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How New York transforms millions of pounds of food waste to 'black Gold'
Watermelon rinds and pizza boxes with grease, as well as yard trimmings. These items would be destined for a landfill in many cities. In New York, these items are used to make something surprising valuable: "black-gold." Jennifer McDonnell, the Deputy Commissioner of Solid Waste Management for the New York City Department of Sanitation said: "We are making this amazing compost that we can utilize throughout the city to improve soil health." Staten Island's Compost Facility is managed by Denali Water Solutions. It has been processing landscaper waste for many years, but now it also processes residential organic waste. The facility receives 100-150 tons of organic waste on average, and up to 250 tons if there is a heavy leaf fall. Composting starts as soon as the waste arrives. The piles can reach temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.2degC), which is hot enough to kill pathogens, weed seeds and other weed seeds. In the course of a few weeks, fungi and bacteria will break down the material. The end product is a dark, rich compost after curing and screening. The city distributes free to residents, schools and community gardens. McDonnell stated that "we've distributed, we believe, almost 6,000,000 pounds of compost this year to residents of New York City." Compost helps to improve soil health, control stormwater and maintain city green spaces. According to the National Resources Defense Council, the majority of household waste is made up of food scraps and yard debris. They generate methane when they are disposed of in landfills. Eric Goldstein is the New York City Environment Director for the Council. Residents are required to separate yard waste, food scraps and food-soiled papers from their trash as part of the city's organics program. The enforcement of the law was suspended earlier this year but is expected to resume again in 2026.
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Covestro shares rise as ADNOC plans EU Concessions
Sept. 11 - Shares of German chemicals maker Covestro rose Thursday, after reports that ADNOC is preparing concessions to respond to an EU investigation into its 14.7 billion euros ($17.2 billion), bid for Covestro. At 0924 GMT the shares of Covestro had risen 5.5%, making it their best day for over a month. People familiar with the situation said that ADNOC (the Abu Dhabi state oil company) which bid on the German firm last year would convert the proposed capital increase of 1.2 billion euros into a shareholder loan. Thomas Schulte Vorwick, Metzler analyst, said: "These incrementally positive developments support the stock as they increase the probability of a close-term agreement and successful acquisition between the parties." ADNOC continued to criticize EU regulators last week for what they called excessive and intrusive requests for information, which it warned could undermine the deal. Covestro's shares had fallen 3.1% by the close of the previous session. In the last year. ($1 = 0.8555 euros) (Reporting and editing by Matt Scuffham in Gdansk, Bernadette Kaesebier from Gdansk)
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Rome's Mayor says River Tiber may be open to swimming within five years
Rome's mayor announced on Thursday that he hopes to open up the River Tiber for public swimming in five years. This initiative was also taken by Paris. After a thorough cleaning, the French authorities allowed swimming in the Seine for the first since 1923. This was prompted by the use of the venue for the Paris Olympics 2024. Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri announced that he has set up a Tiber working group and will open it up to all national and regional authorities. Gualtieri, during a trip to Japan's Osaka Expo fair, said: "We are happy to have established that this goal is entirely achievable. Within five years we will be swimming in the Tiber." He said that there are no estimates of the final cost yet, but it will likely be lower than the 1,4 billion euros ($1.64billion) spent in Paris to clean up the Seine because the pollution levels in the Tiber are lower. The Tiber was open to bathing until 1960, when pollution led to the first restrictions. There is a ban on swimming in the river, and fines can reach hundreds of Euros. However, a tradition still exists where a diver jumps off a bridge