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Venture Global expects a strong core profit for the full year on increasing demand
Venture Global announced a higher-than expected core profit for the current year on Tuesday. This was due to higher LNG demand, and higher LNG shipments. In premarket trading, shares of Venture Global, a company that became the most valuable U.S. gas company when it was listed in January, rose 3.8% to $10.29. The U.S. has become the top LNG exporter in the world. Commercial activity in this sector has increased since President Donald Trump lifted the moratorium on new LNG export permits in January. LSEG data shows that while Venture lowered their current-year adjusted core profits forecast from between $6.8 and $7.4 to between $6.4 and $6.8 Billion, they still exceeded Wall Street's expectations of $6.54 Billion. Venture stated that changes in domestic and global natural gas prices may impact its adjusted core profits forecast. The spread between domestic prices and international prices of gas and LNG has also decreased since the last quarter. The company expects to export between 145 and 150 cargos this year from the Calcasieu Project, while 222 to 239 from the Plaquemines Project. The previous forecasts for this year were 140 to 150 cargos of the Calcasieu Project and 219-239 cargos of the Plaquemines Project. The company sold 228,3 trillion British Thermal Units of LNG during the first quarter of this year, a 62% increase from a similar period last year. The company's core profit almost doubled to $1.35billion, thanks to higher LNG prices. (Reporting and editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri in Bengaluru. Tanay Dhumal is based in Bengaluru.
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Chinese exporters in the US should be cautious as tariff uncertainty lingers
Deng Jinling, the manager of a Chinese thermos flask company exporting to the U.S. popped a bottle with her husband when she heard that Washington had reduced punitive tariffs against China for at least ninety days. Deng, who celebrated the 90-day reprieve by blowing bubbles, is worried about what could happen after that. She has sent her daughter, aged 20, to the U.S. in order to scout out a warehouse to minimize risks and protect against further tariff fallout. Deng, Lucky Bird Trade's manager, said that he was concerned Trump would forget what he had said today. The company is located in Yiwu, which is the largest wholesale center for small manufactured goods. Chinese factories are heavily reliant on the U.S. marketplace, but they have buckled down, unsure of how to navigate a trade war that is becoming increasingly unpredictable and has threatened global supply chains. This uncertainty persists, despite a temporary truce. After discussions with Chinese officials, U.S. announced on Monday that the two sides have agreed to a 90 day pause during which Washington will reduce tariffs on Chinese imported goods to 30% from 145%. Chinese duties on U.S. imported goods will also drop to 10% from 125%. Despite the positive news, some manufacturers are still cautious, given that it is uncertain what will happen in 90 days. Some of them continue to look for overseas opportunities as a way to hedge their bets. Christian Gassner is the General Manager of Limoss in Malaysia, a German manufacturer based in Dongguan in China, which manufactures control panels and remotes. He says that he will keep doing so, despite the tariffs pause. "Even after the 90-day break, it still feels like someone hit the snooze on a fire alert. "Tariffs, politics and policy mood swings do not exactly scream stable business environment," he said. Sticking to one area is like building a house on a trampoline. The U.S. market is one of the top three markets for Limoss. So, crossing our fingers before the next plot-twist isn't an option. We need real options fast. Candice Li is the marketing manager for a medical device maker in Guangdong province, China. Her first reaction was to be suspicious and wonder if 30% would soon become 60%. Li, in a reference to Trump, said: "As a president of a nation, he speaks as easily as if he were telling a joke. This threatens his credibility." Li's company had stopped dealing with U.S. customers for over a month. She now expects clients to resume trading and pay the tariffs. Her company has reduced its work hours and shifts as a result of the 145% tariff increase. Li explained that "people from the supporting departments worked only half of each month, which is equivalent to a paycut." Year-end Holidays in Focus For some Chinese manufacturers, timing is crucial. In May, U.S. retailers place orders for the year-end holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Jessica Guo manages a Christmas Tree factory in Jinhua, eastern China. She said that she was scrambling for orders to be sent out. We can't make enough Christmas trees to meet the demand of American clients. We are only able to schedule orders up until the end August. By then, however, the relationship between China and the U.S. may be uncertain. Analysts say that customers will use the 90-day window to send as many goods into the United States as possible, but the outlook is uncertain beyond this period. The container shipping industry expressed its appreciation for the agreement reached between Washington and Beijing on Monday, stating that it expects the deal to increase bookings. The U.S. China agreement offers opportunities to some smaller exporters who have businesses in emerging markets. Eileen Xiong is the sales director of Dongguan Vdette Information Tech Co., an air-purifier manufacturer. She said that many Chinese exporters focusing their attention on the U.S. had suspended deals in the last month due to the trade war. This had increased competition in emerging markets, where she operates, like India, and forced her to lower the prices. "We're a small business... Big brands will not give up on the U.S. Market. They began to focus on markets that were cheaper or emerging. They may now, in a better climate, turn their attention to the U.S. and leave us less under pressure," said Xiong.
