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Maguire: Germany's weak wind output will continue into 2026.
Germany, Europe's biggest wind power producer, has been suffering from subpar wind energy production for years due to wind speeds below average at the turbine level. The total German wind-powered electric output dropped by around 4% from the previous year in 2025, following a growth of less than 1% annually?in 2024. This was despite Germany's wind power capacity increasing steadily every year for more than a decade. Recent forecasts by LSEG for wind power production indicate that generation levels will be below the long-term norm throughout the first quarter this year. The first quarter of the year is traditionally when Germany's production of wind peaks. Therefore, any projected shortfalls in wind generation will strain the national utilities who must make up for the wind shortages by increasing their other sources. LONG STRETCH According to the think tank Ember's estimates, total wind-powered energy production in 2025 will be around 131 Terawatt Hours (TWh). This compares with annual outputs of 136.2TWh for 2024 and 135.2TWh for 2023. Monthly, the wind output was below that of the previous year for?the first four months in 2025 and again in December. The German wind power capacity increased by the most in 2017 despite this underperformance. According to Germany's Federal Network Agency, the total capacity of wind energy in Germany will increase by 4.9 gigawatts to 77.7 GW by 2025. Germany's energy system has also upgraded its existing wind power fleet in order to increase the generation of each wind farm. Older turbine blades have been replaced with larger and more efficient models across the country. In the early part of 2026, however, the German wind network will again be affected by long periods of low wind speeds. According to the German Meteorological Service (DMS), the average wind speed at turbine level was below 5.5 meters per seconds (12,3 miles per hour) during the first quarter 2025. This was the lowest reading in that time period for more than 50 years. According to the weather service PredictWind for 2026, average wind speeds are between 4 and 5 meters per second at key?wind farms. This is below the long-term average between 6 and 7 metres per second. The Earth's Poles are experiencing higher temperatures than the average global temperature. This is reducing pressure differences between Central Europe, the Arctic and other parts of the world. It also results in less wind for long periods. BALANCING ACT Since 2023, wind farms are Germany's largest source of electricity. Therefore, sustained periods of lower-than-expected production have ripple effects on its entire power network. Ember data shows that in 2025, utilities will increase gas-fired power by nearly 6%, to reach the highest level since 2021. This is to compensate for wind output reductions and a 19% drop year-over-year in hydropower generation. In 2026, after a near 40% increase in regional natural-gas prices this year alone, utilities will probably turn to more affordable generation sources to make up for system shortages. LSEG data shows that coal-fired power plants are most likely to be the source of replacement energy. They have so far increased their generation levels in 2026 compared with the same period in the year 2025. Nevertheless, sustained periods of increased coal-fired power generation will result in an increase in emissions in the power sector. Ember data indicates that Germany's coal-fired plants emit approximately 1 million metric tons per terawatt of electricity. Gas plants, on the other hand, emit around 460,000 tonnes of CO2. Even a three month period of increased coal-fired production could cause a significant increase in power pollution and undermine ongoing efforts to clean the energy sector. As Germany's electricity consumption peaks early in the year, due to increased heating requirements, it is likely that the fossil fuel power stations will continue to produce at a high level for the next few months. Wind speeds would have to increase in order for this trend to be reversed. This would allow utilities access more wind energy and power networks could reduce the output of fossil fuel plants. For the moment, however, there are few brisk wind gusts, which means that one of the largest networks of wind power in the world is a burden, rather than an asset, to Germany's energy system. These are the opinions of a columnist who writes for. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest Follow ROI on Twitter for the latest global financial news. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn. Listen to Morning Bid on the Morning Bid Daily Podcast Spotify Or the app. Subscribe to the podcast and hear the top news from markets and finance seven days a week.