into the river every New Year's Day. The Tiber used to be a vital transport and trading route through Rome. Recent times have seen locals use its banks and waters less. Rome's municipal authorities have cleaned up the riverbanks to make them more attractive for citizens and tourists. This is part of an overall city revamp to celebrate this year's Catholic Jubilee. Concerns about the water quality persist despite the fact that the Paris Summer Olympics 2024 will be held in the Seine. Many swimmers competing in the Olympics took E. coli medicines and certain events were cancelled due to pollution. Reporting by Giulia Segreti, Editing by Alvise Armilini and Gareth Jones
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Stocks and the euro tread water before ECB and US Inflation data
The dollar continued to rise on Thursday as traders awaited the European Central Bank’s latest interest rate announcement and new U.S. Inflation data. Overnight, high-flying technology shares helped Japan, Taiwan and South Korea reach record bourse peaks. Europe had a steady day ahead of the ECB's second delay in a line in its 2% rate for the euro zone after lunch. Most traders kept their powder dry, awaiting the closely-watched U.S. consumer inflation data. The euro was hovering at $1.1690, having risen nearly 13% against the dollar in this year. Bond vigilantes had not yet been able to push France's politically stressed borrowing costs above Italy. Benoit Begoc, ABN AMRO's strategist, said that while the ECB is widely expected to keep rates the same this meeting, it will be interesting to see if they leave the door open for more cuts. They may also release a new set of economic projections. "I'm wondering why you don't cut rates more" Begoc stated. Begoc said. The pan-European STOXX600 edged up by 0.3% ahead of the 1215 GMT ECB announcement and the 1245 GMT Press Conference. Germany's 10-year Bond yield dropped to 2.65% from 2.80% a week ago, its highest level since March. Oil prices dropped on the commodity market after rising more than 1% Wednesday, when Poland shot down suspected Russian drones. This sparked new talk of sanctions just a day after Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar. Gold, the safe-haven metal, dipped from recent records and copper, the bellwether of the metals market took a break from its 20%+ rally since U.S. president Donald Trump's tariffs on trade shook markets worldwide in April. TRADERS BET ON TRIO OF FED CUTS Wall Street futures predicted that the S&P 500, Nasdaq and S&P 500 would continue to rise after the recent record-breaking jump of 36% in Oracle's shares. Money markets also priced in a greater chance of Federal Reserve cutting interest rates three times this year. Investors are fully pricing in a move of one quarter point from the Fed during next week's meetings, with an 8 percent chance of a cut of 50 basis points. The consumer price index for August is expected later. The poll predicts that the headline CPI will rise by 2.9% compared to a year ago, which is the largest increase since January. However, the core CPI measure will likely remain at 3.1%. Julien Lafargue is the chief market strategist of Barclays Private Bank. He said that investors will likely maintain a dovish view unless CPI shows a significant upward shock. This shift in inflation dynamics may prove crucial for the U.S. Fed. It now faces less constraints to pursue a more aggressive cycle of rate-cutting. Overnight, Nikkei, the Japanese stock market index, gained 1.2%, a new record, as energy, tech and utilities companies soared. South Korean shares increased by 0.9%. In Tokyo. SoftBank gained almost 10% following the explosive gains of its Stargate Project Partner Oracle. This 36% gain was the largest one-day increase since 1992 for 48-year-old technology giant. The foreign exchange market was relatively quiet, with little movement in the U.S. Dollar and the six-currency dollar index barely above its seven-week low. The 10-year Treasury yields increased by 2 basis points, to 4.0531%. They had fallen by 4 basis points after the PPI report on Wednesday and a strong 10-year note auction eased investor concerns about long-term U.S. government debt. The Treasury's sale of $22 billion in 30-year bonds, which will take place on Thursday, is a more accurate indicator. The 30-year yield increased 2 basis points to 4.7028%. It has dropped more than 30 basis point since briefly topping 5% last week.
