Latest News
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Indonesia confirms that it does not plan to charge a toll in the Malacca Strait
Indonesia's finance minister said on Friday that the country has no plans to charge tolls for ships traveling through the Malacca Strait. His comments earlier in the week about monetising this strategic route caused a stir. Purbaya Yudhi reaffirmed a clarification given by the country's Foreign Minister on Thursday, that Southeast 'Asia’s largest economy will not impose tariffs along the Malacca Strait. Purbaya said at a press briefing that Indonesia would adhere to the U.N.?Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which outlines the rules that?govern the waterways used for navigation internationally. Purbaya caused a stir on Wednesday by?openly discussing ways countries could impose a toll on ships as a means to monetise this strait. He then noted that such an arrangement is not possible. As a result of the effective closure of the Strait Of Hormuz in the Middle East, policymakers have been forced to consider the security of other maritime chokepoints. The US has described the Malacca Strait as a 900 km (550 mile) long waterway. Energy Administration describes the Malacca Strait as the largest oil transit chokepoint in the world. It is bounded by Indonesia, Thailand and?Malaysia, and offers the fastest sea route between East Asia and the Middle East and Europe. Data from Malaysia's Marine Department shows that more than 102,500 ships, mostly commercial vessels transited the Malacca Strait in 2025. This is up from around 94,590 in 2024.
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New EU sanctions to be imposed on condensate imported from Russia's Yamal LNG
According to the EU official journal, new European Union sanctions will prohibit condensate imports from Yamal LNG as well as other Russian projects that produce light fuels?as a byproduct of?their?liquefied... production?from 1 January 2027. The European Union approved on Thursday an official 90 billion-euro loan ($105 billion) to Ukraine, and new sanctions against Russia in advance of a informal summit of the leaders of the EU in Cyprus. As U.S. peace talks, mediated by Washington, have been paused due to the focus of the United States on the war against Iran. Since December 2022, the EU has banned?Russian oil imports and introduced a price limit?for Russian oil. Imports of Russian crude oil, coal and fuels have almost been eliminated. In 2021 it imported 43% fuels and 25% crude oil from Russia. Russia produces a light oil called?gas condensate? at two of its LNG projects: Yamal LNG, and Arctic LNG-2. In 2024, the Yamal LNG plant located in the Arctic will export 1.12 million tons of gas to Rotterdam (Netherlands), an increase of 16.3% compared to?2023. The supply of 1.2 million tonnes increased by 7.4% last year. Gas condensate can be used to make petrochemicals and motor fuel. In 2022, the EU initially excluded gas condensates as a sanction. It cited the need to guarantee LNG supply security.
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China denies Trump's claim that the intercepted Iranian ship was a 'gift' from China
China's Foreign Ministry rejected on Friday an accusation made by U.S. president Donald Trump, that a cargo ship?flagged with Iranian flag?was seized by the United States. The "gift" from China was the armed forces. The U.S. claimed it had fired and seized a cargo ship from Iran that was trying to evade the blockade of Iranian ports. The Iranian military claimed that the ship was en route from China, and promised retaliation for what it called "armed piratery by the U.S." military." Trump told CNBC on Tuesday that the ship had "some things on it, which weren't very nice." "A gift from China, perhaps? I don't really know." The Chinese Foreign Ministry has rejected these comments. Reporters in Beijing were told by ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun that "China is against any accusations or associations without a factual base". "Normal international commercial relations between countries shouldn't be subject to interference or disruption," he added. According to maritime security sources, the 'container ship Touska', which was boarded by U.S. forces on Sunday and seized, likely has dual-use items, that Washington considers could be used by the military, on board.