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Nvidia CEO: China has not yet finalised the license for H200 chip
The Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated on Thursday that he hoped China would allow the U.S. tech giant to sell their powerful 'H200 Artificial Intelligence Chip in China and the license is currently being finalised. Huang arrived in Taipei after a trip to China, where he visited government officials, customers and partners. "The H200 license is currently being finalised. I hope that the Chinese government will also allow Nvidia the sale of the H200. They have to make a decision. "I'm hoping for a favorable decision," he said to reporters at Taipei Songshan Airport. I think H200 is a very good thing for American technological leadership. It is also good for the Chinese Market. "And customers would love to have H200," said he. "I'm waiting for a good outcome." We just need to be patient, he said. CHINA APPROVES CHIP BUYING WITH CONDITIONS Citing a source, reported on Wednesday, that China had given approval for ByteDance to buy more than 400,000 'H200' chips. The approvals were accompanied by conditions that one source deemed too restrictive. Customers have not yet converted the approvals into purchase orders. Huang stated that the company had not received such information, and that he believed that the Chinese government is still in the decision-making process. He did not explain 'why China is still deciding. China has not provided a reason why it hasn't approved the imports H200, but Beijing wanted to strike a balance between meeting the demands of its AI sector and nurturing its domestic semiconductor industries. The H200 chip from Nvidia, the second-most powerful AI chip in the world, has been a major point of contention between U.S. and China relations. Beijing has been the biggest obstacle to shipping despite strong demand for Nvidia's H200 from Chinese companies and U.S. approval of exports. Huang said that China had many chip manufacturers and Nvidia would need to compete very aggressively. The first thing we need are orders. Huang replied that he had a supply to support all his existing customers. If H200 is approved we will?work together with TSMC in order to plan and schedule the supply, and deliver as quickly as possible." HUANG SIGNALS INTERESTED IN OPENAI FINANCING ROUND Huang responded that he would love to invest in OpenAI when asked about a possible further investment in ChatGPT, but did not confirm the amount of funding. Nvidia, Amazon and Microsoft are 'talking about' investing up to $60 billion into OpenAI. The chip titan will provide up to $30 billion. The Information reported on Wednesday. The U.S. chip giant relies heavily upon Taiwan's supply chains, working closely together with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's biggest contract chipmaker. Major contract manufacturers such as Foxconn and Wistron are also involved. TSMC also invests $165 billion? in Arizona to build factories and meet the growing demand for products there. Huang stated that he expected the demand for TSMC wafers to far outweigh the energy supply in Taiwan. "I think it's fantastic for TSMC." TSMC now has a global presence," said the Taiwanese CEO, who added that he planned to meet TSMC's CEO C.C. Wei and the other Taiwanese partners in the supply chain. (Reporting and editing by Wen Yee Lee, Ben Blanchard, Himani Sarkar and Shri Navaratnam; Louise Heavens, Anne Marie Roantree and Himani Sarkar)
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Wizz Air announces quarterly loss and shares recovery hopes
Wizz Air reported on Thursday a "third-quarter" operating loss that was in line with its expectations. This comes after it raised its capacity forecast earlier this week on the backs of additional Airbus deliveries as well as the return of previously ground aircraft. Shares and profits of the airline have been pressured by problems with Pratt & Whitney engines owned by RTX, and conflicts in the 'Middle East and Eastern Europe. In a press release, Chief Executive Jozsef Vasradi stated that "we are slowly recovering from the engine related aircraft grounding" and that in the next fiscal year we will have 20-25 aircraft grounded on average due to powdered-metal issues. Wizz Air's shares rose over 10% by 0848 GMT, Varadi stating that he was happy to announce "no surprises, rather benign" results. The operating loss of Wizz 'Air increased to 123.9 million Euros ($148.5 Million) during the third quarter from 75.9 millions euros a year ago. LSEG polled analysts who expected a 137.95 million-euro loss. The airline's fiscal year ends March 31. Wizz Air stated that the larger loss was due to a "previously higher depreciation" charge on older aircraft. Varadi stated that total unit costs will rise over the previous financial year due to higher maintenance costs and inflation linked costs, uncertainty regarding Pratt & Whitney engines redeliveries as well as increased depreciation costs tied to the retirement schedule for the A320ceo Fleet. As of December 31, the number of aircraft grounded for engine repairs was down to 33, from 40 one year ago. Varadi said the number would fall to 25 by the summer of 2026 and all aircraft should be back in service by the calendar year 2027. Varadi stated that "we have a complicated relationship" (with Pratt & Whitney) and that he was confident about the "well-executed plan of recovery". Wizz Air, which left the Middle East in the past year, recently applied for U.S. permission to fly between Britain and the U.S.
