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Singapore asks UN to defer vote on carbon shipping price as US opposes the measure
LONDON, October 17 - Singapore called on the U.N. Shipping Agency to delay the adoption of a price for carbon on ships to allow time to reach a consensus. This was after the United States, Saudi Arabia and other countries were unable to agree on a deal at the London talks due to strong opposition. Washington and Riyadh - the two world's largest oil producers - have both strongly opposed a price on carbon emissions for shipping in discussions at the International Maritime Organization. The European Union, however, has continued to back the idea. Singapore voted for the carbon tax in the IMO vote in April. EU countries and Brazil asked for a vote to be held on Friday morning. In order to adopt a carbon tax in a vote, two-thirds must agree. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, called on IMO members to vote against it on Thursday, stating on his Truth Social platform, that Washington "will not stand for this new global green scam tax on shipping, and will not adhere to its in any shape, form, or manner." In a note to investors, Jefferies analyst Omar Nokta said that the IMO meeting this week in London "appears on the brink of collapse." Reporting by Enes Tunagur and Jonathan Saul, Editing by Peter Graff
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Asian spot prices slightly rise on cold weather, despite large inventories
The Asian spot price of liquefied gas (LNG), despite high storage inventories, rose this week due to colder weather forecasts for north-east China. Average LNG price for delivery to North-east Asia in December Industry sources estimate that the price per million British Thermal Units (mmBtu) was $11.10, up from $11.00/mmBtu in the previous week. Klaas Dozeman is a market analyst for Brainchild Commodity Intelligence. He said that Asian consumers were showing some interest in buying commodities due to the arrival of the first heating demand and confirmation of La Nina. La Nina - the cooling of temperatures over the Pacific Ocean in the middle and east - could lead to an increase in winter heating needs, but it is unlikely to last long or be very strong, according the expert. Dozeman stated that while Chinese trade data showed modest gains in exports and imports, the underlying economic weakening persists due to falling producer prices. The markets are braced ahead of an upcoming deadline of Nov. 10, for U.S. China trade. Martin Senior, Argus' head of LNG pricing, says that there have been a few spot tenders for spot cargoes, from price-sensitive buyers. However, South Korean demand is particularly weak, as high inventories due to the strong coal burning in recent months has led to import levels of 8-year lows for the first half October. Gas prices in Europe fell on Friday, as wind farms' strong output curbed the demand for gas and supplies were stable. Alex Froley is a senior LNG analyst with data intelligence firm ICIS. He said that spot gas prices have remained relatively stable over the past week. The market, in general, has been on a slight downtrend on the long-term. The weather is a major risk factor for Europe. According to Florence Schmit of Rabobank, the market appears to be repositioning ahead of winter. With EU storage levels below the average for five years and a greater potential to increase gas demand from Ukraine, some upside risks are reintroduced. Seb Kennedy, an independent gas analyst, explained that in anticipation of higher winter prices hedge funds reversed their recent sales in TTF Futures by opening up new long positions. Commercial players, on the other hand, opened new short bets against TTF Futures to lock in future profits from physical inventory. S&P Global Commodity Insights estimated its daily North West Europe LNG Marker price benchmark (NWM) for cargoes to be delivered in December ex-ship on October 16. This represents a $0.53/mmBtu reduction from the December futures prices at the TTF Hub. Spark Commodities rated the October price as $10.440/mmBtu. Argus rated the price at $10.550/mmBtu. Qasim Afghanistan, analyst at Spark Commodities, says that the U.S. arbitrage for north-east Asia through Cape of Good Hope currently points to Europe. The Atlantic region saw the biggest week-on-week rise in LNG rates since June, at $29 500/day. Pacific rates dropped for the eighth consecutive week to $23,500/day. (Reporting and editing by Alexander Smith; Marwa Rashad)
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Sources say that high prices and poor quality are causing Ivory Coast cocoa sales to be slowed down.
