Europe

Airbus will'support' a two fighter solution for Europe’s faltering FCAS?fighter program if the governments ask, said Chief Executive Guillaume Faury on Thursday. The comments made during a presentation of results follow a dispute that erupted between Airbus (which represents Germany and Spain) and French partner, Dassault Aviation, over the leadership of a core warplane component of a planned system for fighters and drones. Rivalries have arisen over the extent to which Dassault should be in control of the core fighter component or pillar. This has led to speculation that the project may be divided into two parts. Faury, an analyst,...

Air France-KLM reported stronger-than-expected full-year results ?and a record operating profit ?on Thursday, as ?its strategy ?of offering a premium customer experience bore fruit despite ongoing cost challenges. The demand for premium services has increased at European airlines, despite the fact that the number of Europeans who travelled to the United States dropped last year. The outlook for 2026 has been relatively modest, as there are many economic concerns. Ben Smith, Chief Executive of our airlines, said that they had carried more than 100 million passengers and achieved an operating result in excess of 2 billion Euros - the first...

'Airbus' lowered its main jet production goal?on Thursday citing "significant shortages of engines" from one of its main suppliers, RTX unit Pratt & Whitney. During the same time, it reported a 17% increase in core fourth-quarter profit. The largest planemaker in the world now targets an output rate for narrowbody jets of 70 to 75 per month by the end next year. This will stabilize at 75?per month after 2027. It predicted that the monthly rate would increase to?75 by 2027 from 60 currently. Airbus and engine maker Pratt & Whitney have been at odds over delays for several months....

The House of Representatives is set to consider aviation safety legislation on Monday. This will address dozens of recommendations made by the National Transportation 'Board. It was formed after a collision in January 2025 between a regional jet of 'American Airlines and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, which killed 67. The U.S. Senate passed legislation unanimously in December known as the ROTOR Act that would require aircraft operators by the end of 2031 to equip their fleets with a safety system ?known as automatic-dependent-surveillance-broadcast system, or ADS-B. The bill will also increase oversight of commercial helicopter and jet traffic, as...

The House of Representatives will?consider aviation safety legislation in the next week after the 'National Transportation Safety Board' issued dozens recommendations following its investigation into a collision that occurred between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional jet operated by American Airlines on January 20, 2025. The U.S. ?Senate passed legislation unanimously in December that would require ?aircraft operators by the ?end of ?2031 to equip their fleets with a key safety system known as automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast system, also known as ADS-B. The bill also increases oversight of commercial jet traffic, heli-traffic and flight routes near 'commercial airports....

Chinese and Indian tourists are'set to' make up for any potential slowdown of growth in U.S. travelers to Europe this coming year, according data released on Wednesday by the European Travel Commission. International arrivals into the continent will rise by 6.2%. The first signs of a slowdown are the strong U.S. Dollar and the economic resilience in North America. A study by the European Travel Commission, an industry group, showed that Americans are less interested in travelling to Europe than they were in 2025. This trend is driven by geopolitical instabilities and worsening economic conditions. Travellers from the Americas are...

According to a study published by the European Travel Commission on Wednesday, Chinese and Indian tourists will'make up' for any potential slowdown of growth by U.S. travelers to Europe in this year. International arrivals are expected to increase by 6.2%. The strong dollar and the economic strength in North America are driving the slowdown of the boom in American travel to Europe after the pandemic. A study by the European Travel Commission, an industry group, showed that Americans are less likely to travel to Europe in 2026 than they were in 2025. This trend is driven by geopolitical instabilities and...

Air India and Lufthansa have announced plans to 'fly more passengers between India and Europe, and collaborate on areas such as route planning and IT infrastructure. The airlines are hoping to take advantage of the newly concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement. The partnership will first focus on increasing traffic between India, and Lufthansa’s core markets, Germany, Austria. Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland. Later, the partnership would expand to include the rest of Europe and India. The codeshare agreement currently covers 145 routes in 15 Indian cities, 29 European cities, and 20 countries. The partnership's scope will be finalised once a comprehensive...