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In April, South Korea purchased 52,123 t of rice from the U.S.
Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, a state-owned company in South Korea, purchased 52.123 metric tonnes of rice from the United States as part of an international auction that closed on April 15. It can take a few weeks for the corporation to allocate tenders. The tender requested up to 80,000 tonnes of goods, but there were no reports on the purchase of other consignments. Traders said that the purchase consisted of 41,450 tonnes of rice from the United States. 4,680 tons came from Vietnam, and 5,993 from Thailand. All the medium grain non-glutinous Brown Rice purchased in three consignments was of U.S. origin. The U.S. purchased 8,116 tons at an estimated cost and freight included of $801.64 per ton for arrivals in South Korea from October 15 to December 31, 2025. 11,111 tons were bought at $807.64 per ton for arrivals between November 1, 2020 and January 31, 2030; and 22,223 tonnes at $833.80 per ton for arrivals around January 31,2026. Both Vietnam and Thailand purchased long grain non-glutinous rice. The 4,680 tonnes from Vietnam were purchased at $482.90 per ton C&F for an arrival date around November 30, 2025. They said that the 5,993 tonnes from Thailand were purchased at $494.50 per ton, c&f. The arrival date is around January 31, 2026. The reports reflect the assessments of traders, and it is still possible to estimate prices and volume later. (Reporting and editing by Janane Vekatraman; Michael Hogan)
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Denmark opens the first commercial-scale eMethanol plant in the world
The first commercial-scale emethanol plant in the world began operating in Denmark on Monday. Shipping giant Maersk will buy a portion of this production to use as low-emission fuels for its container ship fleet. Shipping is being pushed to find alternative fuels after a majority countries backed measures to meet the International Maritime Organization targets to eliminate carbon emissions by 2020. The cost of zero-emission fuels such as green ammonia or e-methanol has been higher than that of conventional fuels primarily because they have not been produced in large quantities. The new plant in Kasso, southern Denmark will cost approximately 150 million euros (about 167 million dollars) and produce 42,000 tons of emethanol, or 53 millions litres per year. Its joint owners, Denmark's European Energy, and Japan's Mitsui, confirmed this. Maersk is a major client. It has 13 dual fuel methanol containers that can run on fuel oil or e-methanol, and it has ordered 13 more. The plant's production can power a large container ship of 16,000 containers sailing between Asia and Europe. The Laura Maersk is the first dual fuel container ship in the world. It has a capacity of over 2,100 20-foot-equivalent units and uses only 3,600 tonnes of fuel annually. Tuesday, the Laura Maersk is scheduled to fuel up near Kasso. Methanol is usually produced by burning coal and natural gas. The Kasso facility will produce e-methanol from renewable energy, CO2 captured by biogas plants and waste burning. Maersk says that switching to sustainable fuel is expensive. It is working on green fuel technologies, as well as more efficient shipping methods to reduce the cost. Emil Vikjar Andresen, the head of European Energy’s Danish Power-to X team, stated in a webinar that "when you look at the Kasso production, it's a drop in the bucket. So we need to scale-up and bring down costs." e-Methanol is not only used in shipping but can also be used to replace fossil methanol for plastic production. The plant will produce e-methanol for Lego and Novo Nordisk, which they will use to make plastic bricks and injection pens respectively. The excess heat from the production of e-methanol will be used for heating 3,300 homes in the area. Reporting by Isabelle Yr Carlsson, editing by Jacob GronholtPedersen and Barbara Lewis
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Leasys, an auto leasing company, aims to double the fleet of its low-emission cars by 2026
