Western Europe

Wild swings in stock prices could indicate a market that is in its final stages of a speculative frenzy. Wall Street's fear gauge is dozing. It may take some good news to get it moving again. The AI boom is accelerating and attracting more and more tech and chip names from around the world. Even companies with a market cap of more than $200 billion have seen a 20% to 30% one-day increase. Dell's stock soared by 32% after its disastrous results on Friday. Hewlett Packard Enterprise soared 28% Tuesday after its own earnings report. Marvell Technology gained 25 percent...

El Nino could cause cocoa prices to rise by several thousand pounds per metric tonne, according to the chief executive of Barry Callebaut, one of 'the world's leading cocoa processors. El Nino, an 'climatic pattern that can increase temperatures and increase risk of extreme weather conditions, could reduce the yields of crops, including cocoa. This would limit supply and push up prices. Hein Schumacher, CEO of Hein Schumacher, said in a press conference that the prices shouldn't jump as much as they did over the past couple of years. London cocoa futures are trading at PS2,944 per ton ($3,964), down...

The Russian President Vladimir Putin will host his fifth conference on wartime economics in St. Petersburg. His government is struggling to find a growth strategy, as the?Ukrainian attacks on the economy are hitting the economy. Businesses also see no end to this war. The $3 trillion economy of Russia, which is heavily dependent on commodities, shrank to 0.2% growth in the first quarter 2026 from 4.9% in 2024. Officials blamed high interest rates, Western sanctions and a strong ruble. The growth rate is expected to be a modest 0.4% in 2018. The Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries, fertiliser factories...

Jarle Roth, a member of the board at Equinor's Norwegian oil group, was voted by its nomination committee as the?new chairman after Jon Erik Reinhardsen announced his decision to step down. Reinhardsen has been the chairman of the board since nearly a decade. He has overseen a push to expand into low-carbon and renewable businesses. This expansion has slowed down in recent years due to rising costs, concerns about energy security and U.S. headwinds. Equinor issued a statement in which it said that Jon Erik Reinhardsen - who has been the chair of the Board since 2017 - would like...

Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, said at the annual general meeting held on Friday that French citizens prefer to have energy companies 'cap fuel prices' at the pump rather than pay a tax on superprofits. He was answering a climate NGO's representative who asked if?the company could do more to help ease the price shocks for consumers. TotalEnergies has been criticized for its massive profits from oil price spikes caused by the war in Iran. French politicians are pushing for a tax on the company to help lower prices. Pouyanne claimed that a survey had revealed that French...

Jeffrey Schmid, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said that the already high levels of inflation make it difficult to assume that the current energy shock will only have a temporary effect on prices and can be ignored. "My main concern is the inflation which has been too high and above target for a long time," Schmid stated in a text of a talk to be given before a conference held in Iceland. I place little weight on the assumption that the recent rise in prices will be temporary within a reasonable time frame. As such, "my...

VCI, the German chemicals lobby, said on Friday that the first-quarter production, sales, and prices all fell. The sector is also facing a lack of optimism due to the 'increase in energy, raw materials, and transportation costs linked to the Iran war. Chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, saw a 6% decline in production figures for the quarter. VCI reported that producer prices dropped by 1%, and sales fell 5.4% compared to a year earlier. Third-largest industrial sector in Europe's economic powerhouse, Germany, can be seen to be a barometer for the region's economy. It produces components that are used across industries ranging...

EU foreign ministers warned on Thursday that Russia would not be able to choose who represented Europe in any future talks with Moscow about Ukraine. The bloc's chief of foreign policy also said that Moscow showed no real interest for peace. The?ministers? met informally on Cyprus to discuss their strategy towards Russia, as Kyiv calls for greater European involvement in order to end the conflict while the U.S. is focused on the Iran crisis. The Kremlin told the RIA News Agency on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to talks with Europe. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has...

