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French and Benelux Stocks-Factors To Watch On 23 Jan
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 at 4,07 billion euros without duties. Argan forecast 2026 rental revenues of 220 millions euros?with a 3.65 euro dividend per share. BNP PARIBAS : According to Les Echos, the French bank BNPParibas has announced a voluntary exit plan at its asset management subsidiary, affecting approximately 1,200 positions worldwide. This represents around 20% of their workforce. COVIVIO SA : French real estate company Covivio has announced that it will acquire a Meininger Hotel in Porto, Portugal. The hotel features 228 rooms with?834 beds. The deal is expected to close in the second half 2028. GL?EVENTS?SA: French event and exhibition services -company GL Events reported a full-year revenue of 1.72 billion Euros. MICHELIN: French tire maker Michelin has completed the acquisition Cooley Group, creating a global leader for industrial coated fabrics. The deal was financed by available cash and preserved the company's solid financial position. PIERRE ET Vacances SA: French holiday resort operator Pierre et Vacances has reported a first-quarter revenue totaling 387.3 million Euros with a occupancy rate of almost 70%. STEF SA: French temperature-controlled logistics company Stef reported fourth-quarter revenue of 1,347.1 million euros. SWORD GROUP SE : The IT firm Sword Group SE has reported a revenue of 90.8 million euros for the fourth quarter 2025. VIOHALCO SA. The Belgian-Greek metals-and-cable manufacturer Viohalco has appointed Michail Sassinopoulos to the position of chairman, and Ippokratis Ioannis Sassinopoulos to the role of executive vice-chairman. VOLTALIA SA : French renewable energy -company Voltalia has signed a credit facility of 244 million euro with 12 banks. This includes?146.6 millions euros revolving loan and 97.7million euros term loan. The debt maturity is extended until 2026. 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..... (Gdansk Newsroom)
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Maguire: China's energy, clean technology and power milestones by 2025
In 2025, China's electricity production and exports of clean energy technologies reached record levels. LNG and coal imports decreased and crude oil imports increased in another dynamic year. As 2026 begins, here's an overview of China's key domestic and international impacts on the energy market. Power Shifts Imports of coal and liquefied gas from China have both dropped dramatically in 2025 compared to the year before, as the country's energy system becomes cleaner and less dependent on fossil fuels. According to Kpler, the commodities intelligence firm, total LNG imports were 66.6 metric tons in?2025. This was a drop of 11.6 million metric ton or 15% from 2024, and marked the lowest import amount since 2022. A prolonged manufacturing slump and reduced industrial activity were the main reasons for the decline in LNG demand. China's power producers increased gas-fired electric production by 5% to a new record in 2025, helping to highlight the total demand for natural gases even though LNG imports declined. Gas's share in China's electric network has dropped to its lowest level for many years, at 2.8%. This shows that gas plays a very minor role within the sector. Kpler data show that China's thermal coal imports, which is used to power power stations, fell by 11%, or 40 million metric tons, last year. This was the lowest import total since 2022. Power firms are trying to reduce the use of coal in power generation, while Beijing is attempting to support the domestic coal mining industry by managing the phase out of coal usage for power. Imports for metallurgical coke, which is used by steelmakers to make steel, fell 24%, as the construction industry in the country, still struggling, continued to reduce demand for building material. Imports of the coke used in blast-furnaces?rose by 45% in 2012 as domestic supplies dried out following a fall in steel production to'seven-year lows. China's overall demand for construction materials will remain weak until the property sector recovers. CLEANING UP Although China's appetite to coal and gas decreased last year, the domestic production of "clean electricity" continued to grow. According to the think tank Ember in 2025 clean electricity supplies will reach 4,326 Terawatt Hours (TWh), a 15.4% increase from the previous year. The main factors behind the rise in clean power were a 43% increase in solar production and a 14% expansion in wind output. Power firms could reduce coal-fired production and increase overall electricity supply in 2025, despite the fact that the country's massive manufacturing sector was still running below capacity because of a tepid demand from local and international consumers. In fact, China's total output of electricity increased by at least 4% for the seventh consecutive year. In 2026, China is likely to continue its clean energy production momentum by deploying more solar, wind, and battery storage systems, many of which are made at home. CRUDE GROWTH After a rare drop in crude oil purchases in 2024 (compared to 2024), China's crude purchases increased in 2025. This shattered expectations that China's oil imports were in perpetual decline. According to Kpler the total crude oil imports in 2017 were 3.75 billion barils, an increase of 43 million barrels or 1.1% from last year. Beijing believes that the stockpiles of crude oil are an important buffer against global geopolitical risks. Stockbuilding will continue through 2026 and, along with a recovery in industrial activity, could support China's oil import orders. EXPORTED SUPPLUS China is expected to continue its export of solar panels, battery storage systems, and electric vehicles in China through 2026. The world's largest manufacturer of clean energy technology - which also includes parts for wind farms and power grids, as well as heating and cooling system - produces much more than can be consumed in the home. China's clean tech exports are expected to reach $222 billion in 2025, a 20% increase. Batteries generated the highest export revenue, with $82 billion, followed by EV exports at $69 billion. Both were a?annual records. Ember estimates that China's exports for grid components, heating and cooling equipment and other products will also reach new highs by 2025. These are expected to be around $19 billion in the first case and $17 billion in the second. Export sales of photovoltaic modules dropped by 8% to $30 billion. This is because the global rush towards renewables has slowed down after a surge of years. China will continue to have a significant influence in the global energy system, even if other top markets, such as Europe and Southeast Asia, do not expand their clean power networks. 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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Trump's new Cadillac is on its way ahead of the Air Force One plane