Cocoa sales in Ivory Coast halted at the beginning of the 2025/26 harvest season due to a record farmgate prices and low-quality stocks, according to industry sources. On October 1, the top cocoa producer in the world raised its guaranteed price by state to 5,05 CFA francs per kilogram. This was a level that traders said was unusually high. Sources said that the increase in exporters' costs has led them to stop providing funds to buyers for purchases. A Lebanese customer based at the port of San Pedro in the southwest said, "This year no funding was provided as it usually is in August and Septembre." He said that banks also were reluctant to offer financing due to the high risk in the event of an emergency. A LIQUIDITY CRUSH HITS EXPORTERS The commercial director of a firm that exports cocoa in Abidjan told AFP that the cost of a truck transporting 35-40 tons of cocoa is between 98 and 112 CFA francs. This is about $175,156 to $200,179. He said that "nobody has the money at the moment to pay for five to ten trailer trucks per day, especially if the quality of the bean is poor," adding that the company had reduced operations in order to improve quality and preserve liquidity. According to buyers and cooperatives, around 50,000 tonnes of cocoa beans had been stored in anticipation of a price increase. Grinders reject the beans because of their small size, low content of fat and high acidity. A Lebanese independent buyer in San Pedro said, "We did not receive any pre-financing for this year. I wanted to sell the cocoa that I had in my warehouse to get cash to buy new cocoa. But no one was interested." "I have 3,000 tonnes available and until I sell them, I cannot buy anything," said the man. A second Lebanese purchaser based in San Pedro expressed confidence that they would find a way to lower the price or mix old beans with new ones. He has sold 700 tons of cocoa since the beginning of the season, and currently owns 900 tons. Exporters and pod counters said that this year's main crop output is expected to be similar with the season of 2024/2025. They also added that the first harvest will be lower because of unpredictable and mixed weather conditions.
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Bolt CEO: EU must focus more on self-driving cars to keep up with competitors
Bolt, a ride-hailing company and food delivery service in Estonia, said that Europe must pay as much attention as it does to the development of self-driving vehicles to be able to participate in the technology of the future. Europe's automakers are struggling to keep pace with the technology developed by other countries, notably China and the United States. Markus Villig told a group of journalists that "there's so much focus on EVs, but we've missed the point on autonomous driving." It will be the core. The U.S. is a leader in autonomous driving, with companies like Tesla and Alphabet's Waymo, as well as Chinese rivals Baidu, WeRide, and Pony.ai. Waymo has plans to introduce autonomous ride-hailing services in London, next year. Bolt will benefit from the launch "robotaxis", however, Villig said that the European Union must recognize this technology as a strategic one, with implications for security, and should not rely solely on imports. Villig said that the EU spent tens and tens billions on different parts of the EV chain but not on software for self-driving cars. The traditional carmakers may invest some money, but they do not appear to be planning on building their own self driving systems. The EU wants to increase its digital sovereignty by reducing Europe’s reliance on U.S. Big Tech for cloud, network and artificial intelligence services. Villig added that the EU should also avoid allowing foreign companies to enter and crush smaller competitors in their own countries, as has happened in other tech fields. He suggested that upcoming EU players be given subsidies or exclusive licenses to operate robotaxis for a period of time in certain cities or regions to help them build scale. (Reporting and editing by Emelia Sithole Matarise; Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop)
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US and Singapore ask UN to delay vote on carbon shipping price amid splits
LONDON, October 17 - On Friday, the United States, Singapore and Liberia called on U.N. Shipping Agency to delay adoption of a price for carbon on ships. This was after states failed to reach consensus in London during this week's talks. During discussions at the International Maritime Organization, the United States and Saudi Arabia strongly opposed a price on carbon emissions for shipping. The European Union continued to support this idea. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, called on IMO members to vote against it on Thursday, saying that Washington "will not stand for this new global green scam tax on shipping, and will not adhere to its in any shape, form, or manner." Omar Nokta, a Jefferies analyst, wrote on Friday in a note to investors that the IMO meeting this week in London "appears on the brink of collapse". Reporting by Enes Tunagur and Jonathan Saul, Editing by Hugh Lawson
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Brazil's BNDES approves financing of $312 mln for Embraer aircraft exports to SkyWest
In a Friday statement, Brazil's State Development Bank announced that it had approved 1.7 billion reais (312,3 million dollars) of financing for the export to U.S. SkyWest Airlines of 13 Embraer airplanes. SkyWest will pay the financing in U.S. Dollars, BNDES stated, adding that aircraft should be delivered by the end of 2025 or late 2026. SkyWest, Embraer’s largest customer over the past few years, has placed a firm June order for 60 E175 aircraft valued at $3.6 Billion at list price. Options for another 50 jets were also included. Since 1997, BNDES has financed more than $26.7 billion worth of Embraer exports. Its role is to act as a credit agency, promoting the country's export industries and bolstering foreign reserves, while also helping local firms compete on a global scale. ($1 = 5.4440 reais) Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier, Writing by Isabel Teles, Editing by Sarah Morland & Tomaszjanowski