France has written a U.N. Security Council Resolution on setting up a international mission to restore?movement?in Strait of Hormuz?and You could submit it, if The conditions are "right",?the Foreign Ministry said on Friday as Washington struggled to put to a vote an anti-Tehran text that Russia and China might claim is biased. The control of the narrow waterway is a major obstacle to ending the U.S.-Iran conflict, which has lasted for three months. It's a vital artery in the global energy trade, and its virtual closure caused oil prices to skyrocket. The U.S. and Bahraini resolutions on the strait have...

The rise in borrowing costs and the artificial intelligence investment frenzy are closely related. A long-term productivity boom is boosting estimates of neutral rates, even though workers' share of GDP is declining. Some of the bond market volatility this month can be attributed to the Iran-related oil crisis and its immediate inflation impact. Stock markets are at record highs, but it's harder to explain them during an energy crisis. Goldman Sachs estimates that AI?capex will be $7.6 trillion in the next five-year period. This is the biggest driver for both bonds and stocks. Some circles remain opposed to the idea....

Data exclusively shared with shows that demand for electric vehicles has risen in Europe as fuel prices linked to the 'Iran War' have pushed sales of second-hand and new EVs. This is a boost for the auto industry. While?sales for fully electric cars in Europe are expected to grow 30% by 2025, the adoption of EVs on the continent is still behind industry expectations. 'Carmakers - from Fiat-owned Stellantis to Volkswagen, who had invested heavily to meet the expectation of a much higher EV market, have booked multi-billion dollar charges in the past year to cover asset writedowns. The rise...

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on allies on Tuesday to disrupt Iran's.financing network and said that the Treasury would clear its outdated sanctions list to.make it easier for the financial institutions to.root out the most sophisticated terrorist funding schemes. Bessent said that after the G7 finance leaders met at Paris, participants in an anti-terrorism funding conference should "stand in full measure with us" against Iran. Bessent stated that "this will require our European partners, for example to join the United States by taking action against Iran, including by designating its financiers and unmasking their shell and front company, closing its...

Steel industry association 'Eurofer' said that EU steel exports have dropped by 34% to the U.S. since Washington raised tariffs from 25% to 50%. Higher duties on derivatives such as motorbikes and washing machines also hit European demand. Steel exports into the U.S. have fallen to 1,94 million metric tonnes in the last three quarters, since the Trump Administration doubled import tariffs for steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% a year earlier. Eurofer reported that in 2025 European Union producers will export 3.4 million tons of products to the United States, up from 4.1 million in 2024 and 4.7...

At a Wednesday briefing, a German government official said that a window of 'dialogue' is opening slowly between Russia and Europe on Ukraine. However, it will likely be months before any talks can begin. The official who requested anonymity said that it was important to create a dialogue format that Europeans would perceive as legitimate. The official also said that it was unclear who would lead these talks. However, there were strong indications that the E3 Group (Germany, France, and Britain) will continue to play a significant role in this regard. The Russian advance has slowed down this year. Ukrainian...

The Finnish?elevator manufacturer Kone announced on Wednesday that its shareholders had approved the planned $34 billion purchase of German rival TK Elevator. This will create the largest lift group in the world. LSEG data shows that the deal announced with Advent International and Cinven in April is one of Europe's?"biggest takeovers" in recent years, and it is also the largest private equity sale in Europe since records began in 1980. Kone said shareholders who controlled 74% of the voting power pre-committed themselves to support the deal. After the shareholders meeting, CEO Philippe Delorme spoke at a press briefing. "Now we...

The price of gold fell on Wednesday as renewed hostilities erupted in the Middle East, pushing crude prices higher, and stalling U.S. Iran talks. Investors awaited upcoming U.S. Economic Data. Gold spot fell by 0.5%, to $4460.36 an ounce, at 0702 GMT. It had risen more than 1% the previous session. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery fell 0.7% to $4488.90. Gulf?hostilities erupted again, as the U.S. Military said that Iranian missile attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait, and?other targets in the region were either foiled or failed. U.S. Secretary of state Marco Rubio stated on 'Tuesday' that the negotiating team of...