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Geely Caocao will deploy thousands of robotaxis fully customized in 2027
Caocao Inc., the ride-hailing division of Chinese automaker Geely Holding Group, said that it plans to deploy thousands?of robotaxis worldwide next year. Its CEO announced this on Friday. This could create a rivalry between Tesla's Cybercab and Caocao Inc. Caocao CEO Gong Xin said that the first large-scale deliveries and deployments of the Geely-made robotaxi Eva Cab are expected to begin in 2028, before the fleet grows to 100,000 vehicles by 2030. He said that the Eva Cab would first be deployed on the roads in Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and five cities of mainland China next year. Production, delivery, and deployment will be nearly simultaneous. The robotaxi is a 'purpose-built' vehicle with a redesigned cabin that has a simplified storage system and no door pockets. This reduces the risk of passengers forgetting their belongings. Gong, without disclosing an exact price, said that the cost of driverless cars with a luxury interior but without a powerful motor and without luxuries would be lower than the private cars. This approach is in contrast to the majority of robotaxis that are currently on public roads. These vehicles are usually modified versions mass-market cars, limiting interior optimization and cost control. Geely Holdings incubated Caocao in 2015. It is now the core platform of its shared mobility operations and robotaxis. It will be listed in Hong Kong by 2025. In the fourth quarter, it made its first ever quarterly adjusted net profit. Chinese automakers are moving towards autonomous driving and mobility solutions amid increased competition in the world's largest automobile market. Brian Gu, Xpeng's president, said on Thursday that the company will probably produce hundreds to thousands robotaxis over a period of 12 to 18 months. He said that Xpeng will initially focus on manufacturing robotaxis, and it is still looking for operating partners who can work together on a global robotaxi venture. The move by Chinese manufacturers to robotaxis could lead to a confrontation with Tesla. Elon Musk has said that the production of Cybercabs will increase gradually, before accelerating sharply. The vehicles are expected to replace modified cars as Tesla expands their driverless fleet. (Reporting and editing by Qiaoyi Li, Liz Lee)
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Truckmaker Volvo raises European market forecast as North American orders soar
Volvo Group announced a'sharp?rise' in truck orders for the first quarter on Friday. This was driven by strong demand from Europe and North America. Volvo Group also raised its forecasts for European heavy trucks registrations. The U.S. markets showed signs of improvement after a long downturn. Orders from North America increased by 78% in the first quarter. The European market continued to grow steadily. "Demand for our products in Europe continued to increase gradually while orders in North and South America increased dramatically." The recent increase in North American orders will allow production to be more balanced?from may", CEO Martin Lundstedt stated in a press release. Hampus Engellau, an analyst at Handelsbanken, said that the high?U.S. The order intake means that operating leverage should improve during the second half of this year. Volvo shares rose by 2.5% on the opening of the market. According to a LSEG survey, the average analyst's forecast for this quarter was 11.4 billion Swedish crowns ($1.2billion). However, operating profit dropped 20% from last year and fell to 10.7 billion Swedish Crowns ($1.2billion) in the third quarter. Bernstein and Handelsbanken, however, said that adjusted earnings of 12,2 billion crowns was above expectations. The global truck order intake increased by 14%, to 62 755 vehicles. Volvo has increased its forecast for Europe's heavy truck market to 310,000 units this year, up from the 305,000 vehicles forecast in January. The company maintained its forecast for North American heavy truck sales of 265,000 vehicles. Volvo's forecasts are viewed as conservative by many. Bernstein analysts predicted that attention would be focused on 'why Volvo didn't raise its North American market outlook. The group also said that the conflict in the Middle East has not caused major disruptions to its supply chain.
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Wall Street Journal, April 24,
These are the most popular?stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been?verified? and we cannot vouch for their accuracy. Pershing Square Inc., an investment firm owned by Bill Ackman, plans to sell up to 33.12 millions shares at a price of $50 each in its initial public offer. Nike plans to reduce its workforce by 1,400 employees, or 2% of its total, in order to simplify its global operations. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, said that the 'U.S. Spirit Airlines is a struggling budget airline that could be taken over by the government to save both jobs and the airline. U.S. Federal Authorities charged a U.S. Army Soldier who 'took part in operation to capture Nicolas Maduro' with using classified data?to earn more than $400,000. A preliminary safety report states that the emergency responder who was in the firetruck that was involved?in the fatal crash last month at?LaGuardia Airport heard the air traffic controller ask him to stop crossing an active runway but didn't realize the transmission had been intended for his vehicle.
