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Poste Italiane increases dividends after a solid quarter and sees a higher profit in 2026
Poste Italiane, a state-backed financial conglomerate, announced on Thursday that its net profit would'slightly increase this year as revenue reaches a new record. This comes after the company reported solid quarterly earnings and increased its dividend payout. Poste, a company owned almost two-thirds by the Italian government, increased its dividend by 16 percent year-over-year, distributing?1.6 billion euro. This amounts to an increase in the payout ratio from 70% to 73%. It promised to keep it above 70% by 2026. The company is aiming for a net profit of 2.3 billion euros in 2026 compared to the 2.2 billion euro result last year. Poste is the largest cash recipient for the Italian government, thanks to its direct 29,3% stake and another 35% held by state investor Cassa?DepositiePresti Poste has grown beyond the traditional business of mail and parcels, and now offers insurance, payments and savings management services, as well as?energy,?mobile phones and mobile phone service. The group's 2025 revenues, after removing?items like raw material purchase costs?or transport costs for electricity and natural gas in its power-supply?business?, increased 4% annually, reaching a record of 13.1 billion euros. This year, the revenue is expected to increase to 13.5 milliards.
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French and Benelux stocks: Factors to watch Thursday
Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or individual stocks. AMG CRITICAL MATTERS AMG, a Dutch producer of critical materials, reported a Q4 revenue of?$446.6 million. The company's adjusted EBITDA was $43 million. It reported yearly adjusted EBITDA at $235 million. AMG proposed a total 2025 dividend per share of 0.40 euro and expected 2026 adjusted EBITDA to be between $210 and 240 million. EIFFAGE: Eiffage, a French construction and concessions company, reported a full-year revenue totaling 25.31 billion euro ($29.90 billion), and a net profit of 1 billion euro attributable only to the group. The group also announced a construction orderbook of up to 29,9 billion euro, and proposed a dividend of 4,80 euros per share. FNAC DARTY Fnac Darty, a French retailer specializing in entertainment, leisure, consumer electronics, and home appliances, reported a full-year revenue totaling 10.33 billion euro and an adjusted net profit from continuing operations amounting to 28 million?euros. Current EBITDA is 667 million euro and the proposed dividend per share is 1.00 euros. NEXITY: French real estate developer Nexity reported a full-year revenue totaling 2.74 billion Euros, with a positive free cash flow (107 million?euros) and nett financial debt of 278 millions euros. The company forecasted an improvement in operating profitability by 2026 as well as a?ongoing reduction of leverage ratio and possible return to 3.5x or less no later than the year 2027. RAMSAY GENERAL DE SANTE Ramsay Sante, a European leader in private hospitalisation and primary healthcare, reported a half-year revenue increase of 3.3% at 2.6 billion euro and stable consolidated EBITDA of 285 million euro with a margin of 11.0%. The group posted nil net income of 35 millions euros. SAINT-GOBAIN: Saint-Gobain, a French building materials company, announced that it had reached agreements to purchase a majority stake of Morteros de Europa (in the Dominican Republic) and Grouttech in both the Netherlands and Belgium. This will allow Saint-Gobain to enter the Dominican Republic's market and strengthen its position in the Benelux nations. VINCI: French construction and concessions company Vinci has successfully issued 500 millions euros of bonds that can be exchanged for ordinary shares of Groupe ADP by 2031. The bonds have a coupon rate of 0.75% annually?and the exchange price is set at 157.9410 euro per ADP share. Proceeds will be used to fund general corporate purposes. WORLDLINE: Worldline, a French provider of payment services, reported a fourth-quarter revenue of 1,03 billion euros with an organic contraction rate of 2.2%. The company also reported 737 million euro in adjusted EBITDA for the full year. 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............. FTSE 100............... London report........... xetra DAX............. Frankfurt items....... CAC-40................. Paris items............ World Indices................................................ 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............ FTSE 100............... London report........... Xetra DAX............. Frankfurt items......... CAC-40................. Paris items............ World Indices..................................... survey of world bourse outlook......... European Asset Allocation........................ News at a glance: Top News............. Equities.............. Main oil report........... Main currency report..... ($1 = 0.8464 euros)
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NAB Chief: Australian dollar bond market will see record issuance