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Maguire: Energy transition to divide manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic
In the coming decades, manufacturers in North America and Europe will embark on radically different paths with regard to power sources. This could have a profound impact on the future of goods producers both on the east and west coasts. Natural gas will remain the primary power source in North America thanks to the vast gas deposits found across the region. By the mid-century, a European push to reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports will see most factories run on electricity. Diverging power paths have their own risks and benefits, and can impact on the competitiveness and efficiency of businesses. Two of the largest economies in the world are building very different energy bases for the producers of finished goods, components, and other products they produce. GEOLOGIC LOGIC The geology of both regions is a key factor in determining the choice between gas and electric power systems. According to the Energy Institute, North America and Europe both rely heavily on natural gas as a source of energy. Gas will account for 36% in North America, and 24% in Europe, by 2024. North America, however, is the largest natural gas exporter in the world, mostly in the form liquefied gas. Europe is heavily dependent on foreign nations to supply its gas. Europe's heavy dependence on imports was known for decades. However, it only became a major problem after the Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022. This led to sharp reductions in gas flow in the months that followed. Price Pain The fallout of Russia's invasion in Ukraine sent ripples through Europe's economy. The prices of electricity and natural gases rose at different rates, which in turn has helped to drive energy policy decisions since. According to Open Energy Tracker, electricity prices in Germany -- Europe's biggest economy and the former top importer Russian gas -- have averaged 50% higher than the 2010-2020 average. The rise in electricity prices has caused a dramatic increase in the cost of power for households and businesses, as well as a reduction in overall energy consumption and statewide efforts to improve energy efficiency. According to LSEG, however, the increase in electricity prices has been dwarfed in comparison to the regional natural gas price increases, which have averaged more than 90% higher in 2025 compared to the average from 2010 to 2020. The outsized increase in regional gas prices compared to electricity has cemented the support for Europe's electrification effort, even though electricity remains far above average. In recent years, the average price of electricity in the United States has risen much faster than the national natural gas price, resulting in a growing demand for gas to remain the main power source. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that the average electricity price in the United States is around 40% higher than the average from 2010 to 2020. Natural gas prices in the U.S. are about 12% higher than the average for 2010 to2020. MANUFACTURING A CHANGE According to DNV consultants, the diverging price trends of gas and electricity are expected to accelerate electrification among manufacturers in Europe. However, the dependence on gas for power will continue in North America. While European and North American manufacturers consumed nearly the same amount electricity in 2024, around 3,800 petajoules, by 2050 European manufacturers were using almost 30% more electricity than North American counterparts. By 2050, the share of manufacturers who are powered by electricity will also change significantly. Electricity will be the primary energy source for approximately 33% of European manufacturers and 27% of North American producers by 2025. By 2050, it is expected that 48% of European manufacturing will be electrified. This compares to 34% of North American manufacturers. As a result of the increased electricity consumption by European manufacturers, natural gas usage by factories on the continent will drop sharply. Around 28% of European manufacturer's are currently powered by gas. However, only 11% will be by 2050. Gas-powered vehicles are expected to remain the same in North America through 2050. FALLOUT The projected shifts in energy sources pose a risk to manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic. The projected growth in LNG exports in North America could lead to increased competition among power generators, industrial users and gas suppliers, which would result in higher gas prices for businesses. At the same, increased deployment of renewable energy, nuclear reactors, and other power supplies could drive down electricity prices and give manufacturers who use electricity a competitive advantage. The increasing dependence on regional electricity markets in Europe will expose manufacturers to price volatility and possible outages, particularly in areas with old networks. All European electricity users will likely face years of rate increases due to the extensive grid upgrades required to allow further gas reductions. This will reduce manufacturer margins. It may not be the manufacturers who decide whether Europe's drive for electrification or North America's promotion of gas is the best strategy. Due to the low shipping costs between the two regions higher-cost competitors will be undercut by cheaper overseas rivals who make similar products. Most consumers will choose the cheaper version of similar products, no matter what power source was used in its production. 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 information. 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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Ivory Coast President Ouattara hopes to ride the economic boom into a fourth term
