North America

Boeing reported on Tuesday a higher-than-expected quarter loss, after taking a charge of $280 million on its troubled Air Force One Replacement Program. However, the company's turnaround plans have gained momentum. It took on the cost to deliver the two U.S. Presidential planes that were delayed in 2028. This contributed to a net loss of $428 million for the second quarter. According to LSEG, the core loss per share was 76 cents. This is a lower figure than the 30 cents analysts expected, but still higher than the $1.24 core loss per shares in the same time period last year....

Boeing reported on Tuesday a larger than expected quarterly loss after taking a $280-million charge on its troubled Air Force One Replacement Program, but it generated positive free cash flow due to the progress of its turnaround plans. It took a 'charge' due to higher engineering cost to ensure that it delivered the two delayed U.S. Presidential plane replacements by 2028. This contributed to a net loss of $428 million for the second quarter. According to LSEG, the core loss per shares of 76 cents is worse than analysts' average expected loss of 30 cents per share, but narrower than...

JetBlue, the U.S. airline, reported an even bigger?loss in its second quarter on Tuesday. This was due to a'surge' in fuel prices after the war in Iran curbed oil supplies. The airline also announced a?long-term profit target of $1.00 per share by 2028. It cited benefits from its recent strategic overhaul. After the announcement of results, shares were up by about 1%. The Middle East conflict between the U.S. and Israel, as well as?Iran, has caused airlines to have difficulty in accurately forecasting earnings and jet fuel costs which make up roughly one-fourth of their operating expenses. After a June...

French jet engine maker Safran raised financial targets after posting stronger-than-expected ?first-half profits on Tuesday, driven by demand for spare parts on the widely ?used engines it supplies jointly ?with GE Aerospace. The French company said that aftermarket demand was a major factor in its record operating margin for the first half of 2018.4%. CFM, by far the largest jet engine manufacturer in the world by number of engines sold, reaps maintenance profits on its CFM56 jets, which continue to power thousands of aircraft despite the recent LEAP being used for narrow-body plane deliveries. Safran's?mid-year operating profit increased 29% to...

French jet engine maker Safran joined its partner ?GE Aerospace in raising financial targets after ?posting stronger-than-expected first-half profits on Tuesday. The French company said that strong demand for spares contributed to a first-half operating profit margin record of 18.4%. CFM, which is the largest jet engine manufacturer in the world by?numbers of units sold?, reaps maintenance profits on its CFM56 engines. These engines continue to power thousands planes, even though they have been replaced by the more recent LEAP jet engine for current narrow body deliveries. Safran's mid-year operating profit increased 29% to EUR3.24 billion ($3.68 billion), and revenue...

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that the seats of 'hundreds' of Boeing 737 MAX - registered aircraft in the U.S. - may need to be inspected in case they are incorrectly installed. The agency stated that if the seats are not fixed, they could cause injury to passengers or crew during an emergency landing, or even block the aisle, slowing an evacuation. The FAA proposed airworthiness directive released on Monday would "apply to" 453 jets registered within the United States. The FAA only has jurisdiction for U.S. airlines, but other regulators usually follow FAA directives when applicable....

The U.S. 'Federal Aviation Administration' announced on Monday that seats?on a large number of?Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the U.S. had been installed incorrectly and needed to be repaired. The seats should be able to support passengers in an emergency landing. The FAA proposed airworthiness directive issued on Monday would be applicable to 453 jets registered in the U.S. The FAA did not specify whether international operators would also be affected. However, they typically follow FAA directives if applicable. In the proposal for an airworthiness directive, the agency stated that "certain passenger seat assemblies were not properly installed in?the...

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?said Monday that it would slow flights into three airports in the New York City region and Philadelphia International Airport because of?severe weather and a?staffing shortage for air traffic. Staffing problems at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center affect flights at John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia International and Newark Liberty International Airports. FlightAware reported that between 20 and 30 percent of flights at these four airports were cancelled. The FAA reported that ground delays range between 71 and 149 minutes. The FAA continues to try and address the persistent shortage of air traffic control personnel....