As renewed hostilities?in?the Middle East pushed?oil?prices higher, and stalled U.S.Iran talks, investors awaited upcoming U.S.economic data. After a rise of more than 1% the previous session, spot gold dropped 0.3%, to $4,471.38 an ounce, by 0511 GMT. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery fell 0.5% to $4499.30. The market is examining the possibility that Trump will not push for a resolution to the peace deal with Iran, said Kelvin Wong. "If we see further escalation that could dampen any recovery that gold may have had." Gulf 'hostilities' flared up again on Wednesday. The U.S. Military said that Iranian missile attacks...

As 'investors' watched for a?development?in the Middle East, amid increasing inflation fears, and awaited US economic data to be released on Thursday, gold prices held steady. Gold spot was unchanged at $4485.17 an ounce as of 0319 GMT after rising by over 1% the previous session. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery fell 0.1% to $4,513.60. The market is now looking at the possibility that Trump will push for a resolution to a peace agreement, even though Trump wants to see a ceasefire with Iran. Kelvin Wong said. If we see a further increase in the price of gold, it...

Gold prices rose by 1% on Tuesday, boosted by lower U.S. Treasury yields. Meanwhile, oil prices fell, easing fears of rising inflation and interest rates. By 1136 GMT, spot gold had risen 1% to $4,526.7 per ounce. U.S. gold for August delivery rose 1.2% to $4,58.60. After U.S. president Donald Trump announced that talks with Iran are ongoing, oil prices dropped. Lower fuel prices reduce inflation fears and may also help to reduce bets on higher interest rates. Gold is traditionally viewed as a hedge to inflation. However, in an environment of high interest rates it loses its appeal as...

Gold prices rose by more than 1% on Tuesday as a result of lower U.S. Treasury yields. Meanwhile, oil prices fell, easing fears about higher interest rates and inflation. By 0900 GMT, spot gold had risen 1% to $4,525.72 per ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery rose 1.1% to $4,556. Oil prices dropped after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that talks with Iran are ongoing. Lower fuel prices reduce inflation fears and bets on higher interest rates. Gold is traditionally viewed as a "hedge" against inflation. However, in an environment of high interest rates it becomes less attractive as...

Gold prices rose on Tuesday due to a decrease in Treasury yields, as well as a partial ceasefire between Hezbollah, Israel and Hezbollah. Investors waited for more information on the U.S. Iran peace talks, despite conflicting reports. Gold spot rose by 1.1% at $4,532.74 an ounce as of 0731 GMT. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery gained 1.3%, reaching $4,562.90. Gold prices are rising due to the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, said GoldSilver Central's Managing Director Brian Lan. He added that lower Treasury yields also helped the metal. The yield on the benchmark U.S. Treasury 10-year note has...

Gold prices rose on Tuesday due to a decrease in Treasury yields, as well as a partial ceasefire between Hezbollah, Israel and Hezbollah. Investors awaited more details about the U.S. Iran peace talks, despite conflicting reports. By 0556 GMT, spot gold had risen 0.8% to $4,517.33 per ounce. U.S. gold for August delivery rose 0.9% to $4,47.80. GoldSilver Central's Managing Director Brian Lan said, "It appears that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has led to a slight increase in gold prices." He added that lower Treasury yields had also helped the metal. The yield on the benchmark U.S. Treasury...

Gold prices edged up a bit on Tuesday due to lower Treasury yields, a partial ceasefire between Hezbollah, and Israel. Investors waited for more details about the U.S. Iran peace talks, despite conflicting reports. By 0420 GMT, spot gold had risen 0.5% to $4,507.56 per ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery rose 0.7% to $4,539. Gold prices are rising due to the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, said GoldSilver Central's Managing Director Brian Lan. He added that lower Treasury yields also helped the metal. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury Note ticked down, reducing the cost...

Two sources with knowledge of the matter said that Barrick Mining is evaluating a London listing for its African operations. A potential?all-share?transaction?with UK-listed Endeavour Mining was one option being considered. Sources said that discussions are in an early stage, and there has not been a decision made. They added that it is uncertain whether a deal would materialise, and no announcement was expected soon. Market capitalization could reach $30 billion for the combined entity. Barrick and Endeavour mining?didn't comment. One source said that one scenario was being considered, whereby the Canadian listed miner would keep its Toronto listing and become...