Benelux

The company's Press Office announced on Wednesday that Exxon's oil refinery in the 'Belgian Port' of Antwerp will stop production from June 29 until July 3, due to a striking action. ABVV Petroleum union stated on its website that workers at the refinery oppose a plan of cutting 35 jobs from a total of 735. According to the union, staff are also protesting about their deteriorating conditions of work and fewer options for early retirement despite ExxonMobil making higher profits because fuel prices have risen. The union stated that the job cuts were part of a wider reorganization, which will...

The Netherlands' transport minister denied on Tuesday that the influential 'RDW' authority had used statistics provided by Tesla to approve the "Full Self Driving" software of the company for use on Dutch highways. RDW approved Tesla's software on 10 April, a European-first. It said it thought it would contribute to safety. The agency has requested that the European Union approve FSD for use in the entire 27-nation block. This led to preliminary approvals being granted to Belgium, Denmark and Estonia. Minister Vincent Karremans who oversees infrastructure faced questions in parliament after a report that claimed Tesla had misled the RDW...

Here are some company news stories and updates from France and Benelux that could have an effect on individual stocks or the markets in these regions. Aeroports de Paris, a French airport operator, reported that May group traffic rose by 1.2% to 32.8 million passengers. Traffic at the Paris Aeroport was up 1.0%, at 9.5 millions passengers. This is due to easing Middle East instabilities. EDENRED - French payment solutions provider Edenred has acquired Mobility House Solutions to strengthen its position in Germany, Austria and the rest of Europe. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter 2026....

Maersk, Vale and other shippers are using ethanol to reduce emissions. Its low cost and abundant supply make it more appealing than other fuels with lower carbon content. Further commercial use is expected to begin as soon as next year. The use of ethanol in shipping can open up a new market for the fuel which is in some countries blended with gasoline. It also offers'shipowners' another way to reduce conventional fuel consumption to meet emission targets. The global shipping industry is under increasing pressure to manage the uncertainty of oil prices as the hostilities in Middle East and the...

Maersk, Vale and other shippers are using ethanol to reduce emissions. Its abundant supply and low cost make it more appealing than other fuels with lower carbon content. Further commercial use is expected to begin as soon as next year. The use of ethanol for shipping could 'open up a new market for the fuel which is?in certain countries blended with gasoline. It also offers shipowners a way to reduce conventional fuel use in order to meet emissions reduction targets. The global shipping industry is under increasing pressure to manage the uncertainty of oil prices as the hostilities in Middle...

Here are some company news and stories from France and Benelux that could impact the markets or individual stocks in these regions. The ADP Group Traffic for April was down to 29,1 million passengers. BANIJAY GROUP Banijay Group reported first-quarter adjusted EBITDA of 196.6 millions euros. SANOFI: French pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced on Monday that a clinical trial had shown its 'rare disease therapy' was superior to standard care for?raising the levels of a protein key in patients with genetic lung disease. SOCIETE GENERALE A French financial regulator fined Societe Generale?20 million euros for failing to provide crucial information to...

AirAsia, a Malaysian budget carrier, has ordered 150 A220-300 jets designed in Canada from Airbus. This is the largest single-firm order for the jetliner ever. The companies announced this at an event held in Quebec on Tuesday. Airbus' commercial aviation CEO Lars Wagner stated that AirAsia was the "launch customer", of the new 160-seat configuration. AirAsia's CEO Tony Fernandes stated that his airline would "buy" 150 more aircraft if Airbus made a stretched version the A220 jet. The announcement confirms previous reports about a deal to purchase 150 A220-300?jets. Fernandes stated that the order is worth $19 billion. This is...