Donald Trump, the president of the United States, is now getting new transportation on the ground as well as in the air. The U.S. Secret Service confirmed on social media that it began transporting Trump this week to Davos in Switzerland in newly delivered Cadillac SUVs. The vehicles look like modified Cadillac Escalades. However, the?agency has not confirmed that. In a press release, Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that he was "excited" to continue our long-standing relationship with General Motors by adding these vehicles to the fleet of our protective vehicles. Curran visited a GM plant in Warren, Michigan, after a March meeting between Trump, GM CEO Mary Barra and Curran to discuss 'next-generation armored vehicles. Trump brought up the possibility of buying Cadillac SUVs during the meeting with Barra. GM and the 'Secret Service did not respond to questions on Thursday about the new SUVs. When not using the presidential limousine, the president usually travels in a?Chevrolet Suburban that is armored. Homeland Security Department and Secret Service awarded GM a contract worth $14.8 million in September 2024 for the?development of GM's next-generation presidential limo nicknamed "The Beast". This could reach up to $40.8 millions by?2029. The contract was modified in August to include an option for funding of $13.5 million. In March, the Secret Service posted a picture from the visit. It showed a Cadillac Escalade SUV with the presidential banner and a large image of the seal. The vehicle looks similar to that which Trump used this week. Separately, the U.S. Air Force said that Trump was "on track" to get a brand new plane by summer. He had been downgraded from a Boeing to a 757 on Tuesday night after a "minor electric issue". Trump accepted in May a luxury Boeing jetliner to temporarily serve as Air Force One while Boeing's two delayed planes arrived. The former Qatari aircraft, which has a luxurious interior and is 13 years old, will be retrofitted for hundreds of millions of dollars. The Air Force stated that it expects to deliver the aircraft no later than the summer of 2026. It also said it "is closely coordinating with appropriate government entities" in order to meet the mission and security requirements. The Air Force announced last month that the delivery of the first two Air Force One jets, ordered from Boeing, had been postponed by an additional year, to mid-2028. This is the latest setback in a long line of delays. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed in Washington, David Shepardson from Washington)
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Indonesia finds 10 bodies on crashed surveillance aircraft
The Indonesian search and rescue agency said that rescuers found 10 bodies on Friday from a fishery supevision plane?that had gone missing at the weekend in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. On Saturday, around 1:30 pm local time (0530 GMT), the?ATR42-500 turboprop belonging to aviation group Indonesia Air Transport lost contact with airtraffic control in South Sulawesi's Maros area. The plane was chartered for air surveillance by Indonesia's Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry. The passengers were staff from the ministry. Andi Sultan, a South Sulawesi rescue agency official, revealed through?tears in a video that authorities had found the ninth and tenth bodies on Friday morning. He added that the evacuation was still underway. Separately, the agency announced on its Instagram page that 10 bodies had been found. Rescuers found the wreckage in various locations around Mount Bulusaraung, in the Maros region. This is about 1,500 km northeast of Jakarta, the capital of this sprawling island nation. The chief of Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee, which investigates accidents in transport, has revealed to local media that the KNKT is investigating the contents found inside the black?box. This was the first fatal crash in Indonesia involving the ATR 42 manufactured by Franco Italian planemaker ATR, since?more? than a decade. Trigana Air Service ATR 42 300 crashed in 2015 into a mountainside in Indonesia's Papua Region, killing all 54 passengers. In 2021, a Boeing 737-500 operated by airline Sriwijaya Co crash into the Java Sea killing 62 people. (Reporting and editing by David Stanway; Stanley Widianto)
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J&T Global Express, a Hong Kong-listed company, aims to raise $596 Million for technology and overseas expansion
J&T Global Express, an Indonesian courier service firm, announced on Friday that it aims to raise HK$4.65bn ($596.40m) via a?issue?of convertible bond. The bonds are initially convertible at HK$14.55 for each class B share. This can be converted into a maximum number of 319,6 million 'new shares. J&T Global stated that the proceeds would be used to "develop the group’s overseas business, technology advancement and optimize the capital structure of the group, including share purchase, as well as for other corporate purposes." The firm stated in a statement that it intended to list the 2026 Convertible Bonds on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. J&T was launched in Indonesia by two ex-executives of the Chinese electronics?firm OPPO in 2015. It quickly became Southeast Asia's largest ecommerce?delivery company. In 2021, the company bought Best Inc's express delivery service in China from Alibaba. The deal was valued at $1.1 billion and helped launch an aggressive China expansion.
