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Maguire: Pakistan's solar boom puts it in the exclusive 25% club
Pakistan is quickly emerging as one of the leading countries in the deployment of solar energy, not only among emerging economies. According to Ember data, the South Asian nation has increased solar electricity production by more than three times global average this year. This is due to a five-fold increase in solar capacity imported since 2022. Solar power has risen from Pakistan's 5th largest electricity source to its biggest in 2025, thanks to a combination of capacity and production that is rapidly increasing. Solar farms have provided 25% or more of Pakistan's monthly electricity supply. This makes Pakistan one of only 20 countries in the world that has done so. Exclusive Club Ember data indicates that in the first four month of 2025 solar farms will generate an average of 25,3% of Pakistan’s electricity supply. This average is compared to a solar share that is 8% worldwide, 11% in China and 8% in America. While the average solar share in the Northern Hemisphere is expected to increase steadily throughout the summer, few countries are likely to secure a quarter or more of their utility electricity supply from solar farms anytime soon. According to Ember, solar farms have contributed 25% or more of the monthly electricity supply for utilities in only 17 countries. These nations include: Australia, Belgium. Bulgaria, Chile. Cyprus. Denmark. Estonia. Germany. Greece. Hungary. Latvia, Lithuania. Luxembourg. The Netherlands. Pakistan. Portugal. This list is heavily weighted towards Europe where the shock of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine 2022 has prompted widespread and urgent power-sector restructuring and rapid deployment of renewable generation capability. Australia and Chile, the only two nations outside Europe aside from Pakistan, boast gross domestic products (GDPs) per capita that are far higher than Pakistan. Import Drive Imports of solar modules from China have been the main driver behind Pakistan's solar boom. According to Ember, between 2022 and 2024 Pakistan's imports from China of solar components increased fivefold, going from 3,500 megawatts to a record 16.600 MW. Pakistan's share in China's total exports of solar modules also increased sharply from 2% to almost 7% by 2024. This import spree has continued through 2025. In the first four month of this year, Pakistan imported solar components worth just over 10,000MW from China. This compares to around 8,500MW in the same period of 2024. The increase of almost 18% in import capacity has also boosted Pakistan's share of China solar exports, which is now around 12%. SOLAR-CENTRIC In recent years, the rapid deployment of imported solar panels across Pakistan has radically changed Pakistan's electricity production mix. Solar is the largest electricity source in 2025. It is followed by nuclear reactors and coal plants, as well as natural gas. Solar farms were only the fifth largest source of electricity two years ago. The solar industry's dominance so far is a sign that the utility system has shifted to renewables. The country has also committed to a much higher growth rate in the capacity of renewable energy production for the remainder of the decade. According to the International Trade Administration, Pakistan aims to have 60% of its electricity supply come from renewable resources by 2030. Renewable energy sources produced 28% of electricity in the first four month of 2025. Energy planners aim to double that figure by the end. Solar modules are the fastest and cheapest way to achieve these goals. This will help cement Pakistan's position as a solar superpower. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest The new global financial commentary source (ROI) is your go-to for all the latest news and analysis. ROI provides data-driven, thought-provoking analysis on everything from soybeans to swap rates. The markets are changing faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn.
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French and Benelux stocks: Factors to watch
Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or even individual stocks. Aeroports de Paris - French airport management company ADP announced on Monday a 3.3% increase in traffic in its Paris airports for May. Covivio : French real-estate group Covivio announced on Monday that it had taken full ownership of CB21 Tower in Paris La Defense. EU/RUSSIA - The European Commission will propose on Tuesday an EU ban on imports of Russian natural gas and liquefied gas until the end of 2027. Legal measures are being used to ensure that the plan can't be blocked by EU member countries Hungary and Slovakia. Kering: French luxury company Kering announced on Monday that it has named Luca de Meo its new CEO. Renault had earlier said de Meo was leaving the French automaker. Pan-European market data: European Equities speed guide................... FTSE Eurotop 300 index.............................. DJ STOXX index...................................... Top 10 STOXX sectors........................... Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors...................... Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors..................... Top 25 European pct gainers....................... Top 25 European pct losers........................ Main stock markets: Dow Jones ............... Wall Street Report ..... Nikkei 225............. Tokyo report............ London report ........... Xetra DAX............. Frankfurt items......... CAC-40................. Paris items............ World Indices..................................... Survey of global bourse outlook ......... European Asset Allocation........................ News in a glance Top News ............. Equities.............. Main Oil Report ........... Main currency report .....