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board urged Congress on Monday to end a long-running standoff over competing safety measures in aviation and approve major reforms. Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB's Chairperson, said that "the board" had "provided a roadmap for improving aviation safety and reducing the risk of another mid-air collision." It's now time to take the action promised months ago." The U.S. House of Representatives voted in April 396-10 for a sweeping aviation reform bill that would address dozens of recommendations made after a collision between an American Airlines regional plane and a U.S. Army chopper in January...

Avincis, Europe's leading aerial emergency services company, warns that Europe is not prepared for longer and more severe wildfire seasons. The chief executive of the firm told? Avincis' chief executive told?treffenificaresprache?nemzeug vo Ihre ore the company's CEO John Boag stated that bureaucratic barriers and longer European wildfire seasons have caused regional shortages in both aircraft and experienced pilots. Boag, a helicopter pilot who began his career in Australia's outback herding?cattle in a Bell 47 chopper in 1985, said that "globally, fire seasons have been getting longer. Aircraft are not moving from area to area and it is becoming increasingly difficult...

Irish energy distributor DCC Energy agreed on Monday to a PS5,75 billion ($7.68billion) sale to a U.S. consortium of private equity firms KKR & Energy Capital Partners. This is the second foreign takeover this year of a UK listed company. DCC shareholders can expect to receive PS65.25 in cash per share, a final dividend of 147.22?pence and up to PS1.25 per share if the company sells its Nexora Technology unit for more than $800?million. When asked to explain the reasoning behind the agreement, CEO Donal Murphry said: "We have simplified the group and spent a lot of time on investor...

The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday that major U.S. carriers would need to retrofit their planes to prevent wireless interference by the year 2030. However, they could be eligible for government rebates of up to $2.2 billion to cover these costs. The FAA has mandated that all altimeters must meet the next-generation performance standards to combat interference from 5G spectrum signals, which could lead to 'inaccurate readings. The government will fund the rebates with some of the proceeds from the Federal Communications Commission's C-Band Wireless Auction. The FAA estimates that the cost per aircraft will range from $80,000 to...

PJM Interconnection - the largest U.S. grid operator - which serves a fifth (or?americans) - announced this week it would 'file plans with federal regulatory authorities?to reduce a growing gap between a?electricity _supply on its system and a demand primarily brought by data centres. PJM, the grid operator for 13 U.S. States in the Mid-Atlantic region and Midwest, plans to submit two proposals to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to manage the surge in demand and secure more electricity on the grid. One of these plans establishes a "reliability-backstop procurement" that is designed to match supplies with the data center...

PJM Interconnection is the largest U.S. Grid Operator. They are moving forward with plans for backstop procurement of power to 'help ensure adequate -electricity supply if demand from data centers surges. The grid operator that serves 13 states, including the District of Columbia and will file two proposals to federal regulators. The first would be to establish a "reliability-backstop procurement" in order to deal with potential power supply shortages. PJM stated that the second tool would be an operational tool designed to?help maintain system reliability in periods of?supply shortfalls? while managing rapid load growth. PJM is'seeking ways to bring more...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?on Monday said that power sources supplying electricity to data centers and not to the public grid might?not be governed by federal pollution laws. The EPA'said that if a power plant is not supplying electricity into the grid, it would not be covered by the federal Clean Air Act Acid Rain Program. This program has played a key role in the reduction of smog and soot from industrial facilities. The EPA's Assistant Administrator Aaron Szabo stated in a letter dated July 16, "The EPA is of the opinion that the Acid Rain Program doesn't apply to...

Brookfield, a global investment firm, announced on Monday that it had raised $2 billion in private equity funds from strategic anchor investors including Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. The fund will invest in Saudi Arabian companies and other Middle East firms. The Brookfield Middle East Partners fund (BMEP) aims to allocate half of its investments in Saudi Arabia. Brookfield, with a portfolio of?more than 1 trillion dollars, will contribute $500 million. Private equity firms from around the world have increased their investments in the Gulf region in recent years. They are attracted to the proximity of some of the largest...

