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Sources say that a decision on the sale of oil refiner Italiana Petroli is expected by end-June.
Italiana Petroli is in negotiations with three parties interested in purchasing the oil refinery and is expected to make a decision around the end this month on the possible 3 billion euro deal ($3.5 billion). Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed that. Sources previously stated that Gunvor, the global commodity trader, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, (SOCAR), and the Abu Dhabi-based Bin Butti Group had all made binding offers to purchase 100% of the privately held group. Two sources said that industrial groups from the Middle East had contacted the Italian company in order to express their interest, should the ongoing negotiations fail and the seller decide to reopen the process. The Brachetti-Peretti family is asking for around 3 billion euro, according to sources. Italiana Petroli e Gunvor refused to comment. SOCAR Group and Bin Butti Group did not respond to requests for comment. End-December, the refinery had a net cash balance of 408 millions euros. UniCredit is advising the group. It has a total refinery capacity of about 200,000 barrels a day. The group also operates a network with 4,600 fuel stations. The company increased its fuel storage and refining capacity when it acquired Exxon Mobil Italy assets in late 2023. The company currently owns an Ancona refinery, in eastern Italy, the SARPOM refinery, in Trecate, in the north, and a tolling agreement for the Alma refinery, in Ravenna in the north-east. Trecate produces different types of fuels, including aviation propellants, while the two other plants produce bitumen. Intesa Sanpaolo IMI CIB, an Italian company, advises SOCAR. Rothschild works with Gunvor. (1 euro = 0.8633 dollars) (Reporting and editing by Topra Chopra; Additional reporting by Nailia Bakirova, Baku)
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Germany's Bund yield falls to its lowest level since May due to safe-haven flows
Germany's 10-year bond yield fell to a six-week-low on Thursday, as safe-haven flows benefited from market anxiety over trade and tensions with the Middle East. This came a day following soft U.S. Inflation numbers. Germany's benchmark 10-year Bund yield for the Euro zone was almost 5 basis points lower, at 2,486%. It has pared some of its declines since it dipped to its lowest level since early May, at 2.469%. . Yields dropped around the globe on Wednesday, after data showed that U.S. consumer price increases were lower than expected in May due to cheaper petrol and a healthy appetite for U.S. Treasuries at auction. The bond rally on Thursday was supported by a global tone of risk-off after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that the United States will send letters outlining terms of trade agreements to dozens countries in one to two week, which they can accept or reject. Separately Trump stated that U.S. personnel was being relocated out of the Middle East "because it could be a very dangerous place". Stocks fell and safe haven currencies such as the Japanese yen, Swiss franc and other currencies rose. The U.S. Treasury yields continued to fall on Thursday after U.S. weekly claims for unemployment and producer prices data. They were also on course to reach a new low. The euro zone bonds barely responded to the fourth consecutive day of declines. U.S. data released on Thursday revealed that producer prices in May rose 2.6% from the previous year, which was in line with expectations. The analysts at J.P. Morgan warned clients that the Fed will be on high alert for the possibility of future tariffs being passed through to higher prices. We continue to watch for an increase in the consumer price to peak during summer months. Investors in Europe were watching European Central Bank speakers to determine if the rate cut last week was the final one in this cycle. This is despite the ECB's forecast that inflation will fall below the 2% target in 2019. Isabel Schnabel, ECB Executive Board member, said that the interest rates are in a good place because inflation will likely return to its target over the medium-term. Gediminas Simkus, a Lithuanian policymaker, said that interest rates could need to be further lowered this year due to the risk of undershoot. The markets are pricing in another rate cut for this year. The other euro zone bonds moved largely in line with benchmark. Italy's 10-year bond yield fell 4 basis points to 3.42%. Germany's two-year interest rate sensitive yield fell 3 basis points to 1.82%. (Reporting and editing by Alun Pasquini and Linda Pasquini, Kirsty Donovan, Maju Samuel and Kate Mayberry)
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Temasek, BlackRock, and MGX join forces to create AI infrastructure
According to BlackRock's Thursday investor day presentation, Temasek is part of a consortium backed Microsoft, BlackRock, and the tech investment company MGX, which aims to expand and invest in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Slides showed that the Singapore state investment firm has joined AI Infrastructure Partnership. This group also includes BlackRock Global Infrastructure Partners. AIP was formed in September, with the goal of investing more than $30 billion initially in AI-related project. It is one of world's biggest efforts to invest data centres and energy infrastructure needed to power AI apps such as ChatGPT. The aim is to mobilize up to 100 billion dollars, including debt financing, for these investments. They will be focused on the United States. Temasek joins AIP after Kuwait Investment Authority, which joined earlier in June. Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund was the first investor in the consortium who did not have a founding role. Other partners include Elon Musk, Nvidia, and xAI. Ravi Lambah is Temasek’s head of strategic Initiatives. In an email, he said: "Temasek’s investment in AI Infrastructure Partnership reflects Temasek’s focus on the major shifts and trends in the future." He added that "AI could be the most impactful and transformative technology for all businesses and sectors." Temasek has not disclosed financial details about the investment. According to its website, the global investment company's net portfolio had a value of S$389bn ($304bn) by March 31, 2024.