Leasys, an auto leasing company, aims to double its fleet's share of electric and hybrid vehicles by the end of next year. The rapid advancements in electric technology present challenges to the industry. Leasys, a 50-50 joint venture between Stellantis in Italy and France's Credit Agricole is the third-largest player in Europe's long term auto rental industry. The long-term lease, which allows the customer to rent a car at a fixed rate per month, usually for a minimum of 365 days, is an alternative to owning. In recent years, corporate clients have driven its popularity. Leasys is present in 11 European countries, and its fleet consists of more than 900,000 cars. The goal is to increase this number to 1 million by the end of 2026. D'Arco said in an interview that the goal is to have 25% of our fleet be low-emission by 2026. The current percentage is 13%. He referred to EVs, plug-in hybrids and other low-emission cars. In Europe, sales of EVs and hybrids are on the rise after a decline in 2024. ACEA data show that in the first quarter 2025, European registrations of EVs and plug-in hybrids increased by 28%, despite a market that is generally stagnant. D'Arco stated that higher prices compared to petrol alternatives were still a barrier. He added that reliable charging networks are also important. He said that the main objections of customers were: It's too costly and where should I charge it. The rapid technological changes are also a barrier to EV adoption, as the cars risk becoming obsolete quickly. D'Arco explained that it is difficult for buyers to know the resale values of EVs, since most have only been in circulation for a few years, and there hasn't yet been any development on a secondary market. He said that long-term leasing could offer protection against obsolescence as well as a way to reduce the uncertainty of maintenance costs. D'Arco stated that Leasys' explicit goal was to support Stellantis's efforts to increase the sales mix of EVs, hybrids, and electric vehicles. Automakers must comply with European Union regulations on carbon emissions. He said, "We are an integral part Stellantis and we share their goals for electrification." Leasys has a multi-branding strategy. However, around 85% percent of its fleet is made up of vehicles from Stellantis, whose brands include Fiat Peugeot Jeep Alfa Romeo. Leasys is in direct competition with the market leader Ayvens. Ayvens is a subsidiary company of Societe Generale. Arval is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas. In Europe, approximately 25% of all new registrations are long-term rentals. D'Arco stated that Leasys' customers are mainly businesses who use fleets of 100 vehicles on average. He added that the average contract is for three years. (Reporting from Giulio Piolovaccari).
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Abacus Storage rejects $1.2 Billion takeover bid
Abacus Storage Kings in Australia said that it rejected an unsolicited offer of $1.23 billion from a Ki Corporation-Public Storage consortium. Early in April, a consortium consisting of the U.S. furniture manufacturer Ki Corporation as well as real estate investment trust Public Storage offered A$1.47 for each stapled security Abacus shareholders had purchased all shares that were not held by Ki or its subsidiaries. Abacus' independent Board Committee rejected the proposal on Tuesday. They stated that it did not reflect a "compelling" value for their securities. Abacus reported that despite the fact that the offer was at a premium over previous trading prices, Abacus believes the headline A$1.47 price does not reflect the fair value of an ASK security. Abacus said that the decision could also have been influenced by tax conditions of the consortium, which require certain tax rulings to be obtained from the Australian Taxation Office. This could potentially impact transaction certainty.
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Egypt's Suez Canal considers reducing transit fees in order to attract traffic
Osama Rabi, the chief of Egypt's Suez Canal Authority, has said that the authority will consider offering transit fee discounts between 12% and 15% to help restore the traffic on the strategically important waterway, which is reeling after the Houthis' attacks on Red Sea shipping. Rabie, in a telephone interview with the privately-owned Sada al-Balad TV channel, said that discounts would be available within a few days of ratification from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi. He said this after the revenue from the Canal continued to plummet due to attacks by Yemeni Houthis on shipping, who claim they are trying shut off cargo headed for Israel to support Palestinians in Gaza but are also driving ships away from canal. The central bank reported earlier this month that revenue from the Suez Canal - a major source of foreign currency in Egypt - plummeted from $2.40bn to $880.9mn during the fourth quarter, down from $2.40bn a year ago. This was due to Houthi attacks. Rabie met last week with representatives of shipping agencies, who asked for temporary incentives to offset the increased insurance costs for ships operating in the Red Sea. They deemed it a zone high-risk. The meeting was held following a ceasefire mediated by Oman between the United States of America and the Houthis. Under the agreement, the U.S. agreed not to bomb the Houthis group in Yemen as long as the group agreed not to attack U.S. vessels. Israel is not included in the agreement with Iran-backed group.
