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S&P 500 and Nasdaq are up as investors ignore hawkish talks, wait for shutdown clarity
S&P 500 index and Nasdaq index both gained on Monday. Investors shrugged of hawkish remarks by a Federal Reserve official, and weighed in on the potential impact of a government shutdown. These moves are a continuation of Friday's gains. An in-line inflation reading kept the hopes for rate reductions alive, and lifted all three main indexes despite their weekly declines. Beth Hammack of the Cleveland Fed, one of the Fed's most hawkish officials, and who did not vote on the policy for this year, stated that the central bank must maintain a restrictive monetary policy in order to cool the inflation. The traders, however, have priced in a 91.4% probability of a 25 basis-point cut during the next Fed meeting. At 10:03 am. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 17.64 points or 0.04% to 46,228.17 ET. The S&P500 gained 25.48, or 0.38 %, to 6,669.18. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite grew 178.39, or 0.79% to 22,662.67. The S&P 500 Technology sector gained about 1 percent. Nvidia gained 2.8% while Micron Technology gained 4.9%. Lam Research gained 2.6% after Deutsche Bank upgraded its rating for the chip-making company to "buy" instead of "hold". Stocks drove the Nasdaq to record highs and the semiconductor index. S&P 500 stocks in communication services increased by 0.8%. Stocks in the energy sector fell 1.9%. Dow Jones suffered from losses in stocks like Chevron (down 2.3%) and McDonald's (down 0.7%). The focus of attention is on the funding standoff between Republicans, and Democrats. This has led to the possibility of a government shutdown starting Wednesday. Mel Casey is senior portfolio manager of FBB Capital Partners. It could be an opportunity for Republicans, to push through additional government spending cuts. Some analysts have warned, however, that a government shutdown could delay the release of important economic data. This includes Friday's report on nonfarm payrolls, which could cloud the market outlook. The S&P 500 index has been strong for 103 days, BTIG noted, and that it may be due for a correction. Investors will be watching the comments of other Fed policymakers throughout the day for signs of concern about the possible loss of economic visibility if a shutdown occurs. Canopy Growth, Cronos Group, and Tilray Brands all have shares listed in the United States. Canopy Growth grew by 16.3%, Cronos Group by 11.6% and Tilray Brands gained 36.1%. Trump shared a video on Sunday promoting hemp-derived cannabidiol's health benefits. Electronic Arts rose 4.8% following the agreement to be taken privately in a deal worth $55 billion. Western Digital reached a new record high and was last up by 9.2% to top the benchmark after at least 2 brokerages increased their target price for the data storage product maker. Seagate Technology soared 7.1%, hitting a new record after at least two brokers raised their price targets. Carnival's annual profits rose despite a 2.3% decline. On the NYSE, advancing issues outnumbered declining ones by a ratio of 1.15 to 1 and by a ratio of 1.24 to 1 on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 recorded 25 new 52-week lows and four new highs. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite registered 76 new highs with 41 new lows. (Reporting and editing by Sriraj Kalluvila, Shilpa Majumdar and Niket Nishant in Bengaluru)
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WestJet Canada says that some data about passengers was exposed by a cyber-attack
WestJet, a Canadian airline, said Monday that personal data of some passengers were exposed during a cyber breach in early this year. Payment information was not compromised. The airline reported that it had detected suspicious activity in June and determined later that an "advanced, criminal third-party" had gained unauthorised access to its system. Cybercriminals are increasingly attracted to the aviation industry because of its growing dependence on digital systems. Earlier this week, a ransomware assault on Collins Aerospace (a unit of RTX) disrupted major European airports. Check-in and luggage systems were crippled at hubs like London's Heathrow Airport and Berlin. WestJet stated that the types of data exposed by the breach varied, but could include names and contact details, travel documents, and information about reservations. During the breach, however, no card numbers or expiration dates, CVV numbers or credit and debit card numbers were obtained. In an email sent to U.S. citizens on Monday, the carrier stated that it worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. It also notified the relevant authorities, such as the Attorneys General of U.S. States where residents were affected.
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After airlines protested, Schiphol cancels its plan to increase fees in 2019.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport announced on Monday that it will freeze airline fees in 2026. The previously planned 5% hike was scrapped following discussions with airlines. Schiphol Airport, Europe's busiest, has increased the fees charged to airlines this year by 41% as part of its three-year plan for funding new investments in the airport. Fee increases will be used for noise reduction, including night flight charges. In a press release, CFO Robert Carsouw stated that "we understand the impact of the 2025 fee increase on airlines". Schiphol has a good financial performance, but some airlines find it expensive. We're talking about a 2026 freeze because of this. The airport has said that it is currently in discussions with airlines, and will announce a formal decision about the fees by the end October. Schiphol said that a voluntary contribution would be made by the airport to offset the planned increases, which were possible due to cost-control and efficiency measures. Marjan Rintel, CEO of Dutch airline KLM, called the planned 41% increase in fees for this year as "unreasonable" and "unwise", and said that it would lead to an increase in ticket price and reduce Schiphol’s international competitiveness. KLM's Schiphol base is under additional pressure due to a strike of ground crews demanding better wages and working conditions.