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White House reviews EPA's proposal for biofuel blend obligation
The proposal will impact the oil and biofuels industries as well as major lobbying power. Sources say that the EPA's proposal is expected to cover 2026-2027. Sources: White House is considering a plan to deal with the backlog of requests for refinery exemptions By Stephanie Kelly and Jarrett Renshaw NEW YORK - According to the Office of Management and Budget's website, the White House completed its review of a proposed rule regarding U.S. Biofuel Blending Obligations and has returned it to the Environmental Protection Agency to be further acted upon. Oil and biofuels industries, two major Washington lobbying forces, eagerly awaited the release of this proposal. It will be one of the very first decisions that the Trump administration will make regarding federal biofuel policies. This will provide insight as to whether or not President Donald Trump will support the biofuel industry during his tenure, which at times has been at odds against oil companies. According to U.S. laws, oil refiners are required to blend billions gallons worth of biofuels in the nation's fuel mixture, or purchase tradable credit from those who do. If they can show that the obligations would harm them, small refiners may be able to request exemptions. Previously reported, the EPA will release a proposal covering both 2026-2027. Participants in the industry will focus on proposed mandates to blend biomass-based diesel, because some felt that previous obligations were not high enough. The American Petroleum Institute, a U.S. biofuels coalition, has urged the EPA to propose federal mandates of 5.25 billion gallons for biomass diesel blending in 2026. This would be a significant rise from previous mandates. The coalition, which brought together some oil and biofuels groups in an historically unprecedented move, recommended that the total federal mandate for biofuel blend mandates be 25 billion gallons by 2026. The EPA has set biomass-based fuel mandates at 3.35 billion gallons for 2025. The industry is also waiting for an indication of how the EPA plans to address the outstanding requests by small refineries seeking exemptions from the mandates. Sources have previously stated that the White House is considering a plan to reduce a backlog of requests. This could include approving current applications and asking for input from industry on older ones. There are currently more than 160 requests for exemptions, which could be worth billions of dollars in tradable credit. (Reporting and editing by Margueritachoy, Jarrett Renshaw and Stephanie Kelly)
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The EU's leading legislator on sustainability laws suggests more cuts
The European Union needs to further reduce the number of businesses subject to its corporate sustainability and environmental rules, said the European Parliament Member leading the negotiations on these policies on Thursday. The European Commission announced in February a "simplification package" that would allow European companies to compete more effectively with their foreign competitors by reducing the reporting requirements and obligations for sustainability. According to Swedish center-right legislator Jorgen Warborn who has proposed amendments that would further scale back laws to cover only companies with at least 3,000 employees and a turnover of over 450 millions euros ($521million) he believes these proposals do not go far. The Commission's proposal would exempt all companies with less than 1,000 employees. This is already a significant cut of more than 80% from the approximately 50,000 companies that are currently covered by green reporting regulations. Around 6,000 companies in the EU have more than 1,000 workers. "Europe has fallen behind the U.S.A. and China in global competition for competitiveness. "I'm going into this process with an ambition that is clear: I want to reduce costs for business and go beyond the Commission in terms of simplification," Warborn stated on Thursday. The European Parliament will then negotiate his draft proposal, where other legislators can offer their own amendments. In the next few months, the Parliament will reach an agreement with EU members on the final changes. Warborn is a member of a group of lawmakers from the European People's Party, which leans centre-right. Some right-wingers want to abolish the policies completely, while Socialists and Greens are pledging to keep them. Both the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the French President Emmanuel Macron have demanded that the EU abolish the supply chain legislation. Investors and activists have reacted negatively to the move back on ESG regulations. They claim that it undermines corporate accountability, and makes it harder for the bloc to attract investments in order to meet climate goals. Warborn says his changes won't weaken Europe’s sustainability standards but will instead free up resources for companies to invest in innovation. ($1 = 0.8633 euro) (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier; Kate Abnett)
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US CPC expects ENSO neutral weather conditions in June and August.
The United States Climate Prediction Center announced on Thursday that El Nino-Southern Oscillation neutral conditions will be likely in summer 2025 in the Northern Hemisphere, with an 82% chance of occurring in June-August. ENSO neutral conditions could continue into winter 2025-2026. However, confidence is lower. There's a 48% chance for neutral, and a 41% chance for La Nina. Why it's important La Nina is a part of El Nino-Southern Oscillation, a climatic cycle that affects the water temperatures in central and eastern Pacific Ocean. La Nina causes cooler water temperatures which increases the risk of droughts and floods. This can have an impact on crops. When ENSO neutral, water temperature stays around average, leading to better weather and possibly higher crop yields. CONTEXT The Japanese weather bureau stated on Tuesday that there is a 60% probability of normal weather conditions continuing into autumn. The National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast above-normal activity for hurricanes in the Atlantic basin during the 2025 season. KEY QUOTES "While ENSO neutrality will have some benefits, the crops will not produce as much as they would under a La Nina setup," Tyler Roys, Senior Forecaster, Lead European at AccuWeather. While the United States has seen a good amount of rainfall in spring, any dry spells that occur in conjunction with high temperatures in July and August could ruin what would otherwise be a great crop year. (Reporting by Anushree Mukherjee in Bengaluru)
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Rate-cuts and geopolitical risk are driving gold to a one-week high.