Stefano De Blasio, a Milan tram driver, was thrilled to see Italian motorcycling champ Valentino Rossi wearing his uniform and ferrying President Sergio Mattarella from Milan's San Siro stadium to the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. De Blasio said, "It gave us a feeling of satisfaction and value for the work that we do every day." He was sitting in the wooden seats of an old tram at the city depot, where the streetcars of the network begin and finish their daily trips. Mattarella, the Italian financial capital's symbol, is carried in one of Milan’s 125 historic Carrelli Trams. Between 2006...

When Milan tram driver Stefano De Blasio watched the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics, he was thrilled to see Italian motorcycling champ Valentino Rossi don his uniform to transport President Sergio Mattarella from Milan's San Siro stadium. De Blasio said, "It gave us drivers a real sense of value and satisfaction in the work that we do every day." He was sitting on one of Milan’s oldest trams, at the city depot, where many streetcars of the network begin and finish their daily trips. Mattarella, the Italian financial capital's symbol, is carried in one of Milan’s 125 historic Carrelli...

United Airlines has revealed a dispute between the engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and its long-delayed Airbus A350 purchase. This is 'the latest twist in a long-running saga of jet procurement. The A350 order dates back to 2009, one year before United Airlines merged with Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines was a Boeing champion and had exclusive ties with Boeing. The A350 contract was restructured later, but it has been deferred and changed numerous times. In a filing to the regulatory authorities late Thursday night, the airline stated that it was in dispute with the engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, and did not give investors...

Matteo Salvini, Italy's Infrastructure Minister, said that the government would ban airport strikes during the Milano Cortina Winter Games in order to avoid causing travel disruptions at a?major event?. The government has asked the unions to postpone the walkouts to avoid conflict with the Games. However, the unions refused. Winter Paralympics will take place from March 6 to 15. Salvini acknowledged the workers' demands but insisted on the smooth running of the Olympics, calling them an "extraordinary event of global importance". Salvini also called for further negotiations to resolve the labour dispute. The Italy-hosted Games will take place in Milan...

Wall Street is 'in the grip of AI disruption fears. Investors began by selling shares in software companies, but quickly spread to other sectors that were seen as susceptible to automation. This led to sharp losses this week for U.S. stock prices. AI-related scare tactics have affected even industries such as legal services, private credit, data analytics and insurance. Anthropic's legal AI plug in caused a drop in global?tech stocks. Investor unease grew after a series of AI model updates and new releases. Emmanual Cau, equity strategist at Barclays, said that fear is driving the market's sentiment. Investors are still...

Data from the London Metal Exchange showed that in January, the share of China-made metal in available London Metal Exchange stock fell as metals from other Asian nations, South America, and?Africa flooded in. Available copper inventories The?LME?is at its highest level since late February 2025, as it has become the preferred place for traders to store metals in the U.S.A. and Asia. Data showed that the percentage of copper stocks of Chinese origin in LME's warehouses - those on warrant or available - was 70% at the end last month. This is down from 79% in December. A LME warrant...

The head of Bertelsmann's investment division said that the German media and service group has acquired a majority stake in Lets Transport. It hopes to leverage its position in India as an?important market for growth. In an interview published Tuesday, Carsten Coesfeld, CEO of Bertelsmann Investments said: "We have now achieved 80%." Bertelsmann owns the publisher Penguin Random House, is active in education and services, and has a stake in Lets Transport. This ownership began in late 2018. The logistics company, founded in 2015, connects truckers with corporate clients across India. Coesfeld stated that the market for Lets Transportation is...

Spain's major unions of rail workers have called off their?three-day national strike that began earlier on Monday after the authorities agreed to?boost investment and reinforce staffing in response to a series of high-profile accidents. In the last?month?, several consecutive derailments, crashes, and deaths left dozens of people dead. This sparked public concern about the state of Spain’s rail infrastructure. A high-speed train crash on January 18 in southern Andalusia left 46 dead, while a derailment in northeastern Catalonia two days later killed a driver. In a recent statement, the Spanish Transport Ministry announced that it would invest 1.8 billion euro...