The growing Australian pension system has helped fuel record issuances in the A$ bond market. Andrew Irvine, CEO of National Australia Bank (NAB), expects this trend to continue as global borrowers tap deeper pools of domestic liquidity. According to Dealogic, there have been A$52.74 Billion (or $36.21 Billion) of A$-denominated Bonds issued since the beginning of 2026. This is the best start for any year. In A$ terms, the issuance has increased by nearly 11% since last year. Irvine said A$ Bonds were becoming more appealing to Asian and European Issuers because?Australian Pension Funds, also known as Superannuation Funds locally, became increasingly active purchasers. This improved market liquidity. MTR Corp., Hong Kong, for example, issued A$2 Billion in green bonds in January, its first ever in A$. According to industry figures Australian pension funds receive A$4 billion inflows every week. This makes it the world's fourth largest retirement savings system. In an interview with Irvine on Thursday, he said: "That creates a larger and more liquid market. Issuers can then?offer and take advantage of?all kinds of different duration instruments at good prices." The increase in products and good prices that they are able to achieve is attracting investors. "I see this continuing for the foreseeable future." Employers in Australia must now pay 12% of their employees' earnings to a pension fund. This will boost the?inflows that are received by this industry. The regulatory data released on Thursday showed that pension contributions will total A$221 Billion in 2025. This is an increase of 11.5% over the previous year. Benefit payments, however, will grow 12.5% to A$140 Billion as more Australians reach retirement age. Irvine stated that the market for 'A$ bonds was on its way to becoming a global player after previously being regarded as a small issuer jurisdiction. He said that as more Australians approach retirement age, they will need more fixed income securities to provide them with retirement income. As Australians age, you will see a shift from growth products towards income products. NAB is hosting a capital markets conference for two days in Singapore. (Reporting and editing by Scott Murdoch)
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Hong Kong's Court of Appeal reverses the fraud conviction and sentence of tycoon Jimmy Lai
The Hong Kong Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday that a lower court ruling against the conviction and sentence of Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy journalist in jail for fraud was wrong. In their judgment, Judges Jeremy Poon and Anthea Pang said that they had allowed Lai and another defendant to appeal. The judges summarized their judgment in a press release: "The Court of Appeal granted them permission to appeal against their convictions, accepted their 'appeals, set aside their sentences and quashed their convictions." Lai, who was found guilty of violating the lease of Apple Daily's headquarters by concealing the operations of Dico Consultants Ltd in the building, was sentenced to five years and nine months of jail in December 2022. Wong Wai Keung, 61 was found guilty of 'fraud' and sentenced to 21 months in prison. Reporting and editing by Anne Marie Roantree Jacqueline Wong Saad Sayeed.
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Coupang prepares for increased competition following South Korea data breach
Investors will examine the financial results of South Korea's ecommerce giant,?Coupang on Thursday to see if there are any repercussions from a data breach. Rivals have been luring shoppers away from its platform. A proposed "regulatory" change could also increase competition for ultra-fast deliveries, which have been the cornerstone of the company's market dominance. Coupang has been pushed to the edge of its position after a data breach in November exposed names, phone numbers, and shipping addresses, but not login details or payment information. In an update released this month, the Science Ministry attributed Coupang's management failure rather than a sophisticated cyberattack. Coupang stated in a press release that it will "take all necessary measures to prevent further harm" and strengthen safeguards to avoid a repeat. Lee Kwang-lim is an executive director of the Korea Chainstores Association. The association represents large retailers such as E-mart, Lotte Mart, and others. According to WISEAPP, Coupang reported a 3.5% drop in monthly active users on mobile devices from November to January, while Naver saw a 23% increase during the same time period. According to IGAWorks Mobile Index, the average daily consumer spending fell 6.3% in January compared to November. According to LSEG, analysts lowered their average estimates for Coupang's fourth-quarter revenues by 2.2% compared to the previous quarter. Coupang, a New York-listed company, has seen its shares fall by around 34% following the disclosure of the breach. Meanwhile, shares in traditional retailers and logistic firms have risen. The damage to Coupang's reputation comes as a proposed regulation change could also weaken its position. Coupang was built upon the "Rocket Delivery", which allowed customers to place orders by midnight and receive them before dawn. Since more than a century, the?South Korea has prohibited large brick-and mortar retailers from operating at night, as a way to protect small neighborhood stores. Because the rule didn't apply to ecommerce platforms like Coupang (founded in 2010 by Harvard graduate Bom kim), it fueled their rapid growth. The government announced earlier this month that it would ease the late-night restrictions for hypermarkets. This will "pave way for more competition" in delivery services. Coupang has not responded to a comment request. E-Mart and Kurly are among the competitors who have already expanded their fast-delivery?offerings in order to compete with Coupang. Choi Soo Yeon, CEO of Naver, said that the company had seen "meaningful" increases in the number of online users as well as the amount they spent. CJ Logistics has Naver as a customer and said that shipment volume for overnight or one-day deliveries jumped 120% in the fourth quarter compared to a year earlier. Analysts predict that its low prices and the familiarity of its users with its integrated services will keep competitors at bay. Seo Jung-yeon is a senior analyst with Shinyoung Securities. He said, "There's still nothing as convenient as Coupang." The key question is... how well competitors take advantage of this opportunity to increase market share.