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CSX misses quarterly results estimates on weak industrial demand, lower coal volumes
Jan 22 - CSX reported Thursday that its fourth-quarter revenue, profit and earnings fell short of expectations. This was due to a weaker industrial market and lower export coal shipments. These factors were offset by higher pricing and increased intermodal traffic. U.S. -based railroad operators like CSX are facing a softer industrial environment and an uneven freight demand. This has led to companies reducing their costs and adjusting operations. Steve Angel, CEO of the company, said that "our quarterly results reflect a subdued industrial demand environment, and the actions we have taken to adjust our costs structure." The company will also focus on productivity, cost control, and capital discipline by 2026. Jacksonville, Florida based company also predicted operating margin expansion of 200 to 300 basis point?in 2026 compared with adjusted 2025 performance, helping shares to move 3.2% higher during extended trading. CSX’s operating margin for the third quarter was 31.6%, an increase of 30 basis points compared to a year ago. According to LSEG, the company reported revenue of $3.50billion in the fourth quarter. This was below analysts' average estimate, which was $3.54billion. The topline for the quarter was down by 1% compared to a year ago, due to lower merchandise volumes and lower export coal revenues. The 39 cents it earned per share is also slightly below the 41 cents expected. The decline was cushioned by higher prices?in intermodal and merchandise?, increased intermodal volumes, and fuel surcharge revenues. The firmer merchandise prices showed CSX’s ability to continue passing on rate increases. Apratim Sarkar, Shreya Biwas and Apratim Sarakar contributed to this report.
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Alaska Air releases cautious forecast regarding fuel costs and economic risks
Alaska Airlines forecast on Thursday a larger-than-expected loss for the first quarter and a profit outlook for the full year that was below Wall Street expectations, citing seasonality and fuel price volatility. According to LSEG data, the Seattle-based carrier 'expects' a profit per share of between $3.50 and $6.50. The midpoint is below the average analyst expectation of $5.54. Alaska anticipates a loss per share of between 50 cents and $1.50 for the first quarter. This is compared to Wall Street's expectation of a loss of 64 cents. Shane Tackett, Alaska's Chief Finance Officer, said in an interview with that the airline has adopted a more conservative stance on?guidance following last year's volatility. Airlines were hit by a sharp decline in demand after sweeping U.S. Tariffs and the longest U.S. In an interview with, Alaska's Chief Financial Officer Shane Tackett said the airline is taking a more conservative approach to?guidance after last year's volatility. Airlines were hit by a sharp drop in demand following sweeping U.S. tariffs and the longest?U.S. These factors also affected the full-year predictions of Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. Both came in below analyst expectations. He said that if things stayed the same for the entire year, we would be able to achieve the highest end of the range. It doesn't need to get better. It only needs to keep its current momentum." DEMAND REBOUNDS BUT FUEL? AND TIMING BITE Tackett stated that Alaska has begun to regain demand lost last year during the abrupt booking slowdown. He estimated this loss at about $500 million. He said that the demand has increased sharply from early January. The yields are above those of last year, and corporate bookings have risen by 20% this quarter compared to last year across all sectors, including manufacturing, technology and finance. He said that loyalty revenue has also increased. He added that the revenue from main-cabins, which was behind industrywide growth last year, will be positive later this quarter. Tackett stated that travelers with the means of flying are booking their trips. Alaska's performance will be affected in the current quarter because much of its?first-quarter itinerary was booked before the demand increased in early January. Tackett estimates that the airline has left $50 to $100 million in potential revenue on its table. He said that a month earlier, when we booked the first quarter, "the demand was not as strong as it is now." The company is also particularly vulnerable to West Coast fuel refining margins. Tackett stated that a 10-cent change in fuel prices could translate to a 75 cent swing in the airline's earnings per share. Its outlook reflects the airline's historically weak first quarter. This is now compounded with Hawaiian Airlines' similar seasonal profile, as both carriers continue to integrate their networks. Alaska has also been absorbing increased labor and real estate costs since last year. Analysts had expected 12 cents per share. Its earnings for the fourth quarter came in at 43. Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh from Chicago and Shivansh Twary from Bengaluru, with editing by Diane Craft