Alassane Ouattara had a long road to become president of the Ivory Coast. It included two elections where he was disqualified and a brutal civil war in 2010-11, sparked by his predecessor refusing to leave office. Since he assumed the top position in 2011, he has won landslide elections in 2015 and 2020. The 83-year old former international banker hopes that he can repeat the feat for the third time and possibly the final one when West Africa's largest cocoa producer votes on October 25, 2010. Ouattara’s supporters claim that his victory at the polls reflects the satisfaction of voters with the strong economic growth since taking office, and the flurry infrastructure projects he has undertaken. These include new roads and interchanges as well as a 300-metre tower which dwarfs the rest of the skyline in the city center. His critics claim that it is also about restrictions on democratic activities. Amnesty International, for example, criticised the "disproportionate" ban of election-related demonstrations on Thursday. Tidjane Thiam - the man analysts said would be Ouattara’s biggest rival - was excluded from running after a court ruled that he held French citizenship when he registered. This is against Ivorian law. Laurent Gbagbo, Ouattara’s predecessor, is not eligible to run because of his prior conviction. Analysts said that those who were allowed to run for office did not have the support of the major political parties in the country, which hindered their ability to mobilize large numbers. Cesar Flan-Moquet, Director of the Centre of Political Research of Abidjan (a think tank), said that instead of forming "makeshift alliances", the four candidates of the opposition are divided between themselves. He said: "All of this means that the candidates don't really have a shot." The turbulent rise to the top Born on 1 January 1942 in Dimbokro, central Ivory Coast, Ouattara earned a PhD in economics at the University of Pennsylvania and rose to become deputy director of the International Monetary Fund. Later, he became Prime Minister under the founding president Felix Houphouet Boigny. His death in 1993 brought about a more toxic period of Ivorian Politics. In 1995, new electoral rules were introduced, which included a requirement that candidates must have lived in Ivory Coast during the five previous years. This prevented Ouattara running for office. In 2020, he was again excluded because one of his parents is from Burkina Faso. Gbagbo called Ouattara, the winner of that election, "a foreigner candidate". The 2002 revolt against Gbagbo divided the country, leaving the northern half of the country under the control of rebels. Many of these were from the ethnic group of Ouattara, the Dioula. The war was mostly the result of xenophobic policy by successive Ivorian government against migrant farmer from Burkina Faso, Mali and northern Ivorians who had cultural ties with them. In 2010, Ouattara and former President Henri Konan Bedie formed a pact that helped him win the runoff election against Gbagbo. Around 3,000 people were killed in the fighting that broke out after Gbagbo refused to accept his defeat before Ouattara took office in April 2011. Ouattara was re-elected in 2015 and 2020 with little difficulty, although the last vote was marred violent clashes between rival supporters which killed 85 people. Uncertainty about who will be the next? The tensions are not as high as they were in 2020 when the critics were more upset over Ouattara’s claim that a 2016 constitution had reset his limit of two terms. Jessica Moody, a West Africa political consultant and expert on risk management, says that the protest ban as well as the deployment of 44 000 security forces will prevent large-scale unrest. Ouattara will likely spend his fourth term focusing on economic goals, such as making Ivory Coast into a middle-income nation by 2030, opening a new metro in Abidjan, and improving access to electricity and roads. He also tried to answer the question about his successor before the 2020 elections by naming Amadou Coulibaly, the then Prime Minister. Coulibaly passed away a few months later and Ouattara reneged on his promise of handing power to a younger generation. Moody stated that choosing a successor would be a difficult process due to the divisions in the ruling party. However, it was not impossible. She said, "I don’t believe he lacks motivation to step down." He will be 88 years old by the time of the next election. (Reporting and editing by Ed Osmond, Loucoumane coulibaly and Robbie Corey Boulet)
The Dutch Supreme Court rejects Russia's appeal over Yukos 50 billion payout
The Dutch Supreme Court denied on Friday an appeal from Russia against the $50 billion arbitral award that it was ordered to make to former shareholders of Yukos, now defunct, in 2014.
This ruling comes after years of legal disputes in Dutch courts, following the initial arbitration tribunal ruling that found Moscow had violated international obligations by taking measures designed to bankrupt Yukos - formerly Russia's biggest oil company.
Yukos was seized in 2006 by the Russian state after the oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky had a falling out with Vladimir Putin. The government demanded billions in back taxes, which led to Yukos' collapse.
In 2016, a lower Dutch court ruled against the penalty, only to have it reinstated on appeal.
The Supreme Court then referred the case back to the lower court in 2021 to determine whether Russia's claim of false evidence provided by shareholders was incorrectly rejected.
Last year, the Amsterdam appellate court dismissed this claim because Russia brought it too late.
The Supreme Court said on Friday that it did not see any reason to reverse the ruling of the appeals court. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis and Kirsty Donovan; Bart Meijer, Alban Kacher)
(source: Reuters)