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FAA issues directive on Boeing 737 circuit breaker problem
Federal Aviation Administration announced on Wednesday that it has issued an airworthiness Directive for all Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 8200 aircraft to address a "circuit breaker" issue which could cause a malfunction leading to excessively high cabin temperatures. The directive calls for the revision of the aircraft flight manual in 30 days so that the crew is aware of the?operational procedures' if an air conditioner malfunctions due to a circuit breaker trip. The FAA stated that the directive applies to 2,119 aircraft worldwide, including 771 U.S. registered airplanes. Boeing said it supported the directive it issued last week that mandated guidance. Boeing said that it was working on an engineering solution to eliminate this possibility. FAA reported that two incidents in flight where temperatures onboard the aircraft increased dramatically were recently reported. Boeing has said that the fault is in the ground wire of the air conditioning system. The FAA stated that the malfunctioning air conditioning system could lead to an "uncontrollable" excessively high temperature. This could result in injury or incapacitation to flight crew and passengers. Boeing stated that it expects a fix for the 737 MAX 7 or 10 to be available before certification. Southwest Airlines, the airline that was involved in one of the reported incidents said they are in close contact with the FAA and Boeing regarding the issue. They have also informed their flight crews on the correct steps to take to address the electrical fault.
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Qantas' first-half profits beat estimates due to strong travel demand
Qantas Airways, Australia's flagship airline and its budget offering both reported a?better-than-expected underlying profit? on Thursday. Qantas' first half was supported by a robust demand for its services across the domestic and international market, new overseas routes and the introduction of new aircraft. The company said that bookings will remain resilient in its network throughout the remainder of the year. Qantas’s domestic?unit reported a 5% increase in revenue, largely due to a higher capacity. Jetstar’s domestic division, a budget airline, posted a 38% rise in operating earnings. This helped the flag carrier of the country?report a first-half underlying loss before tax of A$1.46?billion ($1.04?billion), which was ahead of the Visible Alpha consensus of A$1.42 billion and the A$1.39?billion it posted in the previous corresponding period. Qantas also announced a'share-buyback of up A$150m and a interim 'dividend' of 19.8 Australian cents per share. ($1 = 1.4047 Australian dollars; Reporting by Sameer M. Manekar in Bengaluru, Editing by Shinjini G. Ganguli).
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Senator calls on US House to vote again on Aviation Safety Bill
The top Democrat in the U.S. 'Senate Commerce Committee urged House of Representatives on Wednesday to reconsider aviation legislation which 'failed by a single vote - after 'Pentagon resistance. The House passed the ROTOR Act 264-133, unanimously approved by the Senate in December. This was to address concerns raised after a collision between an American Airlines regional plane and an Army Black Hawk aircraft in the crowded airspace above the nation's capital a year earlier, in which 67 people were killed. The fast-track rules required that the bill be passed by two-thirds of the votes cast. It fell short by one vote. On Wednesday, Senator Maria 'Cantwell, top Democrat of the Senate Commerce Committee, urged House Speaker Mike Johnson, to call a new vote. Johnson's office refused to comment on Cantwell’s action, but he did say that Congressional?leadership is committed to enacting this bill. Cantwell stated that the passage of legislation in the House was complicated because 26 members did not vote, partly due to a major storm. This act requires the military to use ADS-B (advanced surveillance technology) on routine training flights, but not on sensitive missions. Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, said that ADS-B could have prevented the collision in 2025 and stated that the agency has been calling for its mandate for more than 20 years. The Pentagon had said in December that it supported the bill. However, on Monday, they said the bill would create "significant unresolved budgetary burdens" and operational security threats to national defense activities. Sam Graves, Chair of the House Transportation Committee, said that his committee would be taking up a competing?aviation bill as early as next week. Homendy said that relatives of those killed met with Johnson's team on Wednesday in order to express their frustration at the military's opposition to the bill.