Lufthansa reported ?better-than-expected first-quarter results on Wednesday and maintained ?its outlook for the year as strategic hedging helped the ?airline sidestep the ?impact of a war-driven ?rise ?in jet fuel prices, while labour disruptions were kept largely under control. The group said that the spiking prices of jet fuel would add an extra 1.7 billion euro ($1.99 billion), to its fuel bill. However, it added that they were in a position to minimize this negative impact. The Middle East crisis is causing a surge in demand for Lufthansa hubs as travelers reroute to them. Carsten Spohr, Chief Executive of Lufthansa,...

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or individual stocks. ACCOR: The French hotel group Accor announced Q1 revenues of 1,31 billion euros - with RevPAR increasing by 5.1%. They noted that the Iran War had a greater impact on Middle East business activities from mid-March. ADYEN: Dutch payment?company Adyen has announced that it will acquire Talon.One in exchange for 750 million euros. The company also reported a 20% increase in revenue during the first quarter, reaching 628.8 millions euros. AEROPORTS de PARIS (ADP), Groupe ADP, a French airport operator, announced...

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport will offer a temporary 10% discount on airport fares to help offset the higher fares caused by the Middle East conflict. Schiphol will temporarily offer 10% off airport charges from April 27, 2027 to March 31, 2020. Schiphol is one of Europe's busiest airports and also the most expensive. The 10% discount will only be available for daytime flights. The airport said that it was taking the measure as airlines' costs had risen sharply and unexpectedly due to high kerosene. Airport Schiphol said that the measure would have a "temporary" negative impact on Schiphol’s financial results. However,...

Two top executives in the shipping sector said that they wanted to see a safe and sustainable passage through Strait of Hormuz before much oil or cargo leaves or enters the Gulf. We thought that there was some hope when, two weeks ago, the temporary ceasefire came into view. In reality, the agreement did not translate into safety and passage for the vessels", Jotaro Tamura, chief executive officer of Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in an interview conducted on the sidelines the Singapore Maritime Week. MOL is one of the largest shipping companies in the world and is the leading owner...

Two top executives in the shipping sector said that they wanted to see a safe and sustainable passage through the Strait of Hormuz before much oil or cargo leaves or enters?the Gulf. We thought that there was some hope when, two weeks ago, the temporary ceasefire came into view. In reality, the agreement did not translate into safety and passage for the vessels", Jotaro Tamura, chief executive officer of Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in an interview conducted on the sidelines the Singapore Maritime Week. MOL is the largest shipping company in the world and also the owner of the most...

Three sources with knowledge of the matter said that the European Union has shortlisted tungsten and rare earths for its first joint stockpile. The goal is to reduce its dependence on China. One of the sources, and a third source, said that the EU was also in talks with Rotterdam, the largest port in the Netherlands. This is one of the most concrete measures taken by the EU to protect its economy from Beijing, which has a 'dominance' in the production of critical minerals that are vital to defence, semiconductors and energy transition. After Beijing's export restrictions sent shockwaves throughout...

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...

Snowfall in the Netherlands disrupted air and train?traffic on Monday. Hundreds of flights had to be canceled and trains around Amsterdam were at a standstill. ANP, a news agency, reported that Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, which is one of Europe's busiest hubs cancelled nearly 500 flights Monday morning. The airport was closed to all incoming traffic from 1200 GMT until then due to the snow. ANP reported that planes heading for Amsterdam were diverted to another airport. Schiphol was unable to be reached immediately for further comments. Snow and freezing temperatures had already forced the airport to cancel hundreds of flights...

The European Union was thanked by Ukraine on Friday, even though the bloc did not agree to an ambitious plan that would use frozen Russian assets as a means of financing. The stakes were high for 'Kyiv' to find money because, without EU financial support, Ukraine will run out of cash in the second quarter next year, and may lose the war. This would increase the risk of Russian aggression towards the EU. The 90 billion euro loan was approved by EU leaders at a summit in Brussels. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine's president, wrote the following on Telegram: "This is a...