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US adds subsidiaries to its export blacklist
The U.S. took action on Monday against companies in China and elsewhere that used subsidiaries to circumvent restrictions on chipmaking technology and equipment. According to a Federal Register posting, the Commerce Department has issued a new regulation that expands its restricted export list (known as the Entity list) to include automatically subsidiaries owned by a company listed at 50% or more. This action has increased the number of companies who need licenses in order to receive American products and services. This rule will disrupt supply chains. The rule will make it harder for companies to determine if exports are restricted to a particular customer or supplier. According to the rule certain transactions can be permitted for 60 days. The Affiliates Rule is similar to "50% rule" for entities sanctioned through the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control. If an entity is listed as owning 50 percent or greater of a subsidiary, then licenses are required to export goods or technologies to that subsidiary. Many licenses may be denied. (Reporting and editing by Doina chiacu and Chris Sanders; Reporting by Karen Freifeld)
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Drones from Turkey are circling the Gaza flotilla of aid boats as they sail east
Flight data shows that Turkey joined Spain, Italy, and Greece to monitor an international flotilla sailing across the Mediterranean Sea carrying aid for Gaza on Monday, despite Israel's warnings to stop the mission. Flight tracking sites showed that for the past three days three long-duration drones from Turkey's Corlu base have been hovering over the flotilla. This highlights the growing interest of the international community in the boats, which have pledged to break an Israeli naval blocade around Gaza. The reason for the drone flight could not be confirmed. The Turkish foreign and defence ministers, as well as the intelligence agency, did not reply to comments. FLOTILLA RESUMES JOURNEY AFTER REPAIRS On Monday, the Global Sumud Flotilla - a group of civil boats that included parliamentarians and lawyers, as well as activists such Greta Thunberg from Sweden, a climate activist - was still hundreds miles away from Gaza's coastline. People on board reported that the flotilla was heading towards an area where previous flotillas had been intercepted. The tracking sites indicated that there were about 40 boats. The flotilla's progress has increased international tensions. This is especially true after drone attacks last week damaged some of the boats. The flotilla was not injured but it had to stop for several days for repairs in Greek waters before sailing again towards Gaza at the weekend. The mission is now expected to arrive in Gaza within four days, according to the organizers on Monday. Italy and Spain sent navy ships to the flotilla for humanitarian or rescue needs but they have not engaged militarily. Greece's coastguard also kept track of the progress when the flotilla entered its rescue zone. It warned Sunday that the flotilla is approaching a zone of high risk and repeated the proposal made last weekend for the flotilla take the aid to Cyprus to be distributed in Gaza by Roman Catholic Church. The flotilla rejected this idea. Concerns over a possible ISRAELI response "Israel has repeatedly shown that it has no redlines, so it's clear that we are concerned by what it might do." Benedetta Scudderi, an Italian member of the European Parliament, spoke to Radio 24 in Italy on Monday. Israel has not commented on the drone incident last week, but it has said in the past that it will use all means possible to stop the boats from reaching Gaza. It argues that its naval blocade is legal because it is fighting Hamas militants within the coastal enclave. The Italian newspaper La Stampa reported that Israeli President Isaac Herzog had assured the Italian Ambassador to Israel on Sunday that Israel would not "use lethal force" towards the members of the flotilla. The message was not confirmed immediately. Israel launched its Gaza offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023 on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages being taken back to Gaza. Gaza's health authorities report that the offensive has left over 65,000 dead in Gaza and many others in need of food or aid. Reporting by Alvise Armeni in Rome, Angeliki Koutantou and Tuvan Gümrukcu in Ankara and Omer Berberoglu and writing by Angeliki Koutantou. Editing and assistance by Edward McAllister and Aidan Lewis.
