Latest News
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French and Benelux stocks - Factors to watch for on August 27
Here are some 'company news and stories' from France and Benelux that could have an impact on the region's stock markets or individual shares. Eiffage: Eiffage, a French construction company, reported its half-year revenues on Wednesday. They rose by?2.3% compared to the previous year and reached EUR12.2 billion (USD14.22 billion). The company also confirmed its outlook for 2026. Logistical ID: ID Logistics reported a first-half EBITDA of EUR314.8 Million. Ramsay ?Generale de Sante: The company reported a net loss of EUR48.3million for the full year. 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..... ($1 = 0.8580 euros)
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Number missing in Tibet after Nepal mudslide tops 550; China flags upstream risk
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV announced on Thursday that the number of people missing in China's Tibet following a mudslide from Nepal has risen to 558, including 260 foreigners. Authorities have also warned about geological risks upstream. A wall of rock and mud collapsed on Wednesday into a river near Gyirong, at the border of the Tibet region with?Nepal. This triggered a flash flooding that left scores of people dead?downstream? in Nepal and hundreds missing, and destroyed houses, roads, and power projects. CCTV reported that China had confirmed an official death count of three on the Tibetan side of the border. It said that two villagers were rescued and surrounding villages in danger zones had been evacuated. CCTV reported that authorities have identified a risk from a lake dammed upstream of the Himalayan border cross-over, which could complicate rescue operations. CCTV reported that the Ministry of Water Resources in China 'has increased monitoring and assessments of the lake at the 'intersection of Chhochen Khola River and Purepu Tsangpo Rivers northeast of the disaster site to support rescue activities and prevent secondary events. CCTV reported that China also mobilised teams of firefighting and rescue personnel from Beijing and Chengdu in order to assist local police and military forces. Reporting by Liz Lee and Tiffany Le; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Christopher Cushing and Beijing Newsroom
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Nepalese rescuers search for survivors after devastating flood that killed 162 people
Rescuers in Nepal searched for hundreds of missing people on Thursday using helicopters. A wall of mud and rocks collapsed into a Himalayan river near the border with China, causing catastrophic floods that swept through valleys and towns, killing 162. Nepal tourism officials reported that more than 400 foreigners are among the?579 tourists who have not been found. The disaster has swept through a region frequented by pilgrims and trekkers. Police said they expect the death toll to rise beyond 162. Abi Narayan Kaffle, a police spokesperson said that the death toll would rise as more bodies were expected to be found. Sunil Sharma, a representative for Nepal's Tourism Board, said that 47 of the missing tourists were Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons and 24 Canadians. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that 558 people were missing, including 260 non-Chinese nationals. It was not immediately known if these figures matched. Verified videos show a mudslide sweeping away hundreds of people in Gyirong at a border crossing. Homes, roads, and power projects were washed downstream in Nepal. Keshav Baral, who is being treated at a hospital, described the mud gush as "a huge gush coming straight towards us." As it approached, the height of the object increased. I grabbed my wife's arm and tried to take her up to the terrace when I saw it enter our house. She was swept off by the mud. Four hours later, a helicopter brought him to safety. He added, "My wife may still be buried under the mud." "She's gone." Another survivor told how he was saved by holding on to a tree while he watched his house disappear. Raja Ram Basnet is a spokesperson of Nepal's army. He said that helicopters have begun delivering tents, food, and other emergency supplies from India to the worst-hit districts. According to early reports by Nepali officials, an earthquake could have caused a glacier's lower portion to collapse. This would then trigger the flooding. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that an earthquake initially?reported at 4.4 was actually seismic energy generated by?collapsed glacial rock and debris flow, followed by debris flows. Many of the victims had been on a pilgrimage in Tibet to Kailash Mansarovar. This high-altitude site is revered by Hindus, Buddhists and others. Mount Kailash is the Hindus' belief of the Lord Shiva's abode. It lies on the shores of Lake Mansarovar which is also sacred to other religions. The U.S. State Department announced that it would send a disaster response advisor and provide assistance of $500,000. Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, said that Canada is also closely monitoring the situation. He described the flooding as "absolutely devastating". Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that U.N. teams, partners and staff were supplying supplies and personnel in support of the affected Nepali community. China's State Broadcaster reported three deaths and 265 people missing in Gyirong but said the exact toll is still being verified during the rescue efforts. According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, 34 Australians are missing. He said that "Nepal is a developing nation." "It does not have the resources of an event such as that in Australia. Information is therefore difficult." Eight South Korean nationals who were working at a hydroelectric plant are missing. Malaysia and Japan have also reported missing people. VIDEOS SHOWS PEOPLE FLEEING WHILE BEING DRIVEN AWAY On the Chinese side of the border, security footage showed people fleeing as a torrential rain of mud, rock and water destroyed many buildings and vehicles. Images showed people gathered in front of a Nepali Army training centre, which was used as a base for helicopter rescues. The police at the gate took the names of those missing by using the flashlights that were left on the mobile phones as the only light source after the damage caused to the hydropower plants cut the power. Mud covered homes, vehicles, and trees in the affected areas. Helicopters carrying survivors hovered above all day. Nepal disaster management officials reported on X that an initial analysis of Planet Labs satellite images showed a landslide involving ice and rock, which caused a flood to carry debris into the Lhende River. This was about 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Nepal-China Rasuwagadhi Border Crossing. Television images showed a floating metal bridge, a collapsed home, and cars that were washed out. Witnesses said the water engulfed whole villages. Tula Bahadur BB, a health worker in Rasuwa said: "There's devastation everywhere you look." The settlements along the river were completely washed away. Five of my relatives are missing. China's official Xinhua News Agency said that the mudslide struck the Gyirong Port, cutting off roads, communications, and power in the border area of Shigatse. Rescuers told the state broadcaster CCTV that they had made no progress in contacting the border port at Gyirong, adding, "There have been no results so far." In an interview, the rescuer said that a drone inspection revealed all roads leading to the border crossing had been "completely destroyed".
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Qantas full-year profits fall 14% due to fuel costs; A380s will be retired in 2028
Qantas Airways, Australia's largest airline, reported on Thursday a 13.8% decline in its pre-tax profit for the full year, due to the Middle East conflict and a surge in jet fuel prices. The flag carrier of the country also announced that it is in discussions with major aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing to convert 20 options into firm orders starting from?2030. Qantas stated that "Project Sunrise and additional 787-9 deliveries have been confirmed for calendar year 2027. The A380 fleet is expected to be retired in calendar year 2020, in order to maximize capital efficiency while maintaining network reach with the new wide-body aircraft fleet." The carrier reported an underlying profit before tax of A$2,06 billion ($1.48billion) for the year ended June 30 compared to A$2.39billion reported a previous year, which was slightly higher than the Visible Alpha consensus estimation of A$2.00billion. The Middle East conflict caused jet fuel prices to more than double and remain highly volatile during the second half. Qantas hedged almost 90% of its crude oil exposure in the second half, but it was still vulnerable to changes in jet refinery margins. The rising costs of fuel are partially offset by higher fares, reduced domestic capacity and the re-deployment of aircraft to better international routes. The carrier declared a final dividend per share of 19,8 Australian cents, a higher amount than the 16,5 Australian cents declared last year. The company also decided to scrap its A$150 million share buyback announced in February that never started after the Iran War.
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The US has failed to enforce privacy laws for airline passengers, according to lawmakers.
