Netherlands

Nextwind, an European renewable energy provider said that on Tuesday it had secured debt financing of 1.4 billion euro ($1.6 billion) for the expansion a German wind energy project. This deal allows the Berlin-based company to raise an additional 1.3 billion euro in the next five year if it meets its capacity targets. The financing is the largest ever by an independent German wind energy company. According to a source familiar with the deal, Deutsche Bank, ING Bank, and LBBW participated in the financing as well as acting as underwriters. Nextwind has stated that it plans to increase the total...

This week, MyWheels, a Dutch car-sharing company will add the first 500 Renault EVs that are grid-connected to its fleet. The technology is gaining traction in Europe and the number of cars capable of strengthening power grids has increased. The Vehicle-to Grid technology (V2G) allows electric cars to store energy and deliver it to the grid during times of high demand. It has been around for several years, but it was only recently that the technology became commercially viable. This was due to smart charging and batteries capable of sustaining intensive use. MyWheels' roll-out will be the biggest V2G car...

After a 60.59 billion pound ($45 billion) state-funded investment at the height the financial crisis in 2008, NatWest is now fully private. This ends a costly taxpayer-funded investment which reshaped both the lender and the industry. The British government has sold the remaining 1% of its bank shares, according to an announcement by the Treasury on Friday. It had previously sold small blocks over recent years. It held up to 38% as recently as December 20,23. In a press release, Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated that "nearly 20 years ago, the government intervened to protect millions and businesses from the...

A person familiar with the proceedings said that the Norwegian parliament is set to reject the campaigners' call to instruct its $1.8 trillion fund to boycott companies selling products or services in the occupied Palestinian Territories. The person stated that a majority of the finance committee in the Norwegian Parliament decided to exclude from the fund only those companies which can be connected with the violation international law, and not simply any company that has a presence in such areas. The International Court of Justice ruled last year that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory was illegal, and that it should...

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has been resolving a dispute between Gabon and Equatorial Guinea for decades, ruled Monday that Equatorial Guinea had a claim on a group of small islands located in waters potentially rich in oil in the Gulf of Guinea. The ICJ (also known as the World Court) sided with Equatorial Guinea in its final and binding decision. It said that its claim to the islands based upon a 1900 agreement dividing French and Spanish colonial properties in West Africa, should be respected. The court ruled that a 1974 accord on which Gabon had based...

Donald Trump, the U.S. president, concluded his Gulf tour Friday after securing what the White House claims is more than $2 trillion in combined deals for the U.S. It is not clear how that number was arrived at. A total of $700 billion is calculated by adding up all the deals that were announced. Deal inflation is common on major visits, even for a president who prides himself in being an expert at making deals. The trip included large orders for Boeing planes, contracts to purchase U.S. defense equipment, agreements on data and technology, and other contracts. Experts in finance...

In the face of U.S. competitors, two of Europe's largest stock exchange operators have stepped up their efforts to keep local initial public offering companies. Marketing and research are challenging the perception that New York listed companies command higher valuations. The stock exchanges of Europe and the UK were hit by a lack of IPOs during the last two years. A number of local companies have chosen to float in the U.S. because of its larger pools of capital, and higher valuations. Deutsche Boerse (which operates the Frankfurt Stock Exchange) warns of sluggish post IPO performance, increased costs, and the...

In the face of U.S. competitors, two of Europe's largest stock exchange operators have stepped up their efforts to keep local IPOs. Marketing and research are challenging the perception that New York listed companies command higher valuations. The stock exchanges of Europe and the UK were hit by a lack of IPOs during the last two years. A number of local companies have chosen to float in the U.S. because of its larger pools of capital, and higher valuations. Deutsche Boerse (which operates the Frankfurt Stock Exchange) warns of sluggish post IPO performance, increased costs, and the threat litigation for...