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Kuehne+Nagel raises profit forecast on the back of strong early-year performance
Kuehne und Nagel, the Swiss logistics company, slightly raised 'the bottom end' of its operating profit guidance on Friday, less than two month after it was announced. The group cited continued cost discipline as well as a good start to the year for air, road, and contract logistics. The freight forwarder that operates in over 100 countries has a forecast of recurring earnings between?1.25 and 1.40 billion Swiss Francs ($1.59 to $1.78billion) in 2026. This is up from the previous guidance of 1.2 to 1.4 billion Swiss Francs. Its EBIT in 2025 was 1.24 billion Swiss francs. Geopolitical tensions are adding to the already stressed logistics sector in Europe. Analysts expected the first quarter profits of the sector to be boosted by the U.S./Israel war against Iran. K+N's sea logistics business has been negatively impacted by the Middle East disruption in the short-term. CEO Stefan Paul made a statement that said, "We closely monitor the situation. Especially with regards to the rising energy prices and their?possible effect on consumer demand." Sea logistics, a group business, posted a 46% drop in operating profit for the first quarter compared to 210 million last year. However, it beat analyst's expectations of 103 millions francs. This decline was also due to the?strong quarter last year, when shipping volumes were high before U.S. president Donald Trump's?Liberation Day tariff announcements.
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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 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 that it had sold securities representing around 3.4% of GAL’s equity share capital for 924 million euro to GMR Group. It also proposed a special dividend per share of 0.8 euros for 2025. A further special distribution per share of 1.0 euros could be made upon completion of the deal. BOLLORE: Bollore, a French conglomerate, reported a 6.5% increase in Q1 2026 revenues to 815 millions euros and proposed a special dividend of 1.5 euros each share. CARMILA : French shopping center operator Carmila announced a Q1 gross rental revenue of 112.3 millions euros, and proposed a dividend of 1,36 euros per share by 2025. This is 9% higher than the previous year. Clariane, a French provider of elderly care services, reported a 4.9% increase in organic revenue to 1,336 millions euros for the first quarter of 2026. FNAC DARTY The French electronics and entertainment retailer Fnac Darty announced Q1 revenues of 2,310 million Euros, with a gross margin rate that was up by 10 basis points compared to the previous quarter. It also confirmed its forecasts for 2026 and 2030. SEB: French small appliances manufacturer Groupe SEB reported Q1 2026 sales at 1,885 millions euros, an increase of 2.7% compared to the same period last year, and operating results up by 42%, reaching 72 million euros. LISI, a French aerospace fasteners manufacturer, reported Q1 2026 revenues of 468 millions euros, an increase of 10.9% on a comparable basis. The company also has a solid order backlog in the aerospace industry. SAINT-GOBAIN: Saint-Gobain, a French manufacturer of building materials, reported sales of 11.11 billion euros in Q1 - down 2.3% on a like-for-like basis and 2.3% on a local currency basis. The company also confirmed that its EBITDA target for 2026 is?over 15%. TIKEHAU CAPITAL: Tikehau Capital, a French alternative asset manager, reported 53 billion euro in assets under management for Q1 - an increase of 7% over last year. Net new money raised was 1.0 billion euro across private markets strategies. UNIBAIL-RODAMCO-WESTFIELD: European shopping center operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield reported Q1 proportionate total turnover of 908.2 million euros with tenant ?sales up 5.0% and ?confirmed its 2026 adjusted recurring earnings per share guidance of 9.15 to 9.30 euros. VALEO: Valeo, a French auto parts manufacturer, reported sales of 5.12 billion Euros in Q1, above the consensus estimate of?5.01billion euros. It also confirmed its outlook for 2026. VINCI: Vinci, a French construction and concessions company, reported stable Q1 revenue at 16.3 billion euro, an increase of 1% when exchange rates are constant. Net financial debt was reduced by 1.4 billion euro year-on-year, and the group confirmed its outlook for 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............ 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 .....
Hapag-Lloyd reports that one ship has passed Strait of Hormuz
Hapag-Lloyd, a container?shipping company, said that one of their ships had crossed the 'Strait of Hormuz' on Friday. However, they did not have any information about the circumstances.
A spokesperson said that four of the six initial ships are still in the Gulf after the charter agreement for one ship expired. This means the ship no longer belongs Hapag-Lloyd's fleet.
He said that the four Hapag vessels still in the Gulf have 100 crew members who are supplied with "food and water".
The United States struggles to keep control of the Strait of Hormuz - one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
Since a ceasefire was declared on April 8, the Iran war that Israel and the U.S. launched on February 28 has been put on hold.
The?U.S. The?U.S.
Tehran has said it won't consider opening the Strait until Washington lifts the "blockade" of Iran shipping that Washington imposed in the truce, and which Tehran views as a violation.
This week, the?Iran showed off its control?over a large cargo ship with a video showing commandos storming it in a speedboat. (Reporting and writing by Elke Ahlswede; editing by Miranda Murray).
(source: Reuters)