Sweden

As early quarter results show businesses adapting to President Donald Trump's new tariffs, the outlook for European corporate health is slightly better, according to the latest earnings estimates released on Tuesday. According to data from LSEG, European companies will report an average growth of 0.4% for their third quarter earnings. This is higher than the 0.2% analysts expected just a week earlier. This would still be the lowest quarterly performance since the beginning of 2024. Early Results Beat Analyst Expectations So far, 96 companies in the index have reported their earnings. Of these, 56.3% exceeded analyst expectations. Volvo Cars is...

On Wednesday, the United States imposed sanctions on Russia's largest oil companies and accused Russia of not being committed to ending the conflict in Ukraine. This was as Moscow carried out a large-scale nuclear weapons training exercise. New sanctions were announced one day after the collapse of plans for a meeting between U.S. president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin. Trump told reporters that he cancelled the summit because "it just didn't feel right." The U.S. Treasury Department stated that Russia's largest oil companies Rosneft, and Lukoil were targeted to hinder Moscow's ability fund its war machine. This was...

The Economic Crime Authority reported that nine Swedish people were arrested on Tuesday, suspected of insider trading on the stock exchange in 2024 or 2025 before the publication of takeover bids for two companies listed at the Stockholm Stock Exchange. A spokesperson for the agency said that the suspected insider trading was made on shares of Tethys Oil which was acquired in September last year and Fortnox which was purchased after an offer was made in March of this year. According to the agency, several people with common connections traded large amounts in a coordinated way based on information that...

Reliance Industries announced on Friday that its retail arm had purchased the Kelvinator Brand in India from Sweden’s Electrolux. The Mukesh Ambani led group is now a stronger player in the rapidly growing consumer durables market. Reliance Retail is expanding its private-label product portfolio, as well as its footprint, in the home appliances and electronics segment, which has seen a boom due to urbanisation and rising incomes. Reliance Digital operates stores that sell everything from washing machines to refrigerators and washing machines, as well as smartphones and laptops. Since 2019, the company has sold Kelvinator refrigerators, air conditioning units and...

The UK stock market is finally reversing its years-long underperformance compared to the rest of Europe. This comes as a result of a UK/U.S. A trade agreement, a softer regulatory environment and cheap stocks are delivering juicy returns which are beginning to attract foreign investors. The FTSE 100 is up nearly 10% in the last year, and has reached record highs, surpassing the STOXX 600 which is up 7.5%. London's blue chip index performed better on a year to date basis than its European counterpart in the last six week, the longest stretch of its kind since the end of...

Travel stocks led the UK's midcaps on Tuesday as investors were encouraged by signs of eased tensions in Middle East, and a positive forecast from Carnival Cruise Lines. The domestically oriented FTSE 250 rose 1%, reaching a record high of more than a week. Carnival's UK listed shares rose 11.8%, outpacing gains in the midcap index. raised Its annual profit forecast was higher than expected and it beat the second-quarter earnings estimate. The FTSE 350 Travel & Leisure index rose 3.6% after U.S. president Donald Trump announced Israel and Iran reached a 12-day-old ceasefire. Both sides accuse each other Violations...

Daimler Trucks is building up inventory to address supply problems linked to Chinese export restrictions. Daimler Trucks says it has learned lessons from the chip crisis. Recent export regulations in China are causing concern for the automotive industry. They fear that this will affect supply of rare Earths which is needed to make magnets. Exporters are required to apply for new licenses since April. These licences are being granted slowly. China is the dominant market for raw materials used in various components, from electric motors to the window mechanisms of cars and trucks. Karin Radstrom, CEO of Daimler Truck, told...

AB Volvo, a European truckmaker rival, and Daimler Truck, a European truck manufacturer, hope to reduce costs and rely less on suppliers through collaborating on implementing a software defined vehicle program. Like automakers, truck and fleet manufacturers are racing to create vehicles with advanced technology while also battling the need to cut costs. Daimler-Volvo's new venture, Coretura, aims to reduce this dependence by developing a software defined vehicle platform. Daimler Trucks CEO Karin Radstrom said that the companies were looking to create a "standard industry". Radstrom stated that they are looking to see how to move away from the current...