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EasyJet reports summer bookings are on the increase after reporting a larger quarterly loss
EasyJet, a British budget airline, said that summer bookings are increasing, despite the fact that it reported an increased first-quarter loss, mainly due to expansion costs and lower winter prices. The company stated that the "traditionally busy January booking period" saw record numbers in terms of both revenue and volume, as bookings for summer 2026 continue to build. Winter is usually the slowest time for airlines. They rely on the spring and summer season to boost their earnings. EasyJet has reported an operating loss of 76 millions pounds ($105million) for the three-month period ending December 31 compared to a 40 million pound loss one year ago. The airline has maintained its outlook for 2026. Early trading saw its shares rise 2%. Wizz Air also reported an operating loss for the third quarter in line with expectations. Ryanair, the larger competitor, raised its fare growth outlook earlier this week after bookings for 2026 were strong. Ryanair, easyJet and other budget carriers have avoided many of the challenges facing Europe's largest airlines. These airlines have been squeezed due to a weaker transatlantic market linked to tariff threats by U.S. president Donald Trump. EasyJet raised its medium-term targets for?its Holiday Division in November but warned that winter sales would be softer. Holiday business continues to grow. The quarter saw a pretax profit of 50 million pounds, as the number of customers jumped by 20%. EasyJet Holidays reported that 47% of its forward bookings were sold in the second half of the year.
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ACG, the aircraft lessor, is looking to grow further and cement its top 10 position
Aviation Capital Group (ACG), after receiving a large Boeing order recently, plans to continue?expanding. Its chief executive believes it is "critically important"?to remain among the top 10 aircraft lessees in the world as the industry consolidates. ACG ordered 50 Boeing MAX aircraft this month, evenly split between the 737-8 variant and 737-10. This deal brings the total number of aircraft that ACG owns, manages or has ordered to over 500. The lessor now has the largest order of MAX 10s. "I believe what you are seeing now is a much different ACG from the past, and that's because the industry has changed," Tom Baker, CEO of ACG, said, citing an international, sophisticated, and consolidating sector. "We want to be big enough to be relevant for our customers. We think that?being in the top 10 is important. We need to grow over time, because size is becoming more and more important. Baker spoke on the sidelines at the Airline Economics Conference, the largest gathering of executives in the leasing industry each year. Most of them predicted another wave of consolidation. Baker stated that ACG, based in California, will continue to be "disciplined purchasers". Recently, it withdrawn from the bidding for Macquarie AirFinance - a competitor with over 300 planes owned or committed that is 50% owned by Macquarie Group. Baker said that some bidders are willing to pay to buy the platform. The recent Boeing order will ensure that?ACG (a subsidiary of Tokyo Century Corp) has a constant stream of deliveries until 2033. Baker stated that he is 'confident' the MAX 10 will be certified in 2018. "Banking on government is always tricky, but we are very confident." "I personally believe it will be this year," said he. Reporting by Padraic halpin Editing Mark Potter
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Airbus anticipates that Indian airlines will triple their fleets in the next decade
Airbus announced on Thursday that it expects Indian airlines to triple the size of their fleets, to 2,250 aircraft, over the next decade. This is due to a resilient economic growth and an expanding middle class, as well as a surge in first-time flyers. Boeing's Wednesday outlook for India and South Asia projected that the airlines in this region, which is a major battleground between Airbus and Boeing, will require 3,300 new planes by 2044. IndiGo and Air India, the two largest domestic carriers in India, are closely watching the regional forecasts of the aircraft manufacturers. India is the world’s?third largest aviation market, after the United States, China and Japan. Airbus' president and managing director for India & South Asia, Mr. Jurgen Westermeier said that India's aviation industry is still in its infancy, with trips per capita amounting to only 0.13 - far below other comparable regions. In a forecast made on the second of India's biennial air show for civil aviation, he said that there is still room for many more Indians adopting air travel. Westermeier, speaking of the landmark India-EU deal this week, said that "some services in the aerospace sector will benefit from the reduction of?tariffs." India is the world's fastest growing domestic aviation market. It has mirrored an international rush for large aircraft as carriers expand their capacity, re-tire fuel-hungry older planes, and respond to booming demand after COVID-19. Indian carriers placed some of the largest jet orders in recent times. They ordered at a level intended to boost fleet growth as opposed to mature markets that were primarily interested in replacing older planes. Airbus maintained its position as the largest planemaker in the world last year, despite challenges brought on by supply chain bottlenecks, engine shortages and tariff pressures.