Maguire: Africa is primed for a solar breakthrough following record capacity growth
Africa is set to become a major player in global solar power production for the remainder of the 2020s, thanks to a powerful mix of policy support and rapid economic growth.
According to the Global Solar Council (GSC), Africa installed a record of 4.5 gigawatts PV solar power in 2025. This was a 54% increase from the previous year.
Eight countries increased their solar capacity by at least 100 megawatts last year. This is double the number of countries that reached this threshold in 2024. It shows the growing appeal of solar power systems on the continent.
Last year, African nations increased their collective imports in battery energy storage systems to make sure that utilities, homes and businesses can access solar power after dark.
From South Africa to Egypt, ambitious clean energy policies are likely to encourage a wider adoption of solar and batteries systems. This will help Africa become a major growth area for solar systems in 2030 and beyond.
GROWTH DRIVERS
South Africa is likely to have the largest solar footprint in Africa. This will be just over 10 GW after a 1.6GW increase in capacity?in 2025.
According to the latest Integrated Resource Plan, around 10 GW new solar PV capacity will be installed by 2030. This includes 8.5 GW battery storage as well as around 5 GW distributed?solar.
The majority of these capacity figures are attainable with the current rate of installation, but grid bottlenecks and hindered investments in the overstretched national distribution networks will remain the main challenges for power developers.
North African nations such as Egypt, Algeria and Morocco?and Tunisia, are among the fastest growing markets for solar power outside of South Africa. They will add an additional 1.1GW by 2025.
North Africa is home to some of the largest utility-scale solar power projects in the world. It has the highest solar radiation in the world, as well as vast undeveloped areas.
According to Global Energy Monitor, Egypt is currently the leader of North Africa in terms of solar project development. It has around 5.5GW under construction, with another 13GW in a state called pre-construction.
Tunisia and Libya have committed to developing large solar power plants, and this will help to develop a skilled workforce for clean energy maintenance and development.
Nigeria, with its record of 803 MW, was also a prominent solar developer by 2025. Meanwhile, projects of record size are currently being built in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Ghana.
POLICY HELP
Solar assets in Africa are gaining more traction thanks to a number of country-level initiatives that aim to drive demand for renewable energy.
Nigeria, one of Africa's fastest growing economies, has approved new net-metering legislation that allows households and businesses offset their power bills by using rooftop solar installations.
Solar array mounting systems will be exempted from import duties in Kenya. This will make them more affordable.
Ethiopia also received funding to upgrade its grid in order to support renewable energy projects. Botswana has implemented new rules for the domestic energy markets that are expected boost solar project appeal.
Tracking Potential
Africa's increasing appetite for solar components coincides with the saturation of several major markets across Europe.
The trade war is a boon for solar panel exporters, mainly Chinese firms. They are locked out of the U.S. and must find new markets to expand.
Data from the energy think tank Ember show that in 2025 African nations will have purchased a record amount of $2 billion worth of solar modules made by China. This represents a 36% rise compared to the previous year.
African nations have also purchased $2.6 billion in battery systems made by China. This is a significant increase year-over-year and has helped Chinese vendors expand their service footprint on the continent.
African consumers can take advantage of the lower prices of solar components and batteries in 2026, and beyond. This is especially true in areas where there are new tax breaks and favorable pricing for renewable energy.
This will help Africa's solar momentum gain further?steam in the next decade and establish the region as a key energy transition driver by the year 2030.
These are the opinions of a columnist who writes for.
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(source: Reuters)