As part of a broader tax reform bill, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives proposed Monday to kill the electric vehicle credit and repeal fuel efficiency regulations designed to encourage automakers to build more zero-emission cars. The proposal is scheduled for a House Ways and Means Committee Hearing on Tuesday. It would repeal the $7,500 tax credit for new vehicles and the $4,000 credit for used vehicles on December 31, but it would keep the credit for new cars for an extra year for automakers who haven't sold 200,000 electric cars. Genevieve Cullen - the president of the Electric...

A U.S. court of appeals ruled Thursday that Citigroup will have to face a lawsuit alleging it caused over $1 billion in losses by orchestrating a fraud at the Mexican oil and gas service company Oceanografia. Three judges of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Miami said that 30 Oceanografia vendors, creditors and bondholders adequately alleged that Citigroup substantially aided the fraud. A lower court judge erred by dismissing this nine-year-old case. Circuit Court of Appeals, Miami, said that 30 Oceanografia vendors and creditors, as well as bondholders, adequately alleged Citigroup's involvement in the fraud. A lower court...

Covestro, a German chemical company, cut its core profit forecast for 2025 on Tuesday and announced that it would continue to produce in the same area as it sells. This is because higher U.S. import tariffs are threatening the earnings of the chemical manufacturer. The company has narrowed its range of expected earnings before interest tax, depreciation, and amortization for 2025 to 1 billion to 14 billion euros ($1.13b to $1.59b). The company had forecasted EBITDA to be in the range of 1.0-1.6billion euros. Covestro and LyondellBasell announced that they had both permanently closed their Propylene Oxide Styrene Monomer production...

The International Court of Justice dismissed Sudan's claim that the United Arab Emirates were fueling genocide by supplying arms to paramilitary groups in Darfur, saying they lacked jurisdiction. Sudan complained to the U.N.'s highest court that the UAE violated the Genocide Convention in Darfur by supporting paramilitary groups, but the UAE said it should be dismissed. The court agreed with the UAE arguments on Monday, rejected Sudan's demand for emergency measures, and ordered that the case be removed. A summary of the ruling stated that due to the lack jurisdiction, "the court's statute prohibits it from taking any positions on...

Chinese rare earth magnets are now flowing into the automotive supply chain, reducing the threat of mass closures. However, automakers and suppliers still say that production plans face uncertainty and there is a risk of shortages. Nils Poel is the head of market affairs for supplier association CLEPA. He said that European suppliers received enough licenses to prevent widespread disruptions earlier this month. However, hundreds of permits are still pending. He said that the rate of issuance has "accelerated" from 25% to 60%, but in cases where end users are located in the United States or products are transported through...

Tesla's European new car sales fell by 27.9% from a year ago in May, even though sales of fully-electric vehicles in the region jumped by 27.2%. The revised Model Y has yet to show any signs of reviving Tesla's fortunes. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association's (ACEA) data showed that overall car sales in Europe increased by 1.9%. Plug-in hybrids grew the most, followed by cars using alternative fuels. Why it's important Tesla's European Sales have fallen for the fifth consecutive month as customers opt for cheaper Chinese EVs, and in some cases protest against Elon Musk. Tesla's European Market Share...

Tesla's European new car sales fell by 27.9% from a year ago in May, even though sales of fully-electric vehicles in the region grew by 27.2%. The revised Model Y has yet to show any signs of reviving Tesla's fortunes. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association's (ACEA) data showed that overall car sales in Europe increased by 1.9%. Plug-in hybrids and alternative fuel cars saw the biggest growth. Why it's important Tesla's European Sales have fallen for the fifth consecutive month as customers opt for cheaper Chinese EVs, and in some cases protest against Elon Musk. Tesla's European Market Share dropped...

Andy Russick sells cans of fruit and tomatoes to major U.S. supermarkets, such as Kroger, and hospitals and schools. He shares the stated goal behind U.S. president Donald Trump's war on trade - combating cheap Chinese imports. When U.S. tariffs were doubled on steel and aluminum imports to 50%, on June 4, Andy Russick's company, Pacific Coast Producers, was collateral damage. Since 2017, Chinese fruit cocktail, vegetables, and other canned food imports from Southeast Asia and Europe are flooding U.S. grocery shelves, undercutting comparable products made in the United States. Russick stated that this trend will accelerate due to the...