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Nigeria to certify C919 jets for local airlines
Director general of the Nigerian civil aviation authority said that they are looking at certifying China’s C919 jets for Nigerian carriers. This is because Nigerian airlines have taken on more aircraft, and relations with Beijing are warming up. COMAC, a Chinese planemaker, is currently producing the C919 narrow-body aircraft to compete with the leading Western planemakers Airbus & Boeing and has had several discussions with Nigeria about the aircraft. This month, the Nigerian aviation minister said that Nigeria is open to COMAC to use the country as an access point to the larger African market. COMAC, the state-owned company, faces some challenges. The two models of its planes do not have benchmark certifications by Western regulators and the company is behind in delivery targets. Due to trade disputes, the U.S. temporarily halted the exports of CFM engines used on the C919 this year. NIGERIA’S GROWING AVIATION MARKET Nigeria, Africa's largest nation, with 230,000,000 people, is a potential aviation market. Director general of the civil aviation authority, Capt. Chris Ona Najomo told reporters that the agency was considering the lengthy certification process to allow the jet to fly on domestic routes. "We are looking at the certification for the aircraft." Najomo told the U.N. Aviation Agency's Montreal assembly that the certification of the aircraft is the first thing we need to do. COMAC will display one of their planes at Nigeria’s first international airshow in December, according to a spokesperson, who did not specify which model. COMAC OFFERS MAINTENANCE SUPPORT FOR NIGERIAN CARRIER Najomo stated that COMAC officials have offered maintenance and support for any planes flown by Nigerian carriers and are exploring dry lease arrangements which involves leasing aircraft without crew. Najomo stated, "We told them it would be better if they could facilitate a dry lease agreement that was good." Abdullahi Ahmed expressed an interest in expanding the fleet of Nigerian airline NG Eagle beyond its three jets. He said he'd consider COMAC aircraft if they were certified and accompanied with maintenance and training assistance. The improved Aviation Working Group Rating of Nigeria reflects a stronger compliance with Cape Town Convention. This is a treaty which simplifies the leasing of aviation equipment. Najomo stated that this was an encouraging development for lessors and would allow the 13 airlines of the country to have access to newer aircraft on the leasing market. IATA data shows that while air travel is still expensive for many Nigerians it has fallen by 43.6% in real terms between 2011 and 2023. At the moment, only Chinese airlines operate the C919. Three airlines in Southeast Asia also fly COMAC's C909 regional jet.
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Steve Angel is named as the new CEO of CSX
CSX Corp announced on Monday that Steve Angel will be its new CEO as of September 28. In premarket trading, shares of the company increased by about 3%. Angel succeeds Joe Hinrichs. Angel will work closely alongside the board and management in order to assist with the transition. He has more than 40 years of experience. This includes 22 years with General Electric and Linde plc, where he worked in locomotives and rail operations. Ancora Holdings, a group of activist shareholders, had urged CSX to explore merger options in order to replace Hinrichs. Union Pacific, the U.S. railroad giant, and Norfolk Southern announced a $85 billion surprise deal earlier this week. This fueled speculation that CSX might also consider a merger. (Reporting from Nathan Gomes, Bengaluru. Editing by Mrigank Dahniwala.)
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Data shows that more cargoes coming from the Arctic LNG 2 project are heading east.
According to Kpler's and LSEG's ship tracking data, two liquefied gas tankers are heading eastwards towards Asia with cargoes from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 Project. They picked up fuel for the project sanctioned in the last week. The LNG tankers Voskhod and Christophe De Margerie are traveling north from Russia to Asia via the Northern Sea Route. According to data, they had previously berthed respectively at Arctic LNG 2 between September 23 and 26, according to the data. According to Kpler, both tankers were empty when they arrived. Christophe De Margerie left loaded on 25 September while Voskhod also left loaded on 27 September. Arctic LNG 2 has already loaded at least seven cargoes in the past year. Six LNG cargoes have already been delivered from the project to China's Beihai Terminal. According to the shipping database Equasis, the commercial manager or ship for Christophe De Margerie has an address in Dubai. Zelitiko Shipping is its registered owner, and shares the same address with Gas Carriers SCF Management. Voskhod is registered as LNG Beta Shipping, with the same address, as Igarka OOO, which is listed as its owner or ship manager. Gas Carriers SCF Management Zelitiko Shipping Igarka and LNG Beta Shipping could not be reached. The Arctic LNG 2 is 60 percent owned by Russia's Novatek, and it is subject to Western Sanctions over Moscow's War in Ukraine. The plant was to be one of the largest in the country, with a projected output of 19,8 million metric tonnes per year. Reporting by Emily Chow Editing and Mark Potter
Beta Technologies, a startup in the aerospace industry backed by Amazon, filess for US IPO
Beta Technologies, a startup in aerospace, filed its initial public offering (IPO) in the United States Monday. It is the latest company in the race to take advantage of the record-breaking bull market in equity markets.
A combination of easing trade tensions and robust stock markets, as well as pent-up demand from investors, has created one of the most active listing windows in recent years. Leading the pack are technology, aerospace, and green energy companies.
Beta Technologies, which is backed by the tech giant Amazon did not reveal its size or terms.
The company aims to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the symbol "BETA."
Beta Technologies is a company that designs, manufactures, and sells electric aircraft with high performance, as well as advanced propulsion systems, components, and charging systems.
Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs were the main underwriters. (Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Anil D'Silva)
(source: Reuters)