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Pakistan is the latest Asian nation to introduce screening for the deadly Nipah virus
After India confirmed two cases of the deadly Nipah virus, authorities in Pakistan increased screening for people entering the country. Thailand, Singapore Hong Kong, Malaysia Indonesia and Vietnam also have tightened airport screening. Nipah can cause brain inflammation, fever and death. A vaccine is not available. Transmission from one person to another is difficult and requires prolonged contact. In a recent statement, the Border Health Services Department said that it was "imperative" to increase preventative and monitoring measures along Pakistan's border. The Department added that "all travelers must undergo thermal screening and a clinical assessment at the Point of Entry" which includes seaports and land borders, airports and border crossings. Travellers will be asked to submit their transit history from the previous 21 days to determine if they have been to "high-risk or Nipah-affected regions". Travel between Pakistan and India is very limited since their worst fighting for decades took place in May of last year. The Hanoi health department ordered on Wednesday that all incoming passengers to Noi Bai Airport, especially those from India and West Bengal in the east, be screened. The scanners will detect any suspected cases. The department stated that this allows for a timely investigation and isolation of the disease. This comes after authorities in Ho Chi Minh City - the largest city in Vietnam - announced that they had tightened up health controls at international borders. India's Health?Ministry said this week that the authorities had identified and traced at least 196 contacts related to the two cases, none of whom showed symptoms and who all tested negative for the virus. Nipah, a rare viral infection, is spread mainly from fruit bats to humans. World Health Organization reports that it can be asymptomatic, but is very dangerous. Scientists believe that the virus has been circulating in fruit bats and flying foxes for thousands of year. WHO has classified Nipah a priority pathogen. India reports frequent sporadic Nipah infections, especially in Kerala, the state to the south, which is considered one of the highest-risk areas for Nipah. According to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which funds a vaccine test to stop Nipah, as of December 2025 there were 750 confirmed Nipah cases worldwide, and 415 deaths. Reporting by Francesco Guarascio from Hanoi, MubasherBukhari in Lahore, and Ananda Teresia from Jakarta; editing by EdwinaGibbs.
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Maguire: Germany's weak wind output will continue into 2026.