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or even individual stocks. ArcelorMittal ArcelorMittal, a German steelmaker, has dropped plans to convert its two plants to carbon-neutral production due to the high energy targets set by Germany. Eutelsat After a capital increase of 1.35 billion euros, the French state will be Eutelsat's largest shareholder. The aim is to make it more competitive with Elon Musk and Starlink. LightOn LightOn has been selected by Ariane Group’s Sodern on Thursday to industrialise AI generative within a safe framework. PostNL Dutch parcel delivery company PostNL...

Argentex announced on Monday that it had rejected a proposal by Lavide Holding NV, based in the Netherlands, to acquire a 50% stake of the British currency risk management company for 2.5 million pounds (3.39 million dollars) and a possible provision of a credit line up to 15 million pounds. The British company refused the proposal because it did not cover the entire share capital or provide sufficient funding compared with an agreement made with IFX Payments. According to LSEG, Lavide has a current market capitalisation worth 3 million euros. Argentex experienced a near-total collapse of value after it halted...

A group of auto suppliers from the United States has called for immediate action in response to China's restrictions on rare earths and minerals, as well as magnets. They warn that the issue can quickly disrupt auto part production. China, which controls 90% of the global processing capacity for rare Earths, used in everything from cars and fighter jets, to home appliances and household appliances, implemented restrictions in April, requiring exporters obtain licenses from Beijing. The new restrictions were imposed after the U.S. and China began a trade dispute following President Donald Trump's tariffs against Chinese imports. The Vehicle Suppliers...

The tariffs imposed by Donald Trump since his inauguration on January 20, 2017 have sent shockwaves through financial markets, and uncertainty has spread throughout the global economy. This timeline shows the major events: Trump imposes tariffs of 25% on Mexican imports, 10% on Chinese goods and most Canadian imports from February 1. He demands that they reduce the flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl into the United States. Trump agrees to a 30-day suspension of his tariff threat against Mexico and Canada in exchange for concessions made on border security and criminal enforcement. The U.S. doesn't reach a similar deal...

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated on Monday that, he believes the alliance will agree to an overall defence spending target at 5% of their gross domestic product when they meet in The Hague for a summit next month. Rutte, speaking at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Dayton, said: "I expect that we will reach an agreement in The Hague on a target for a high defense spending of 5%." He added: "Let's assume that 5% of the total hard spending is a target. I won't say how it breaks down, but the amount will be north of 3%....

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or even individual stocks. ARCELORMITTAL Bloomberg News, citing an individual familiar with the deal, reported that Aditya Mittal is the CEO of the steelmaker and will invest $1 billion into a group buyout of the Boston Celtics. EURONEXT It announced on Thursday that the stock exchange operator had placed convertible bonds until 2032, totaling 425 million euro ($481.14million), at a fixed coupon of 1.5% annually. The group of real estate investors announced Thursday that it had completed an bond buyback totaling 265 million euro....

Ford Motors suspended its annual guidance Monday due to uncertainty surrounding U.S. president Donald Trump's new tariffs. The company said the levies could cost it about $1.5 billion before taxes and interest in adjusted earnings. The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker forecasted earnings before taxes, interest, and other expenses of between $7.0 billion and $8.5 billion by 2025. This forecast does not include tariffs. Ford's Chief Financial Officer Sherry house said that the company is on track to achieve this guidance, even if tariffs are not a factor. House stated, "We focus on managing what we can control." Ford executives have said...

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association's (ACEA) data, Tesla new car sales in Europe fell 28.2% from a month earlier. However, overall sales of battery-electric vehicles rose 23.6% during the same period. The data shows that total new car sales in Europe increased 2.8% during the month. This was boosted by double-digit increases in Britain and Spain. Why it's Important Tesla's drop in sales in Europe is a sign that some drivers are turning away from Elon Musk's brand of electric cars as the competition with China increases and others protest his political views. While European carmakers also face...