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Gold prices fall on dollar recovery as US CPI data is closely watched
Gold prices fell on Thursday but remained near records, well above $3,600, as profit-taking and a modest dollar recovery pushed down the price. Investors waited for the U.S. consumer-inflation figures, due later today. As of 0811 GMT, spot gold was down by 0.3%, at $3,629.23 an ounce. Bullion reached a new record of $3,673.95 per ounce on Tuesday. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery fell by 0.4% to $3666.70. The U.S. Dollar Index rose by 0.2%, reaching a new high of nearly one week against its rivals. This makes gold priced in greenbacks more expensive for foreign buyers. Gold is under pressure today due to a stabilizing Dollar and profit taking. The precious metal is still firmly bullish, above the psychological level of $3,600, with yesterday's unexpected drop in U.S. Producer Prices limiting the downside, said Lukman otunuga. Senior research analyst at FXTM. Data released on Thursday revealed that U.S. producers prices fell unexpectedly in August, due to lower margins in trade services and modest increases in goods cost. The weaker-than-expected data on nonfarm payrolls last week and revised estimates that revealed 911,000 less jobs in the 12-month period through March have strengthened expectations of monetary ease. Investors are now awaiting the weekly U.S. CPI and U.S. jobless claims data due at 1230 GMT. A poll predicts an increase of 0.3% in consumer prices for August and a 2.9% increase in CPI year-on-year. Bets on the Fed reducing interest rates in October may be affected by signs of inflationary pressures. This could cause a gold selloff, which may push it back to $3,500. A soft CPI may however push gold to new all-time highs," Otunuga said. CME FedWatch reports that investors have priced in a 8% chance for a 50-basis point reduction. Gold that does not yield is typically supported by lower interest rates. Silver spot was down 0.2% to $41.05 an ounce. Palladium fell by 0.1% and platinum dropped 0.6%, to $1,172.45. (Reporting by Ishaan Arora in Bengaluru; Editing by Louise Heavens)
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Vietnam to offer online gold trading as it permits private imports
Vietnam is planning to open a gold online exchange, allowing companies to import gold, for the first decade, starting next month. This will be part of efforts to stabilize domestic prices which are increasing at an alarming rate. Local economists say the move is intended to balance gold supply and demand. It could also be used to mobilize private resources in order to boost economic growth. State media quoted a central banking official on Thursday as saying that the State Bank of Vietnam is studying international experiences to set up the exchange. According to a report in the Dan Tri, the deputy governor of the SBV, Pham Quang Dug, said that the central bank would also consider trading gold at the Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam, or in a future international financial centre. Academics warn that rapid credit growth could cause asset price bubbles in the Southeast Asian nation, which is one of fastest-growing economies in the region. The central bank also tries to stabilize the price of domestic gold, which is a popular choice for investment and is considered an important tool for wealth preservation in Vietnam. In spite of efforts made last year to increase supplies through auctions and commercial bankers, domestic prices are up 60% this year and, as of Thursday, remain around 23% above the international market. From October 10, a government order will permit qualified companies to import the precious metal. A central bank licence will be issued to companies for gold imports and a quota set annually. Vo Tri Thanh, an economist based in Hanoi, said that more imports would help to cool the domestic gold price and reduce the gap between the local market and the global one. However, it could also pressure the exchange rate. Thanh explained that "you will need to pay U.S. dollar to import gold and the more you import the greater the outflows of greenback." The central bank announced earlier this week that the decree issued on August 26 will also end its monopoly over gold bullion in an effort to diversify the gold supply and increase competition and transparency in the marketplace. The central bank also said that it would tighten its controls on gold trading firms in order to prevent money laundering and other illegal activities such as smuggling, illegal trading, and speculation. The police in Vietnam have charged a former Saigon Jewellery chief executive with embezzlement, and abuse of authority. ($1 = 26 397 dong)
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Saudi Aramco wants buyers to buy more oil for October after a price drop, sources claim