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UK invests $340 Million in Clean Tech for Air Travel
The UK announced that it will invest 250 million pounds ($340) in research to improve air travel. This includes zero-emissions flying, laser beam manufacturing, and reducing aircraft drag. The UK said that funding research and development projects led Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and other smaller companies, as well as academic partnerships would increase private investment in the sector, and create new jobs. The new funding will be announced by the Industry Minister Sarah Jones at the Paris Airshow tomorrow. It includes funding for a variety of projects, including the development of infrastructure to test liquid hydrogen systems, the fuel cell system, and the development of lightweight materials. The announcement of funding came before the publication of the industrial strategy by the government, which is expected later this month. It will help to grow the country's advanced manufacturing and defence sectors. Jones said that supporting major contractors is "incredibly important", however, the government wants to encourage more newcomers in the sector. In an interview, she stated that "getting the supply chain ready of smaller businesses is the challenge and we want to build it up in the UK." Airbus UK Chairman John Harrison said that the funding gives the industry the confidence needed to fuel innovation. He said that initiatives such as these are essential to accelerate our decarbonisation journey, and advance sustainable, cutting edge manufacturing.
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Mayor of London says that Oxford Street will be made traffic-free as part of a shopping area renovation.
LONDON, JUNE 17 - London’s Oxford Street will become pedestrianised. Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the move on Tuesday. The goal is to improve the area, create new public spaces, and help to drive growth. After consultations, the plan to eliminate cars and buses from Oxford Street, which has taken over 20 years to develop, is set to become reality. September The majority of Londoners, and their businesses, support the idea. The supporters of pedestrianising central London's mile-long stretch say that similar schemes in New York Times Square and La Rambla, Barcelona, have given new life to tired areas. Khan announced the results of a public consultation by saying, "We want Oxford Street to be reborn; it will become a global leader in shopping, leisure, and outdoor events, with a pedestrianised, world-class avenue." According to the Mayor's Office, Oxford Street receives a half-million visitors each day. However, many flagship shops, including House of Fraser, Topshop, have closed in recent years. Khan also said that the area has been neglected. He will work with the government to develop legislation that would allow traffic-free roads "as soon as possible". This will mean finding new routes to accommodate the dozens buses that travel along it every hour. Khan's plan to create a "beautiful space public" will bring in more tourists, spur new investment and create new jobs. (Reporting and editing by William James; Sarah Young)
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Sources say that Wizz Air is close to a deal with Pratt & Whitney for the purchase of new engines.
According to two industry insiders, Wizz Air has been moving towards a deal to buy engines for 177 Airbus jets that it already ordered. They said that an announcement could be made as soon as the Paris Airshow this week. It would also form part of a settlement reached with the engine manufacturer over groundings due to repair times. Wizz Air, RTX and Pratt & Whitney parent RTX both declined to comment. Last year, the airline that operates an all Airbus fleet said it had only two options – its current supplier Pratt & Whitney whose engines have been experiencing problems worldwide forcing airlines to ground their planes and CFM, a joint-venture between GE Aerospace, France's Safran, and GE Aerospace. Wizz Air's Chief Executive Jozsef Varradi said that the choice of engine supplier would be based on factors such as the cost to acquire, the durability of the engines, the operating costs and the cost guarantees for the aftermarket, he explained. Wizz Air was among the airlines forced to ground a number of planes because a powder-metal issue occurred with the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine (GTF). The groundings had a knock-on effect on the company's 2025 financial year. This ends March 31. Its profit dropped by over 60%. (Reporting from Joanna Plucinska, Tim Hepher and Allison Lampert at Montreal. Editing by Matthew Lewis.)
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Tanure, a Brazilian tycoon, enlists Rothschild & Co to negotiate Braskem's bid
Two people with knowledge of the matter said that Nelson Tanure, a Brazilian businessman, has hired Rothschild & Co. as an advisory firm to help him conduct negotiations for his bid to buy Braskem, Latin America's biggest petrochemical company. Tanure's offer to purchase the controlling stake of Braskem from conglomerate Novonor in late May led to exclusive talks between the two companies. Tanure, which is known for its investments in companies that are undergoing financial restructurings, must also negotiate with the banks who hold Braskem shares as collateral to Novonor’s outstanding debts. They will also need to negotiate with Petrobras, Braskem’s second largest shareholder, and with other oil companies. Tanure Rothschild refused to comment. Newspaper O Globo was the first to report Rothschild's engagement with the Brazilian businessman. Tanure told a reporter in a recent interview that he has begun talks with banks and other key players about the deal, but has not yet revealed his offer. Tanure also stated that he wanted to keep Novonor as an minority shareholder, and give Petrobras a larger role in Braskem. (Reporting and editing by Alistair Bell; Luciana Magnhaes)
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Source: Mitsubishi Corp is in negotiations for an $8 billion US Shale acquisition.