The federal government of Brazil plans to auction off the massive Tecon '10 container terminal at Santos Port in the first half of March, said Minister of Ports and airports Silvio Costa Filho on Friday. He said that more than 10 bidders have expressed interest in the auction, including the Philippines-based ICTSI, JBS, JSL and unnamed 'Arab investors. The Minister said that the minimum bid price will be below?6.4 billion (about $1.19 billion), the amount of money the winning bidder must invest to build and run the terminal. Roberto Lopes confirmed that the Rio Brasil Terminal, controlled by ICTSI will...

New data indicates that recruiters are returning to the basics when it comes to hiring directors for top U.S. firms. Boards want experienced people to help them tackle issues like artificial intelligence or President Donald Trump’s tariffs. These trends are also a departure from the focus boards used to have on recruiting younger directors or those with more diverse backgrounds. According to a report released on Tuesday by Spencer Stuart, the executive search firm and leadership advisory, incoming directors of S&P 500 companies are averaging 59.1-years-old. This continues a trend that has been increasing for years. In addition, 30% of...

IKEA acquired U.S. logistic technology firm Locus on Tuesday. The Swedish furniture retailer claimed that the deal would improve its delivery to customers, as it expands online sales. This acquisition is part of a $2.2billion push by Ingka Group - the largest global IKEA franchisee - in the U.S., where it is competing with Wayfair and Walmart, and also has to contend with increased tariffs on imported goods that increase its costs. IKEA refused to reveal the value of the transaction. Locus' most recent funding round, in 2021 was reported to have valued the company at $300 million. IKEA claimed...

Donald Trump announced on Thursday a new round punishing tariffs. He said the United States would impose 100% tariffs for imported branded drugs and 25% tariffs for all imports of heavy-duty trucks. Trump said that he will also start charging a 30 percent tariff on upholstered furnishings next week. He said that the new tariffs on heavy-duty trucks were meant to protect manufacturers against "unfair competition from outside" and said that the move would be beneficial for companies like Paccar's Peterbilt, Kenworth and Daimler Truck's Freightliner. Trump has launched a number of national security investigations into the possibility of new...

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or even individual stocks. SAFRAN The French aerospace group is looking to sell a significant part of its interiors business. SOFINA The Belgian holding reported a lower net asset value for the first half of 2024 than it did in 2010. It was 9.8 billion euro compared to 10.3 billion euros in the same period last year. The French group announced a half-year revenue totaling 2.5 billion Euros and confirmed its long term strategy. Pan-European market data: European Equities speed guide................... FTSE Eurotop 300...

Dutch tank storage company Vopak announced on Monday that its joint venture in India, Aegis Vopak Terminals has begun trading following its initial public offer. The group stated that the issue price of the IPO is 235 rupees per share ($2.75 USD), which is at the upper end of the previously-announced price range. Around 0539 GMT, the shares traded at 238.89 Rupees. Dick Richelle, CEO of the group, said that this offering "strongly supported Vopak's strategic expansion of our portfolio of industrial and gas terminals". Vopak said that the transaction would result in a dilution loss of approximately 110 million...

A U.S. Diplomat said that despite the aggressive spending cuts of President Donald Trump, the United States is committed to funding the Lobito Rail Corridor, which will help transport vital minerals from central Africa's copperbelt into the West. The U.S., through the International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC), set up in Trump's first year in office, has pledged $550 million in loan support for Lobito. Lobito is seen as a key component in countering Chinese control of copper and cobalt in the region. Trump's cuts in spending had caused concern for projects like Lobito, which plans to go to Angola and...

The finance chief of Dutch tank storage company Vopak said that the final decision regarding the initial public offering (IPO) of its Indian joint-venture Aegis Vopak is expected to be made in the first half 2025. Michiel Gilsing, CFO of Vopak, said that the company sold a small amount as a private placing in 2024. This was to prepare for the IPO. The deal resulted in a net gain of 13.6 million dollars ($13 million). He said that the final valuation of AVTL would determine whether or not further gains could be made. Gilsing stated that Vopak operates terminals in...