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US power grid is put to the test by arctic cold and data center demand
Electric infrastructure in the U.S. is at risk of being weakened by the demands of data centers, which are constantly on the go. Starting Friday, a pattern of Arctic cold extreme weather is expected, bringing with it extremely low temperatures, heavy snow, and ice. This could pose significant challenges to the electric grid until next week. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NAERC), the United States' top power regulator, made this assessment on Thursday. In several Midwest and Great Plains States, the cold weather has already reduced gas supplies through freezing of oil and gas pipes and wells. U.S. Natural Gas Futures have risen by 63% in the last three days, reaching a six-week peak on Thursday due to forecasts of extreme temperatures over the next two week. According to data and analysts from LSEG, demand next week will likely approach 'last winter’s record, as homes and business crank up their heaters in order to escape a brutally cold snap. The PJM Interconnection, the U.S.'s largest power grid, is expected to reach a record-breaking winter electricity demand next week. The grid operator warned that "peak demand could exceed 130,000 MW next week for seven consecutive days, a winter streak PJM had never experienced." "Depending on the temperatures, PJM may set a record winter peak load on January 27. This cold weather could last into early February. PJM has taken extra precautions to prepare. PJM provides electricity to 67,000,000 people in 13 states, including Washington D.C. It has struggled to meet the booming demand for power from Big Tech's data centers, which are needed for the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. Extreme weather has caught regional grids including PJM off guard in recent years. In Texas, the worst incident occurred in early 2021. More than 200 people died when nearly half of Texas's generation capacity was lost. Millions of Texans lost power, including a family of an 11 year old boy who froze and died in his bed. In after-action reports, the Electric?Reliability?Council of Texas (ERCOT), which is the main grid operator in the state, was criticised for failing to ensure that the system had been properly winterized. Since then, utilities and grid operators have had to comply with stricter state and federal regulations. ERCOT plans, for instance, to complete at least 450 inspections during the winter season (December - February). ERCOT reported that 240 inspections were completed as of January 2018. The gap between summer and winter peaks is closing, due to rapid data center expansion, according to Philip Krein, an expert in grids at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This means that utilities will have less time, for example, when performing maintenance, to shut down power plants. Krein stated that this makes the grid vulnerable. The maintenance season is stretched like never before. Both ERCOT (the utility) and PJM (the power company) said that they expect to have enough electricity generation this winter to meet the demand. ERCOT forecasts that there is a very slight chance of a controlled, small blackout in the morning on January 31. ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas stated on Thursday that he is confident in the Texas grid's ability to handle cold weather. (Reporting by Tim McLaughlin, Editing by Nia William and Diane Craft).
China claims to have rescued a Philippine crew from a cargo ship near Scarborough Shoal
Chinese Coast Guard said on Friday that it had dispatched two vessels to rescue 21 'Philippine crewmembers' from a foreign cargo vessel which capsized in the South China Sea near Scarborough Shoal.
The Coast Guard said that it received a report about the incident on Friday at 1:34 am. The Coast Guard said that 13 people had been rescued so far, while the search and rescue efforts continued.
An email request for comment was not immediately responded to by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing.
Scarborough Shoal, one of Asia’s most contested maritime features and a frequent flashpoint for disputes over fishing rights and sovereignty.
The Chinese military announced on Tuesday that they had 'organised naval forces and air force to drive away an alleged Philippine government aircraft which it accused of 'illegally intruding' into the airspace above the atoll.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea. This area overlaps the exclusive economic zone of Brunei and Indonesia as well as the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. (Reporting and editing by Muralikumar Aantharaman; Beijing Newsroom)
(source: Reuters)