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The Panama Canal Authority reports that the number of vessels transiting the canal has increased to 34 per day.
According to a bulletin issued by the authority of the canal, the number of ships that transited the Panama Canal increased to 34 on average per day, for a total 1,021 transits, up from 33.7 on average per day in March. According to data, transits in the first four month of 2025 remained below 36 ships per day allowed, despite the decline in fees charged by the canal for passage slots. A severe drought that occurred between 2023 and 2024, forcing the waterway to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to implement restrictions, led to higher transit fees, and long queues of ships waiting to enter. Last year, the restrictions were lifted. In recent months, the U.S., Panama and other countries have discussed the issue of fees and priority passage for U.S. flagged vessels after U.S. president Donald Trump criticised the high fees charged by the second largest interoceanic canal in the world and threatened to take over the waterway. The authority of the canal is also planning projects that will expand the capacity for trans-shipment, storage, and other waterway activities. These include a pipeline to transport liquefied gas from vessels at one end to other tankers at the opposite end. The authority is expected to begin accepting bids this year.
Maguire: Tracking Texas power system as heat waves loom in Texas
A heat wave that is expected to bring temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit this week is expected to cause a spike in demand for electricity.
Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported that the growing demand for electricity from industry and data centres, along with widespread air conditioning use, is expected to push peak electricity usage to an all-time high of 84,000 megawatts this week.
According to industry analysts this demand load is 9% higher than the previous peak demand for May. This will put one of the largest power systems in the country under extreme strain over the next few days.
Here are some key tools power analysts can utilize to monitor how the ERCOT is performing.
REAL-TIME MONITORING
Power trading tools, such as LSEG Workspace, allow analysts to monitor the forecasts of temperatures, peak loads and power supply from major generation sources.
LSEG's latest weather models predict that temperatures in the ERCOT region will average 82 degrees Fahrenheit through May 16. This is approximately 7 degrees or 9% higher than the long-term mean.
Power demand models predict an increase in the system load between May 12 and 16.
The weather-based models of power demand deployed by LSEG predict that the power demand from May 12 to May 16 will be approximately 30% higher than the current power load.
Analysts can track the evolution of the power generation mix at ERCOT in the next few days as a response to the increase in electricity demand.
In the near future, solar farms and natural gas plants will be the largest sources of power within the ERCOT network. Wind farms, coal and nuclear reactors will also play a key role in the supply.
This week, analysts can track the power prices to see how the strain on the ERCOT is affecting consumers.
LSEG Workspace, along with other tools for the power system, provides real-time power prices and day-ahead estimates across the key regions of the ERCOT network. This allows traders to identify potential localized hotspots within the broader system.
WIDER LENS
Analysts can also use tools to track the evolution of ERCOT's power system over time. This allows them to compare how well-equipped system managers were in previous grid strain periods.
Cleanview, an energy data portal, allows analysts and power supply analysts to track the capacity increase of battery storage systems.
Cleanview's website shows that since 2023, Texas added nearly 4,400 megawatts of battery storage and around 9,000 MW of solar generation.
These capacity additions were the most among all the states in that time period, and show that the ERCOT managers have been aggressive about adding storage and generation capacity to the network.
Analysts can track ERCOT's power mix over time by tracking the share of generation. This can provide insight into how ERCOT managers adjust system resources to meet demands.
Gridstatus.io, an online monitoring tool for electricity, allows analysts to view how battery storage plays a growing role in providing extra power during peak demand periods.
Batteries supplied more than 9% of the total ERCOT electricity between 8 pm and 9 pm on May 11. This was higher than the amount supplied by wind farms or nuclear reactors during the same time period.
Batteries continue to be a vital component of the system balance this week. This is especially true when solar power drops at night, just as families across the state return from school and work and turn on their cooling systems.
These are the opinions of a columnist who writes for.
(source: Reuters)