The sudden departure of Luca de Meo as CEO of Renault has sparked a search for a successor. Analysts have mentioned longtime insider Denis Le Vot, and Maxime Picat from Stellantis rival as candidates to continue the French carmaker's turnaround. Investors worried about Renault's future with de Meo gone, pushed the shares down by up to 8%. This was the biggest percentage drop in a single day since February 2022. Kering shares, where de Meo will be CEO, rose. Picat, the head of global procurement and supply chains for Stellantis, was in the running to be the CEO at the...

Court filings show that a Russian court postponed the legal proceedings in a $2.9 Billion lawsuit brought by Rosatom, Russia's nuclear energy company, against Finland's Fortum & Outokumpu by over nine months. In May, documents filed in court and a Rosatom press release revealed that the state-controlled nuclear energy company Rosatom was seeking compensation of 227.8 billion Russian roubles (about $2.9 billion) for the termination of the contract for the Hanhikivi-1 Nuclear Power Plant in Finland. Court documents, which did not provide any further information, showed that the hearing at the Moscow City Arbitration Court scheduled for Wednesday morning has...

The ethics watchdog of Norway's $1.9 trillion fund is reviewing the practice by Israeli banks to underwrite Israeli settlers' commitments to build houses in the occupied West Bank. This review could lead up $500 million in divestments. The Council on Ethics (a public body established by the Ministry of Finance) has decided to not object to the Fund’s investments in platforms like Airbnb, which offer rentals in Jewish settlements. The Norwegian parliament has set ethical guidelines for the companies in the portfolios of the largest wealth fund in the world. Svein Brandtzaeg, the Council's head in an interview on May...

Hazeltree, a data and technology firm, said that shortsellers had targeted a broader range of equity sectors before President Donald Trump announced his "Liberation Day", or April 2, tariff announcement. They also raised negative bets against a group of large tech stocks. Super Micro Computer was the most popular security. It knocked oil and gas producer Chevron from the top spot it held for two months. Prior to this, tech stocks dominated the top 10 list of most-shorted U.S. Large Caps. Hazeltree reported that only five of the top 10 stocks most shorted in March were tech shares, compared to...

The UK's FTSE 100 remained flat on Wednesday, as the losses of heavyweight banks were countered by gains in energy shares. Investors are now focusing on a Bank of England rate decision this week and on more corporate earnings. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index remained flat at 9712.2 by 1126 GMT. The rise in crude oil prices led to a 0.3% increase for heavyweight oil and gas companies. Standard Chartered, Barclays and other banks trimmed gains in the broader index. Personal goods were the leading gainers with a 1.6% increase. Precious metal miner's fell 2%. The Bank of England will...

SSAB, a Swedish steelmaker, reported a higher-than-expected rise in its operating profit for the third quarter on Wednesday. This was despite a cautious atmosphere on the European steel markets and the limited impact of U.S. steel tariffs. Operating earnings increased to 1.87 billion Swedish Crowns ($198.61m) from 1.25 billion crowns in the period July-September, compared with 1.25 billion crowns one year ago. A consensus poll by SSAB revealed that analysts were expecting an average of 1.75 billion Swedish crowns. SSAB's US sales are largely based on local production, limiting the impact of President Donald Trump's new import duties. CEO Johnny...

Sandvik, a Swedish company, reported on Monday a lower-than-expected decline in its core profit for the third quarter. However orders increased due to strong demand for mining equipment. In a statement, CEO Stefan Widing stated that Sandvik successfully mitigated tariffs by implementing surcharges in the third quarter. This strategy was repeated from the previous three month. He added that currency headwinds had a negative impact on the company's earnings margin. The company's shares, which are often viewed as an indicator of industrial demand due to the wide customer base it has and its short lead time for orders, rose 3.3%...