Iran announced on Monday that it still controlled the Strait of Hormuz, and was not interested in restarting peace talks with the United States after President Donald Trump stopped a two week bombing campaign?that his top brass had told him ran its course. Trump ended the bombing campaign on the weekend after a '13 consecutive nights of intensifying bombardment that provoked Tehran into firing at U.S. base in retaliation. Iran has said that it will halt its attacks as long as there is a pause in the U.S. bombing. Trump's decision was based on advice from his top brass, who...

The energy supply in Europe is alarmingly vulnerable as conflicts in the Middle East, Russia and the Middle East tighten the global markets for heating oil and liquefied gas. This has pushed inventories down to dangerously low levels. According to official statistics, natural gas and heating oil make up the majority of Europe's residential heating. Gas accounts for approximately 30% of heating demand, while heating oil makes up roughly 10%. Both fuel markets are likely to be under extreme strain in Europe after years of energy shocks. Gas vulnerability in the region is largely a result of a dramatic?transformation in...

A tender document released on Monday showed that India's state-owned company Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd is looking to import oil through a spot tender. For the first time, the tender asked suppliers to avoid the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis of Iran, who want to stop Saudi exports and expand the U.S./Iran conflict, have been disrupting Red Sea traffic off the coast of Yemen for the past week. In a bid document, MRPL stated that "Crude loading/transit through the Red?Sea or SoH must be avoided." The tender sought?upto 1 million barrels on a delivered basis between?August...

Europe faces a winter of alarming fragility in its energy supply as conflicts in the Middle East, Russia and the United States tighten the global markets for heating oil and liquefied gas. According to official statistics, heating oil and natural gas are the two main fuels used in Europe for residential heating. Gas accounts for approximately 30% of heating demand, while oil is responsible for 10%. Both fuel markets are under extreme strain after years of energy shocks. Gas vulnerability in the region is largely a result of the dramatic change in its energy mix that has occurred since Russia's...

The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order on Sunday authorizing the grid operator serving parts of 17 states to deploy idle power sources in order to prevent heat wave blackouts. The?U.S. The order instructed grid operator Southwest Power Pool (SPP) to dispatch generator units as necessary to maintain reliability in a territory home to more than 20 million people, spanning from North Dakota to Louisiana. The DOE order was issued shortly after SPP warned of the likelihood that emergency conditions will persist during peak demand periods. This highlights the region's vulnerability due to power plant failures, declines in...

The operator of a major power grid in the west of the United States warned on Sunday about emergency situations that are likely to continue during periods of high demand, underscoring how vulnerable this region is to interruptions in imported energy. The Southwest Power Pool's (SPP) regional grid has seen a rise in rotating blackouts over the last?week. SPP's reserves were dwindling on Friday after a sudden drop in electricity imports from neighboring grids. SPP prevented outages by asking for voluntary conservation to maintain reserves. SPP is expecting the highest demand of the week in the western territory on Sunday...

Iran will cease its attacks as long the United States also does,?a senior Iranian official said on Sunday. The United States has paused its bombing campaign after President Donald Trump's advisors informed him that they had run out of targets. They also expressed concern about the depletion of the U.S. weapons arsenal. The Pentagon ended the airstrikes against Iran after 13 nights. No U.S. strikes were reported for Saturday or Sunday. Iran has held off its attacks on the neighbouring countries of U.S. bases for two days. It had followed each night's U.S. airstrikes with its own strikes. An anonymous...

Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned on Saturday an attack by Ukraine on a commercial Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea. It said that a resulting explosion killed one sailor and injured another. Throughout the Ukraine war, Kyiv had to combat drones designed by Iran that were deployed by Moscow. Kyiv offers its drone intercepting expertise to Middle East countries that have been hit by?Iran. Tehran called the attack on the Iranian vessel an act of aggression, and said it would defend national security and interests. It also accused Kyiv of trying to escalate the conflict in Ukraine. The Iranian denial coincided...