Three sources with knowledge of the matter have confirmed that Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil exporter, has asked Asian buyers for more crude oil in October. The kingdom had made price cuts deeper than expected on all grades due to a growing supply. Two sources claim that Saudi Aramco, in its bid to regain market share, spoke with Asian buyers at the APPEC Conference in Singapore this week, encouraging them to buy more crude oil in October. One of them stated that this has partially led to the delay of the October supply being allocated to their customers, possibly until next week. Aramco has not responded to a comment request. All sources spoke under condition of anonymity. The state-owned producer announced the price of its Arab Light crude for Asia in October at $2.20 per barrel, which is $2.20 above the average Oman/Dubai. This represents a $1 drop from the five-month high reached in September. The price reduction followed a decision made by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and its allies, led by Russia, at the weekend to increase production by 137,000 barrels a day in October. Since April, the group led by Saudi Aramco, which pumps half of all world oil, has already increased production by 2.5 million barrels per day, or 2.4%. Analysts say the move shows that OPEC+ prioritizes market share, even if this means softer prices. The increase in production has not yet been felt on global markets, due to the strong Middle East oil market in summer. However, it is expected that this will cause global oil markets to become surpluses and global benchmark Brent oil to drop below $60 per barrel. Saudi crude exports from Saudi Arabia to China, the top importer, fell by about 43 million barrels between August and September. Brent crude futures fell slightly to $67.38 per barrel on Thursday, on concerns about a softer U.S. market and broader oversupply risks. However, losses were contained by worries over the Middle East attacks and Russia's conflict in Ukraine. (Reporting and editing by Clarence Fernandez in Singapore, Florence Tan, Siyi Liu)
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The EU's highest court has ruled against Hungary's nuclear aid
The EU's highest court ruled on Thursday that the European Commission shouldn't have approved Hungarian aid to expand its Paks nuclear plant by a Russian firm, as the Commission hadn’t checked whether the contract complied with EU rules. As part of a bilateral agreement between Russia and Hungary regarding the peaceful use nuclear energy, Hungary awarded the contract directly to Nizhny Novgorod Engineering of Russia. The Russian government then provided Hungary with an official loan to help finance the majority of the construction of the new reactors. In 2017, the European Commission also approved the project. In 2018, Austria, a neighboring country, filed a complaint with the EU General Court about the state assistance involved in the deal. However the case was lost. The Austrian government then appealed to the EU Court of Justice. On Thursday, the Court of Justice ruled that Austria was right in its argument that the Commission had to examine whether awarding the contract directly to the Russian firm was compliant with EU procurement laws. Bart Meijer, Sharon Singleton, and Helen Popper edited the article.
Investors weigh Israel's attack against Qatar and US rate cuts as they mix up the Gulf markets
Gulf stocks were mixed early on Thursday. They reflected a cautious mood, but there was no sign of a risk-off position after Israel's attack in Qatar. Traders appeared to be pricing the event as an isolated incident.
Israel expanded its Middle East military campaign by targeting Hamas leaders in Doha. Regional investors, who have been navigating months' worth of geopolitical tension, seemed to see the event from a temporary, tactical perspective.
Qatar's benchmark stock index fell 0.3% on track to extend its losses for the fourth consecutive session. Investors weighed political developments and possible diplomatic uncertainty as they sold financials.
Qatar National Bank is the largest lender in the region. It has decended by more than 1%.
Saudi Arabia's main stock index dropped 0.2% during choppy trading as investors sold selectively. Financials and energy sectors were among the losers amid concerns about a weaker U.S. oil demand and an oversupply.
Al Rajhi Bank, the index heavyweight, lost 0.6% while Saudi Aramco dropped 0.2%.
Aramco has raised $3 billion through a sale of dual-tranche Islamic bonds (sukuk), as it moves to tap the debt markets in order to strengthen its balance sheet due to lower oil prices.
Dubai's main stock index rose by 0.1% after bouncing from its lowest level in almost two months. Emaar Properties, the blue-chip property firm, gained 0.7%.
ADNOC Gas and Fertiglobe both rose 0.6% and 1.3%, respectively, ending a four-day loss streak.
Investors are keeping a close eye on the U.S. Federal Reserve, as a positive reading of U.S. producer price levels has led markets to price a higher chance that three interest rate reductions will be made this year. (Reporting from Amna Marieyam in Bengaluru, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne.)
(source: Reuters)