Two sources have confirmed that blasting will begin on the Loulo underground mine of Barrick Mining in Mali, four months after a provisional court-appointed administration was given control. The Loulo-Gounkoto Gold Complex has been operating under a provisional administration since the beginning of the year, but only to the extent that it transports ore to the plant to be processed. One source said that the provisional administrators planned to resume mining operations in September but they delayed the date because of negotiations with subcontractors. Some of them had not been paid after Barrick suspended its operations in January. UNPAID BILLS...

Investors worried about the health of the British economic system prompted a rebound in UK shares on Wednesday, after the session before had seen the worst day for nearly five months. Both the blue-chip FTSE 100 index and the domestically focused midcap index closed at 0.7%. Investors' anxiety over the UK's ability get its finances in order led to a lower closing of the stock market on Tuesday. In Tuesday's session, the yield on 30-year gilts rose to its highest level since 1998. Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, told a hearing of a committee that it is...

SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, an online platform for real estate and auto sales, announced on Tuesday its intention to float. This is a sign that the European IPO market has been reviving after a long period of stagnation. TX Group owns 30.7% of SMG. TX Group stated that the timing of its planned IPO is dependent on market conditions. Further information will be provided in due time. The company did not specify how many shares will be offered in the floatation, but stated that it has no intention of selling any of its stock. TX Group said that it was...

The top U.S. economic officials and Chinese representatives will resume their talks on Monday in Stockholm to address long-standing economic disputes that are at the heart of a trade conflict between the two largest economies. They hope to extend the truce for three months while preventing tariff increases. China faces an August 12 deadline for a lasting tariff agreement with the Trump administration. Beijing and Washington had reached preliminary agreements in May and early June to end weeks' worth of escalating tariffs, and to stop the cutoff of rare-earth minerals. If there is no agreement, the global supply chain could...

The top U.S. economic officials and Chinese economic officials are scheduled to resume their talks on Monday in Stockholm to address long-standing economic disputes that have been at the heart of the trade war between two of the world's largest economies. They hope to extend the truce for three months while preventing tariffs from rising sharply. China faces a deadline of August 12 to reach a lasting tariff agreement with the administration of President Donald Trump. Beijing and Washington had reached preliminary agreements in May and early June to put an end to weeks of escalating tariffs, including a ban...

The European Union found that it did not have the leverage it needed to force Donald Trump's America to agree to a trade agreement on their terms. So, it signed a deal which it could just about stomach. The agreement reached on Sunday on a 15% tariff blanket after months of standoff is a reality-check on the aspirations for the European Union, a 27-country bloc of countries, to become a power economic able to compete with the United States and China. The cold shower feels all the more refreshing, given that for years the EU has portrayed itself to be...

In their most recent earnings reports, some of the top technology firms in the world, such as U.S.-based Alphabet and South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix, as well Indian IT services provider Infosys have given upbeat guidance, despite an uncertain U.S. Trade Policy. The erratic U.S. Trade Action has overshadowed corporate operations, upending supply chains and leaving firms to navigate fluctuating tariffs. This is on top of other economic uncertainties like regulatory changes and currency fluctuations. Alphabet, SK Hynix, and Infosys, all of which reported earnings above market expectations, predicted a brighter future. Alphabet and SK Hynix have both announced plans...

The trade war between the United States and Japan, which has impacted businesses from chip makers to steel producers, caused a downturn in results. However, Japan's agreement lifted stocks as well as hopes that Europe could reach a similar deal. Investors cheered the news of a new trade agreement between Japan and the United States, which will lower tariffs on auto imports while sparing Tokyo from new taxes on other goods. This news sparked hopes of a deal being reached with the European Union before the Trump administration's August 1 deadline. Results from Texas Instruments, SSAB, and other steelmakers showed...

Mikael Stafas, Chief Executive Officer of Boliden's Swedish subsidiary, said in an exclusive interview with the newspaper on Friday that Boliden will resume dividends. He said that the copper and zinc producer has committed to its dividend distribution policy, and will continue to do so until 1/3 of its profit is distributed to shareholders. This was after Lundin Mining acquired the Somincor mines and Zinkgruvan from Lundin Mining. Staffas stated that "even though we had good cash flow this quarter, I believe most people expected the balance sheet to be much stronger after the acquisition." Boliden has not yet been...