Western Europe

According to data from the shipping industry, copper exports in Democratic 'Republic of Congo dropped by 14.6% during the first quarter, after reaching a record high a year ago. Meanwhile, cobalt shipments recovered sharply following a long-term freeze. Congo is the largest cobalt producer in the world, accounting for 70% of the global reserves. It's also the second-largest copper supplier, which makes it an important pillar of the global supply chains of electric vehicles and clean energy transition. According to Access World data viewed by?Monday, it exported approximately 4.83 million metric tonnes of?copper in 2025 and 245,700 of cobalt. The...

MSC, the world's largest shipowner, announced on Monday that ownership of its company will be transferred to Gianluigi Aponte's two children by 2025. The Swiss-based firm said that the transfer of Diego and Alexa Apontes, respectively group president and chief finance officer, would provide 'continuity and stability over the long term in a major shift generational' at the privately-held company. The company announced that Italy-born Gianluigi Aponte will continue in his role as executive chair. He founded MSC in 1970 and turned it into a global shipping and logistics powerhouse. MSC will also focus on its core business, maritime freight...

Swisscom's Italian subsidiary Fastweb terminated a long-term contract on Wednesday with INWIT. This escalated a dispute with the top telecom towers provider in the country. Fastweb, who inherited the INWIT contract through its acquisition last year of Vodafone Italy, was pushing for a renegotiation, something that the tower company had refused to do. Fastweb announced last week that it would form a joint venture to build up 6,000 telecoms masts in Italy with Telecom Italia, INWIT's 'other main customer. Sources said that TIM will follow Fastweb in terminating its deal with INWIT. The decision is expected to be made at...

Data shows that air freight rates on some routes have risen up to 70% since the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran began. The conflict has caused flights to be restricted, ocean shipments blocked, and a rise in 'jet - fuel costs. Experts in the industry said that the Middle Eastern airspace restrictions and security concerns have had the greatest impact on the rates for routes between South Asia, and Europe. This is after more than 100 containers ships were stranded around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil export corridor. Swiss logistics group Kuehne+Nagel announced on Friday that global...

Data shows that air freight rates on some routes have risen up to 70% since the U.S./Israeli war against Iran began. The conflict has caused flights to be restricted, ocean shipments to be blocked, and jet fuel prices are on the rise. Experts say that the Middle Eastern airspace restrictions and security concerns have had the greatest impact on the rates for routes between South Asia and Europe. This is after more than 100 containers ships were stranded in the area surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil export corridor. Container ships are used to transport products like generic...

Here are some company news and stories that could have a significant impact on Thursday's market in France and Benelux. ID LOGISTICS SAS French logistics company?ID Logistics announced it?booked revenue worth $3.74?billion ($4.32?billion), slightly higher than the average estimate of 3.73 billion euro. Its operating income grew 12%, to 165.2 millions euros. The net profit grew 20%, to 63million euros. Manitou BF SA Manitou BF, a French manufacturer of material handling equipment, reported a full-year revenue of 2,56 billion euros in 2025 and 68?million euro net profit. The company proposed to pay a dividend per share of 0.75 euro. Due...

Ninety one increased its aluminium exposure in its Global Natural Resources Fund after Middle East?conflict caused the Strait of Hormuz to be closed, threatening the global supply of the metal. Around seven million metric tonnes of aluminium is smelted in the Middle East, which represents 9% of global production. George Cheveley who manages this fund with Paul Gooden and Dawid Heyl said, "We could lose an important amount of supply in a market which is already quite tight." "We were over-weight aluminum a week ago, and now we are even more so," said George Cheveley. Cheveley said in an interview...

Shipping company MSC announced on Saturday that it would implement a fuel surcharge for all cargo from the Mediterranean (including West Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean and Greece) and Black Sea, to the Indian Subcontinent, the Red Sea and East Africa. This will be effective March 16, 2019. The surcharge was set at $30 per twenty-foot equivalent unit for dry containers and $50 per TEU refrigerated containers from the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Red Sea. The world's largest ocean container carrier said that dry containers traveling from the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and East Africa would be charged at $60...

