing the banks' exposure to sovereign debt", while "short-term solutions can lead to an accumulation of onerous debt service and undermine investor confidence." Angola was forced to pay JPMorgan $200 million extra in April, after the bond it uses as collateral to secure a loan with the Wall Street lender fell along with the value of other frontier assets. The bond's price rose and the money was refunded. Technically, the May visit by IMF officials to Luanda was a Post Financing Assessment. This is reserved for countries with outstanding credits above their quotas who do not have a program supported by IMF or monitored by staff. The IMF stated that Angola is facing challenges due to a possible drop in crude oil prices and tighter external financing conditions. The government is also rushing to reduce the amount of oil-backed loan to China in order to ease pressure on its finances. Reporting by Miguel Gomes and Rodrigo Campos, Luanda; additional reporting by Duncan Miriri and editing by Karohecker Strohecker & Paul Simao
-
Food retailers urge grain traders to support Brazil's soy ban initiative
Food retailers in Europe have called on grain traders around the world to support Brazil's soy ban initiative. The pact is designed to protect Amazon rainforests from deforestation caused by soy, and farmers are trying to stop the program. In a letter seen by food grocers such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and Aldi, they ask CEOs from ADM, Bunge and Cargill to publicly confirm their commitment to ban soybean purchases made by Amazonian farmers after the 2008 deadline. The letter stated: "We write to you at an important moment for the future Amazon Soy Moratorium. An initiative that your companies have championed for nearly 20 years ...",, protecting the Amazon. The letter warns that consumers and big companies will continue to pressure traders if they do not stop sourcing soy from deforested Amazonian land. Brazil is the world's biggest soy exporter and producer. It sells most to China for feedstock. The traders didn't immediately respond to our request for comment. The moratorium is credited with reducing deforestation caused by soy in the Amazon. Farmers have been disgruntled for years. CADE was forced to investigate the issue after powerful lobbying by farmers in Congress. The letter is signed by the National Pig Association of Britain and private food producers in the UK. It praises grain traders for their efforts to appeal CADE’s decision. The letter stated that "even though a temporary order was issued regarding the immediate implementation (of the CADE) order, it is necessary to take action at this time in order to remove any uncertainty on the market in regards to the protection of this important ecosystem." Signatories to the letter expect grain traders "to be ready to immediately deploy an interim measure on a company-by-company basis until a long-term solution has been secured" in order to protect Amazon. (Reporting and Editing by Franklin Paul, Aurora Ellis and Ana Mano)
-
US stocks reach record highs as weak employment data fuels rate-cut bets
U.S. stock prices briefly reached record highs before trading lower on Friday. Data showing that U.S. employment growth slowed in August led investors double down on their bets the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates this month by up to 50 basis points. Treasury yields fell on speculation that the Fed would lower rates more aggressively, and the U.S. Dollar dropped, but gold reached a record high, bringing it closer to $3600 per ounce. Equity markets are seen as a positive when interest rates drop, because it could result in lower borrowing costs for business. Gold, which doesn't pay interest, tends to shine as well when rates are low, and there is a lot of uncertainty. Art Hogan, strategist at B Riley Wealth Management, Boston, stated that "this number today puts back on the table a rate cut of 50 basis points at the next policy meeting." "More importantly, I believe 75-basis point before the end the year is pretty much a lock." The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payrolls grew by just 22,000 jobs in August, after increasing by a revised upwards 79,000 positions in July. This was below the forecasted gain of 75,000. S&P 500 Index reached a record of 6,532.65 in the early trading before reversing to be down by 0.55%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record in the early minutes of trading before slipping 0.6%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq composite index lost 0.3%. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 10 basis points, to 4.076%, in line with the expectation of lower rates. By 1710 GMT the MSCI World Equity Index had remained flat for the day, while Europe's STOXX 600 Index was down 0.2%. The FTSE 100 remained unchanged, while France's CAC 40 fell 0.3%. The dollar index fell 0.6% to 97.674 while the euro rose 0.6% to $1.17625. The warning bell that was ringing in the labor markets a month ago has just gotten louder, said Olu sonola, director of U.S. Economic Research at Fitch Ratings. "An employment report that is weaker than expected all but confirms a rate cut of 25 basis points later this month." Fed Chair Jerome Powell reinforced speculation about rate cuts with an unexpectedly dovish address at the Fed symposium held in Jackson Hole last month. The market sentiment has improved in recent days, after stocks in Europe fell and investors were concerned about the financial state of different countries, especially Britain and France. The yields on 30-year bonds in France and the UK were lower on Friday. France's yield was 4.3873% compared to a high of 4.523% reached on Wednesday. The benchmark German 10-year yield is 2.7051%. German industrial orders fell unexpectedly in July, according to data released on Friday. The U.S. has signed an agreement to lower auto tariffs for Japan after months of negotiation. The dollar fell 0.9% against yen and the pair was trading at 147.05. The oil prices are in their third consecutive day of declines. Brent crude futures dropped 2.3% to $65.44 per barrel while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2.6% to $60.83. The European Union energy commissioner said that the bloc would welcome U.S. president Donald Trump's plans to stop buying Russian crude oil. Gold spot was up 1.3% to $3,592.13 an ounce after hitting a record of $3,597.66. The metal is on course for its biggest weekly gain in almost four months.
PMI data shows that Saudi Arabia's growth in the non-oil sectors accelerated in June due to strong demand.
A survey released on Thursday showed that the expansion of Saudi Arabia's private non-oil sector activity increased in May due to a strong client demand as well as a spike in hiring.
The Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers' Index, which is adjusted for season, rose from 55.8 in May to 57.2 this month. This puts it above the 50 point line that indicates growth.
The subindex rose to 64.3 from 62.5 in may, indicating a rapid acceleration in new order growth. This upturn was primarily driven by domestic sales, which were supported by client acquisitions that went well and improved marketing strategies. Export sales were marginally up.
"Firms have largely attributed the improvement in activity to improved sales, new projects starting, and better conditions for demand, even though the pace of growth was slower than previous highs," Naif Al Ghaith said, chief economist at Riyad Bank.
Private non-oil companies have hired more staff than ever since May 2011 as they expand their teams to handle increased workloads.
The input prices rose as well, in line with the trend of the second quarter, which led firms to pass higher costs on to their customers. The output prices rose strongly, marking the biggest increase in over a year and a half, after months of declines.
The survey revealed that despite cost pressures, Saudi firms in the non-oil sector remained confident about the future. In fact, the Future Output Index reached a record high of two years. The resilient economic conditions in Saudi Arabia and robust demand boosted confidence.
The International Monetary Fund increased its forecast of Saudi Arabia's GDP growth in 2025 to 3.5%, from 3%. This was partly due to the demand for government-led initiatives and the OPEC+ plan to gradually end oil production cuts. Hugh Lawson, Editor (Reporting)
(source: Reuters)