Two Democratic 'U.S. On Wednesday, lawmakers asked a congressional agency to investigate the failure of the Transportation Department to ensure privacy for airline passengers. Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Shontel 'Brown asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate USDOT. They said that USDOT has not brought any enforcement actions related to passenger data in over 40 years, "despite many widely publicized privacy disasters affecting hundreds of millions travelers." GAO confirmed that it received the request. The letter stated that "USDOT’s abdication of its privacy regulatory role has left the'sensitive personal information of thousands of millions of Americans vulnerable to corporate exploitation and warrantless government surveillance and 'warrantless seizures of money and property." It also added "Travel data stored by airlines and travel agents may be of interest to foreign enemies. Sean Duffy's spokesperson did not immediately comment. In March 2024, the then-Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg opened an investigation into how 10 of the largest U.S. Airlines collect and use passengers' information. In the letter, it was stated that two years after "it is still unclear whether or not a meaningful review took place." USDOT didn't make the airlines' responses public, nor did it announce any public findings or take any enforcement action. Airlines for America declined to comment. The letter stated that the Airline Reporting Corporation, which is owned by the major U.S. carriers, has sold access to an enormous database of?roughly 722 millions passenger travel records? to federal agencies such as the Homeland Security Department, Internal Revenue Service and the Internal Revenue Service without warrants or judicial oversight. The letter?noted by ARC in November 2025 ARC ceased the effort, but this year 'DHS issued a request for a replacement system to be installed on airlines. The letter cited also a 2016 Justice Department Audit that showed the Drug Enforcement Administration paid airline employees millions of dollars in order to obtain private passenger information about Americans. Airlines could be subject to civil penalties if they mishandle consumers' personal information. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson)
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Sources say that Ivory Coast’s delayed cocoa harvest could lead to congestion in ports before EU rules.
Industry sources say the Ivory Coast Coffee and Cocoa Council fears a 'delayed start' to the main 2026/27 cocoa crop will 'lead port congestion, as exporters rush before stricter EU deforestation regulations?take place at year-end. The industry regulator for the world's largest cocoa producing country, the Coffee and Cocoa Council, announced last week that the country is ready to comply with the new regulations. Nevertheless, two sources from the Council and five exporters said that they expect congestion in the ports of Abidjan, and San?Pedro, during November and December. They also added that storage capacity might be stretched. The main cocoa crop was delayed due to a combination between difficult weather conditions, inadequate farm maintenance, and the strength of the mid-crop which delayed the development of the main?crop. One source stated that the main cocoa crop would be delayed by eight to ten weeks. Sources spoke under condition of anonymity because the issue was so sensitive. A representative of a European export firm in Abidjan stated, "With this impending delay, we'll find ourselves having export enormous quantities within a short time period in December." One of two officials from the Cocoa Council said that the organization would do all it could to minimize the impact. Sources said that even though the main season will start on September 1, they expect weekly arrivals to be below 15,000 tons in September, and below 25,000 tons in Oct. They said that the main-crop volumes would begin to arrive in late October or early November, and then increase through December. The cocoa council estimates that the total arrivals of the main crop from September to February 28th, 2027 will not exceed 1.4 million tons. Exporters predict 1.4 to 1.45 million tons. Between October and December 2026, about 900,000 metric tons of cocoa is expected to reach Ivorian port, compared to an updated 1.1 million tons during the same period in 2015. Ports typically receive between 800,000 and 1 million tons of cocoa during this three-month period. (Reporting and editing by Ange Abooa, Amindeh Blaise Atabong, Ayen Deng Bior and Barbara Lewis).
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Democratic-led states renew their challenge to Trump's plans to restrict voting by mail
On Wednesday, a coalition of Democratic-led States renewed their efforts to stop the U.S. Postal Service from implementing President Donald Trump’s executive order that restricts?mail-in?voting. The Democratic Attorneys General of 23 States and the District of Columbia, along with Pennsylvania Governor filed the lawsuit at Boston Federal Court two days after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the earlier injunction that they won blocking Trump’s order on grounds that they sueded too early. The earlier lawsuit was filed before USPS had 'finalized' the rule to implement the March order signed by the Republican President targeting mail-in votes. USPS published a final rule Friday, despite an existing court order designed to prevent it from implementing Trump's plan. USPS was prevented from implementing this new rule until Wednesday as a result another injunction issued by U.S. district judge Indira Talwani of Boston in a similar case brought forth by voting rights organizations. Talwani, at the request of the Trump administration, rescinded her order after the states filed suit, stating that it could not stand in light of the Supreme Court ruling, despite the "chaos" that may be unleashed while litigation is still pending. In their latest case, the?states have asked Talwani - an Obama appointee - to block implementation of USPS’s new rule. This new rule requires states to provide USPS with lists of voters who want to vote by mail, and it imposes federal requirements on ballot envelopes that must have unique barcodes. The new rule requires USPS to check mailed-in ballots and to refuse delivery if the ballots do not meet its standards or the voter is not listed on the state's list. Democratic-led states claim that if the new requirements are implemented, they could be burdened in the weeks leading up to an election. They would have to buy new envelopes, equipment and systems, and train their staff. Letitia J. James, New York Attorney General, said that the new policy would create confusion for voters, as well as unnecessary costs and unacceptable risks. Her office will go to court to stop this. She and other state attorney?generals argue that USPS does not have the authority to set federal eligibility requirements for voting by mail, and that its rule violates federal laws protecting voter's rights and states' authority to administer elections under the U.S. Constitution. California and Massachusetts are also included in the states that argue against this rule. They claim it?risks alienating voters. USPS processed nearly 100 millions ballots during the 2024 elections. The states claim that about 30% of voters in the United States voted by mail. USPS has not responded to any requests for comment. In separate filings, voting rights groups and Democratic Party arms said that they are also moving to block USPS rule. They say it is now ready for adjudication. (Reporting from Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Aurora Ellis.)