According to three manufacturers, shipments of clothing for Zara and Inditex, the owners of Inditex, and other major retailers, are stuck at airports in Bangladesh and India as the Middle East conflict forces airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways, to cancel flights. South Asia is the clothing manufacturing capital of the world. Fast fashion brands from around to world depend on Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan factories for their constant supply of T-shirts and dresses. "Some of my clothing consignments are stuck at Dhaka Airport," Shovon Islam, the managing director of Sparrow Group's manufacturer, said. Inditex, M&S Next, and Primark, among...

The shipping company MSC announced on Thursday that it would implement a fuel surcharge for 'all cargo' from Northern Europe (including UK, Scandinavian and Baltic) to the Red Sea and East Africa. This will be effective March 16, 2019. MSC will charge $40 per twenty-foot equivalent (TEU), from Northern Europe, including the UK to the Red Sea for dry containers and $60 for refrigerated ones. The world's largest ocean container carrier said that dry containers from Northern Europe (including the UK) to East Africa would be charged at $65 per TEU while refrigerated ones would be charged at $100 per...

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that a tanker anchored off Kuwait saw a large explosion on its port side and was taking in water. UKMTO reported that the master saw a'small craft' leaving the area after the explosion, which took place 30 nautical miles (56 km) southeast of Kuwait Mubarak al Kabeer Port in the Gulf. In an advisory note, it stated that "there is oil in the water from a cargo tank, which could have some impact on the environment, the vessel has taken in water, no fires were reported, and the crew was'safe. Kuwait's interior ministry...

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said that a?tanker anchored off?Kuwait saw?a 'large explosion?" on its port side, and was taking in water. UKMTO reported that the master saw a small boat leave the area after the explosion. The explosion occurred in the Gulf 30 nautical miles (56 kilometers) south of Kuwait's Mubarak al Kabeer port. In an advisory note, it stated that "there is oil in the water from a cargo tank, which could have an environmental impact. The vessel has taken water on board, but there are no reported fires and the crew members are safe." Kuwait's interior...

According to preliminary conclusions published on Wednesday, an investigation by the Spanish Senate has blamed?the government as well as the country's grid operator and energy monitor for the 'unprecedented' blackout last year. The upper house, which is controlled by opposition People's Party(PP), is the first to place blame for the outage on April 28, '2025 that left large areas of Spain and 'Portugal in darkness for as long as 16 hours. According to the nine-month investigation, the blackout wasn't an accident that was unforeseeable. It was caused by structural flaws that had been known for years. The blackout was a...

Williams Cos CEO Chad Zamarin stated on Tuesday that the long-delayed Constitution Natural Gas Pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York could become 'operational' as early as 'the end of 202?, if everything goes according to plan. Zamarin's comments were made in Brooklyn, New York at the groundbreaking for the Northeast Supply Enhancement project (NESE), a long-delayed pipeline. "We're working with the states to finalize commercial agreements. That is really the next step." Zamarin stated that if we are able to accomplish this within the next few months, the?Constitution would be available online by the end 2027. Williams, after years of...

The International Energy Agency has drastically cut their 'forecasts' for the growth of global oil supply and demand. Both are expected to drop from levels in 2025 as wars in the Middle East disrupt oil flows and weigh on a global economy. The IEA has revised its projections for global 'oil demand' to a decline of 80,000 barrels a day by?2026. This is compared to a projected increase year-on-year of 640,000 bpd iin the previous monthly report. The IEA stated that "demand destruction" will continue to spread as long as scarcity and high prices continue. It added that the Middle...

Commodities supercycles have the power to reshape market trends for many years, even decades. We appear to be back in one, as the Iran War has amplified a number of long-term bullish tendencies. Many investors are now asking how to engage in the supercycle, rather than whether they should. Oil recorded its biggest monthly gain ever following the U.S. and Israeli strike on Iran in February. Add to that the substantial gains in copper and gold since mid-2025, and the race to find energy, metals, and minerals to fuel the artificial-intelligence arms race. A commodities supercycle is underway. Commodities supercycles...