Germany, Europe's biggest wind power producer, has been suffering from subpar wind energy production for years due to wind speeds below average at the turbine level. The total German wind-powered energy output dropped by around 4% in 2025 compared to the previous year. This followed an annual growth of less than 1% in 2024. Recent forecasts by LSEG for wind power production indicate that generation levels will be below the long-term median throughout the first quarter this year. The first quarter of the year is traditionally when Germany's production of wind peaks. Therefore, if the projected output continues to be below par, it will strain the national utilities who must make up any shortfalls in wind generation with increased power from other sources. LONG STRETCH According to the think tank Ember's estimates, total wind-powered energy production in 2025 will be around 131 Terawatt Hours (TWh). This compares with annual outputs of 136.2 terawatts in 2024, and 135.2 terawatts in 2023. Monthly, the wind output was below that of the previous year for the first four months in 2025 and again?in December. The German wind power capacity increased by the most in 2017 despite this underperformance. According to Germany's Federal Network Agency, the total wind power capacity in Germany will increase by approximately 4.9 gigawatts to 77.7GW in 2025. The German power system has also upgraded its existing wind power fleet in order to increase the generation of each wind farm. Older turbine blades have been replaced with larger and more efficient ones throughout the country. In the early part of 2026, the German wind network will again be affected by slow wind speeds. According to the German Meteorological Service (DMS), the average wind speed at the turbine level was below?5.5 m/s (12.3 miles/hour) during the first quarter 2025. This was the lowest reading in over 50 years. According to the weather service PredictWind, so far in 2026 wind speeds at major wind farm sites average between 4 and 5.5 meters per seconds. This is below the long-term average between 6 and seven meters per sec. The Earth's Poles are experiencing higher temperatures than the average global temperature. This is reducing pressure differences between Central Europe, the Arctic and other parts of the world. It also results in less windy weather for long periods. BALANCING ACT Since 2023, wind farms are Germany's largest source of electricity. Therefore, sustained periods of lower-than-expected production have ripple effects on its entire power network. Data from Ember show that in 2025, to make up for wind output declines and a 19% drop year-over-year in hydropower generation, utilities will increase gas-fired production by almost 6%, the highest level since 2021. In 2026, after a near 40% increase in regional natural-gas prices this year alone, utilities will probably turn to more affordable generation sources to make up for system shortages. Data from LSEG show that coal-fired power plants are most likely to be the source of replacement energy. In fact, so far in 2026, generation levels have increased slightly compared with?the same time period in 2025. Nevertheless, sustained periods of increased coal-fired power generation will result in an increase in emissions in the power sector. Ember data indicates that Germany's coal-fired plants emit approximately 1 million metric tonnes of?carbon dioxide per terawatt hours of electricity. This compares to about 460,000 tons for gas plants. Even a three-month period of increased coal-fired production could cause a significant increase in the level of power pollution, undermining ongoing efforts to clean up the energy sector. As Germany's electricity consumption peaks early in the year, due to the higher heating requirements, it is likely that the fossil fuel power stations will continue to produce at a high level for the next few months. Wind speeds would have to increase in order for utilities to receive more wind power and allow the power grids reduce their output from fossil fuel plants. For the moment, however, there are few brisk wind gusts, which means that one of the largest networks of wind power in the world is a burden, rather than an asset, to Germany's energy system. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest Follow ROI on Twitter for the latest global financial news. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn. Listen to Morning Bid on the Morning Bid Daily Podcast Spotify Or the app. Subscribe to the podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets 7 days a weeks.
Norfolk Southern reports a rise in its quarterly profit due to cost control
Norfolk Southern reported an increase in its fourth-quarter profits on Thursday, citing a?cost control strategy amid a fluctuating freight demand and persistent macroeconomic pressure.
The U.S. Surface Transportation Board sent Union Pacific's $85 billion merger proposal back to the company earlier this month for revision.
Surface Transportation Board has deemed that the December merger application is incomplete. Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena, however, said the request was routine and that the deal would still be completed in the first half 2027.
Mark George, Norfolk CEO, said that the rejection of the merger request was more a "procedural" issue than a merits-based decision. Mark George said the companies will file a detailed application and "get it right".
In October, Norfolk stated that it anticipated future top-line fluctuations due to "competitor reaction" to the merger proposal, which had already caused a 2% decline in third-quarter volumes. Intermodal shipping is the combination of two or more modes of transport for goods.
Norfolk's CEO stated on the call that he would "keep a close eye on costs" in 2026, and be ready to deal with a variety of volume outcomes as the demand remains uncertain.
The company's operating revenue from railways for the fourth-quarter fell by 2%, to $3 billion. The railway volumes fell 4% compared to a year earlier.
Norfolk, an Atlanta-based company, reported a profit adjusted of $3.22 per share, up from $3.04 a share a year ago. LSEG data shows that analysts expected a profit adjusted of $2.76 per scrip.
In morning trading, the company's stock was up 1%.
The company's adjusted operating ratio, which is a key measure for efficiency, was 65.3% in the third quarter. This represents a 40 basis-point decline from the same period a year ago. Apratim Sarkr; Maju Samuel, Editor
(source: Reuters)