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Italy extends Diesel Tax Cuts to Ease Price Pressure
The government announced that the Italian cabinet extended until September 1 a 'cut in excise duties on diesel fuel introduced to offset the higher prices at the pumps. Since the U.S. - Iran conflict began, Prime Minister Giorgia meloni has repeatedly increased fuel tax cuts to help businesses and families cope with rising prices. The government has said that the tax relief is currently only applicable to diesel and the current reduction of EUR17 cents per litre will continue until September 5. According to a source "close" to the issue, the extension of the measure would cost about EUR130 million in lost revenue. Meloni's Office said this week that the government could?introduce targeted measures to ease fuel costs only for low-income households when?the?excise duty reductions expire. (Reporting and editing by Gavin Jones, Angelo Amante)
Singapore opposition legislator opposes Temasek funding to Air India
An opposition Singapore lawmaker urged against using state investor Temasek’s money to bolster?Air India after reports that the Indian carrier had?asked for $1.5 billion from owners Tata Sons, Singapore Airlines and Temasek, who are majority-owned by Temasek.
Kenneth Tiong of the Workers' Party, an opposition member of parliament, stated in a post on social media that since Singapore Airlines owned about 25% of Air India, and Temasek, in turn, owned most of Singapore Airlines, the request "was not only a private shareholder question."
I will not support or expect any future use of Temasek funds to support Air India through Singapore Airlines. "If Singapore Airlines wishes to continue its wager on Air India, they should do it on their own, not with Temasek’s help," he said.
He added that whichever of the two wrote the cheque, it would have a significant effect on Temasek, without going into further detail.
Singapore's Ministry of Transport and Temasek did not reply to emails asking for comment. Neither did Air India, Tata Sons, or Tiong.
Tiong also said that he filed a written question to the Transport Minister on September 8th, asking if the losses and carrying amounts in Singapore Airlines' associates abroad have been compared with its ability to provide essential transportation services.
Singapore Airlines' commercial decision is now being scrutinized by the political establishment in Singapore. The airline's 25,1% stake in Air India weighed down on its earnings, as Air India's losses increased during the multi-billion dollar turnaround. Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said that it could take up to 10 years for Air India to turn around.
Air India Express and its budget-arm Air India posted combined losses in excess of $2.33 Billion dollars for the year ending March. This is more than double what they reported the year before. Singapore Airlines has taken its share of the losses.
Air India will continue to require capital infusions over the next few years, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Earlier this week.
Air India's future funding has been questioned before.
The Securities & Investors Association (Singapore), which held its annual general meeting in Singapore last month, asked if the Singapore Airlines board has set limits on the amount of capital that can be allocated to Air India and under what conditions it will approve additional capital.
Singapore Airlines didn't specify a limit in a response written on July 17. The company stated that its board would carefully consider any request, taking into consideration its other capital needs and Air India's?business strategy.
Air India is suffering from a number of factors, including the ban on Indian airlines flying into Pakistan, the disruptions in its international network caused by the U.S./Israeli conflict with Iran and the aftermath of a fatal crash that occurred last year. (Reporting from Abhijith Ganahapavaram, New Delhi; Additional Reporting by Xinghui Kok, Singapore; Editing Jamie Freed).
(source: Reuters)