A person familiar with this matter told me on Monday that Mitsubishi Corp was in negotiations to buy the U.S. Shale Production and Pipeline assets of Aethon Energy Management. The price is estimated at $8 billion. If the deal is struck, the Japanese conglomerate would gain a significant natural gas operation near the U.S. Gulf Coast and the energy export infrastructure being developed there. The source said that talks between Mitsubishi and Aethon were ongoing. She cautioned, however, that no transaction was guaranteed and spoke under condition of anonymity in order to discuss confidential discussions. The assets are operated and owned by the U.S.-based energy investment firm Aethon. However, other money managers RedBird Capital Partners as well as Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan in Canada also have significant stakes. Aethon, RedBird and other companies declined to comment. OTPP didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Mitsubishi was not reachable outside normal Japanese business hours. Aethon's upstream assets, which are centered on the Haynesville Shale Formation in Louisiana and East Texas constitute one of the biggest privately owned U.S. Gas producers. Reports in November indicated that Aethon is exploring options for its operation, which includes more than 1,400 mile (2,250 km), of pipelines, across the Haynesville Basin and Wyoming, where Aethon has some production assets. Bloomberg News reported earlier Monday that Aethon and Mitsubishi were in talks, citing sources familiar with the issue.
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Sources say that Boeing's top executive Pope visited Air India's headquarters to discuss the plane crash.
Two sources say that the head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Stephanie Pope met with the chairman of Air India in India on Monday. The companies are trying to determine the cause of the fatal Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash last week. One source said that Pope met Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran in Gurugram near the New Delhi airport. He was accompanied by Boeing India President Salil Gupte. Details of the discussion were not immediately available. The discussions took place four days after an Air India flight bound for London crashed seconds after takeoff in Ahmedabad, India. All but one of the 242 passengers on board were killed. According to Boeing's website, Pope is responsible for the design, production, and delivery of advanced aircraft to Boeing customers worldwide. One source said that the Dreamliner is fitted with GE engines. Russell Stokes, GE Aerospace CEO for Commercial Engines and Services and Vikram Rai its South Asia Chief, met Chandrasekaran Monday. Boeing declined to comment in a press release on Pope's meeting with Air India and his visit to the country, but stated that it was "focused" on helping its customer and supporting their investigation. GE and Air India didn't immediately respond to requests for comments. Sources declined to name themselves as the meetings took place in private. Boeing's new management has been trying to improve the public's perception of the company and gain trust after a series safety and production crisis. Air India has ordered more than 200 Boeing planes, including 20 787s, and is Boeing's largest customer. (Reporting and editing by Aditi Kalra, Aditya Shah)
UK maritime firm aware of incident east from UAE's Khor Fakkan
Ambrey, a British maritime security company, said it was aware of a 22-nautical mile incident near the Strait of Hormuz in the United Arab Emirates. Israel and Iran are waging armed conflict for the fifth day running.
The Strait is located between Oman, Iran and links Gulf of Oman in the north with Gulf of Oman in the south.
Around a fifth (or 450 million barrels) of all oil consumed in the world passes through this strait. According to Vortexa, between the beginning of 2022 until last month, 17.8 to 20.8 millions barrels of oil, condensate, and fuels were transported through the strait every day.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, neither the Emirati Foreign Ministry nor the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal responded to the request for comment.
Israel launched a massive attack against Iran on Saturday, claiming that it was the beginning of a long-term operation to stop Tehran from developing an atomic bomb. It said that its targets included nuclear facilities, missile factories, and military commanders.
Iran has threatened in the past to close the Strait of Hormuz to traffic as a retaliation for Western pressure. Experts say that a closure of the Strait could impact on global oil prices and restrict trade. (Reporting and editing by Tom Hogue, Christopher Cushing and Enas Alashray)
(source: Reuters)