The White House announced that President Donald Trump will unveil "TrumpRx.gov" on Thursday night. This website is intended to give consumers discounted access to prescription drugs and to be a key part of his efforts to reduce drug prices in the U.S. Sixteen of the biggest drug manufacturers in the world have joined forces to create a new global alliance. Deals with "most-favorable nation" In exchange for exemptions from U.S. Tariffs,?the Trump Administration will lower drug prices in the United States. These agreements will lower the?prices for Medicaid and cash-paying customers via TrumpRX. Those deals include Agreements with obesity drug...

Available copper inventories The London Metal Exchange has seen its trading volume increase by 11 months, as traders from the U.S.A. and Asia have increasingly turned to the exchange for metal storage. After more than 20,000 tonnes of copper were delivered to New Orleans and Baltimore over the last three weeks as well as similar inflows into South Korea and Taiwan, the amount of copper available in LME warehouses reached 160,625 tons on Wednesday. This is the highest since late February of last year. Copper was shipped in large volumes to the United States before possible import tariffs. Higher?prices at...

Kumba Iron Ore, South Africa, said Thursday that it expected its full-year profits to increase by up to 23% due to higher mineral prices and sales volumes. Kumba, an Anglo American unit, expects to earn between $1,39 billion and $15,33 billion ($862,55 million-$951,29 million) in the year ending December 2025. This compares with the 12.5 billion rand earned the year before. Africa's largest iron ore producer said that the increase in earnings was due to the higher average free-onboard export iron ore prices of $95 per metric tonne in 2025. This is up from $92 a metric tonne the previous...

On Thursday, some relatives of the 45 victims in Spain's rail accident vowed to investigate the cause of the collision between the two high-speed trains. They made their promise while survivors were still wearing bandages and slings during a funeral service. Only the truth can help us heal this injury. Liliana Saenz - who lost her mom - spoke at the Huelva service. "We will fight to ensure that there is never another train." The King and Queen Letizia were present. Spain is still trying to deal with the tragedy that occurred in January 2018 near the village Adamuz, in...

Western Balkans truckers' protests against restrictive EU entry laws have led to fuel shortages and losses of business as they blockaded cargo terminals at the borders of EU countries. Truckers in?Bosnia and Herzegovina?, Serbia?, Montenegro? and North Macedonia?launched protests against the EU’s new stricter entry/exit system, under which they could face detention and expulsion for exceeding Schengen's visit limits. The Montenegro energy ministry warned on Tuesday night that the country may face fuel shortages as a result of a blockade in the Adriatic port?of Bar. This is the main entry for fuel imports from overseas into Montenegro. Montenegro does not...

Montenegro may face fuel shortages as a result of regional protests and the blockade by truck drivers?of Bar's Adriatic port over restrictive EU entry laws?that could lead to their deportation if they exceed Schengen visit limitations. Montenegro has no own oil refinery and so the port of Bar is a major entry point for fuel imported from abroad. The port of Bar is also home to the largest fuel?depots in the country. The blockade of border crossings that began Monday in Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro, and North Macedonia has halted transportation along a crucial road corridor connecting?the EU to Turkey...

United Parcel Service, the largest package delivery company in the world, announced on Tuesday that it will close 24 additional facilities and eliminate up to 30,000 positions by 2026. This is due to its ongoing shift towards a'more profitable business. In midday trading, shares of the company rose 4%. The company also announced fourth quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations and forecasted a surprise increase in annual revenue. FedEx shares gained 2.6%. Carol Tome, CEO of the company, said in a conference with analysts that the company plans to reduce Amazon deliveries. "We are now in the last six...

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or even individual stocks. Ageas SA: Belgian and Dutch insurance group Ageas reported that its reinsurance unit Ageas Re had achieved inflows at a rate of 379 millions euros on 'January 1, 2026 compared with 206 million euro a year before. Its partnership activity in-force books now stand at 435million euros after the renewal campaign. ARGAN SA - French real estate firm Argan reported a full-year rental revenue of 212 millions euros, and recurring net profit of 154.8million euros. Its end-December Portfolio was valued...