Gold prices reached a new high on Thursday. The trend was fueled by the simmering Middle East tensions, and cooler U.S. data which fueled fresh bets about Federal Reserve rate reductions. Spot gold rose 0.9% to $3,383.79 per ounce at 0930 ET (1330 GMT), the highest level since June 5. U.S. Gold Futures rose 1.8% to $3404.60. Gold is up for a second day in a row, largely due to increased geopolitical risk. "If gold clears the $3,400 mark again, there are minor hurdles of $3,417 or $3,431 -- but ultimately, a breakout towards new all-time records looks likely," said Peter Grant. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said that the U.S. is moving personnel from the Middle East as it "could become a dangerous area". Aziz Nasirzadeh, the Iranian defence minister, said that on Wednesday if Iran were to be subjected by strikes they would retaliate against U.S. bases located in the area. In other data, U.S. producer price increases were less than expected for May. The number of Americans who filed new claims for unemployment benefits remained unchanged last week at higher levels as the labour market continued to gradually ease. The traders see 80% of a Fed rate cut in September, and a second cut as early as October. This is compared to the December rate cut that was expected before data. The latest data followed Wednesday's cooler-than-anticipated Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for May. Trump stated on Wednesday that he was willing to extend the deadline of July 8 for concluding trade negotiations with other countries before U.S. higher tariffs go into effect. However, he did not think this would be necessary. Spot silver fell 0.2% to $36.14 an ounce, after reaching its highest level since 2012. Grant stated that silver is poised to reach $40 if it surpasses the current $38 level, thanks to a long-term supply deficit as well as renewed technical strength. Palladium dropped 3.1%, to $1046.50, as platinum remained at its four-year-high. Ashitha Shivprasad in Bengaluru and Sarah Qureshi report.
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Indonesia invites foreign investors to invest in seawall worth $80 billion that will protect the coasts against flooding
The President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, announced on Thursday that foreign investors were invited to invest in Indonesia's plan for a seawall of hundreds of kilometers to prevent flooding along the north coast Java island. The project builds on a plan from 2014 by the government of Jakarta to protect the city against rising sea levels and subsidence which have caused frequent floods along the north Java coastline. Prabowo announced that he will form an agency for the project to build a giant seawall stretching from Banten province to East Java, which could take up to 20 years to finish. Officials have stated that the wall will be approximately 700 km (435 miles). In a speech delivered at a infrastructure event, Prabowo stated that the giant seawall along the north Java coast is one of the most important infrastructure projects. He said that "(sea) water has threatened the lives and livelihoods of our people", citing several towns in central Java. According to Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency, sea levels on Indonesian coastlines increased by an average of 4,25 millimetres per year from 1992 to 2024. However, the rate accelerated recently due to climate changes. Prabowo stated that he invited countries like China and Japan to invest, but did not elaborate. Experts claim that Jakarta is sinking because of excessive groundwater extraction, which has led the central government's plan to move its capital to the jungles on Borneo Island. (Reporting and editing by Mark Heinrich; Stanley Widianto)
South African macadamia growers look to new markets following US tariff shock
Gene Likhanya, who built his macadamia-nut farm in South Africa's Madimbo Valley over the past two decades with his personal savings, is now facing a new challenge due to U.S. tariffs on imports. This has forced him to find other markets.
South Africa is the top producer of macadamia nut, which is known for its distinctive buttery flavor and is coveted by many for their perceived health benefits. The U.S. ranks second behind China as the largest market for the nuts.
Likhanya is ambitious for his business, which he has grown to 78 employees and has produced just 25 tonnes of nuts in the past year. He wants to triple production over the next 4 years.
However, President Donald Trump’s desire to increase tariffs may disrupt this.
Likhanya and other macadamia nuts farmers are already searching for alternative markets.
I feel there is so much more that we can do to explore international markets. We are talking to certain markets. "We're talking with India," Likhanya told an interviewer at his farm.
India has a population of 1.5 billion who are also interested in macadamia. There's always a plan B.
Other South African farmer associations have warned about the potential destruction caused by U.S. Tariffs. Citrus growers whose $100 million annual exports into the U.S. could be affected by tariffs.
Likhanya is a member of the board at Macadamias South Africa. The main industry body representing growers. She described the tariff standoff as "loss-lose" and expressed hope that it could be resolved.
"America imports kernels which are further processed by them. These (processing jobs) are under threat. It's either a win-win situation or a lose-lose one, and I don't want to be in that kind of situation," he said.
(source: Reuters)