Three sources said that Chevron is expected to sign an agreement on Monday to return the Loran field to Venezuela, and to participate in a new extra-heavy crude area in Venezuela's main oil regions. Shell will sign a contract to operate the Loran field. Three sources close to the preparations said that Shell will sign a contract for the Loran gas field. The agreement is part of a series of changes and expansions since the U.S. launched a $100 billion plan to rebuild Venezuela's energy industry after it captured President Nicolas Maduro. Sources said that the agreements, which have not...

The Iran War and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz has shattered the status quo among Middle East oil producers that had existed for decades. Even if the current, fragile ceasefire lasts, the uneasy, "new normal" will likely lead to another round of conflict. Tehran has now "demonstrated its ability and its willingness to strike critical infrastructure in the region and seal off the crucial waterway, changing the risk calculation for its neighbors and jeopardizing the long-term oil and gas strategies of Gulf countries. The six-week conflict exposed deep tensions among?the Islamic Republic's key regional neighbors Saudi Arabia, the...

Aneel, head of Brazil's energy regulator, said that a unit of Italy's Enel, located in 'Sao Paulo and at risk of losing its contract to distribute electricity because of 'alleged poor performance', could sell it to another company to avoid financial losses. The Brazilian regulator began an administrative procedure earlier this week in order to potentially revoke Enel Sao Paulo’s concession after identifying “structural failures” in the provisioning of services following recent extreme weather events. Brazil's Energy minister Alexandre Silveira stated on Wednesday that "a negotiated exit" is still possible if the regulator recommends that the federal government cancel?Enel?s contract....

For now, the war that shut down the Strait of Hormuz is over. Tehran's insistence on acting as the toll booth keeper at this world-critical oil chokepoint may leave energy markets exposed and lead to higher prices for many years. According to U.S. president Donald Trump, the U.S., Iran and Pakistan agreed on Tuesday to a ceasefire for two weeks, mediated by Pakistan. Tehran must halt its blockade against oil and gas traffic in the Strait. According to an Iranian official, the waterway through which a fifth (21 miles) of the world's oil and natural gas passed before the U.S./Israeli...

In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian energy installations as peace talks failed to make progress. Here is a brief summary of the recent attacks and their impact. NORSI NORSI is Russia's fourth largest oil refinery and owned by Lukoil. It suspended operations after a drone attack in Ukraine on April 5, according to two industry sources. NORSI is Russia's second-largest gasoline producer. It can process up to 16 million metric tons of oil each year or 320,000 barrels of fuel per day. Sources say that KIRISHI Russia’s?Kirishi refinery could partially restart in a month after processing...

Russia?on Sunday said that Ukrainian?drones?attacked the Caspian?Pipeline?Consortium’s Black?Sea Terminal, which handles 1,5% of the global oil supply. The drones damaged the single point mooring, loading infrastructure, and four large storage tanks. This strike may be the largest ever on Russia's Black Sea Export Facilities during the four-year war with Ukraine. Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure in the past month. Ukraine failed to respond to a comment request immediately and could not independently verify the statement of the Russian Defence Ministry. CPC declined comment. The Russian defence ministry claimed that Ukraine attacked CPC's loading facility with drones....

Two industry sources reported on Monday that a fire was started overnight at the Sheskharis Oil Terminal of 'Russia's Black Sea Port - Novorossiysk, following an attack by a Ukrainian drone. Ukraine intensified its aerial attacks against?Russian energy infrastructure including ports in an effort to reduce Moscow?s revenue from the sale of oil, which is the lifeblood for Russia?s economy. According to?sources, the blaze consumed?the main pier of Russia's oil pipe monopoly Transneft close to the berths 1a, 1b and 2. According to sources, Berth 1 can'service tankers up to a deadweight of 250,000 metric tons. While berth 2, 'can...

Three industry sources told Reuters that a Russian oil production cut is imminent due to Ukraine's strike on pipelines, port infrastructure and refineries, which has reduced export capacity by a million barrels / day or 5% of the total, according to their report. The conflict in the Middle East has already caused unprecedented disruptions in oil supply. A reduction in output from Russia, the second largest exporter in the world, will add to this. Ukraine intensified its attacks over the past month on Russia's oil-export infrastructure. Ukraine's drone attacks are the most intense of its four-year-long war. They target the...