Latest News
-
Hyundai robot strategy to be the focus of Boston Dynamics' CEO resignation
Robert Playter is stepping down as the chief executive 'of Hyundai Motor Group robot affiliate Boston Dynamics,' according to a statement made by the Waltham, Massachusetts based company on its X page. Hyundai Motor shares rose 5.9% on Wednesday in Seoul as the market grew more confident that the automaker would accelerate the commercialisation of their robot business. James Hong, an analyst at Macquarie in Seoul, said that the stock price had risen due to the news of a resignation by the CEO. He added that Playter's robot development team was "R&D oriented." The stock price gains were also attributed to a media report stating that Boston Dynamics robot dogs had been sent to work in a nuclear power plant located in Britain. Hyundai Motor Group, which owns Kia and Hyundai, purchased Boston Dynamics with a majority stake in 2021. Hyundai announced in?January that it will deploy humanoid robots manufactured by Boston Dynamics at its U.S. manufacturing plant in Georgia. Kia's share price increased by 4.6%. Heejin and Jihoon Lee Reporting, Ed Davies Editing
-
Maguire: Low snow cover in Europe leads to higher gas consumption.
Europe's appetite to natural gas may grow more than expected in this year after skimpy coverage of snow across key mountainous areas ate away at hydropower production. The amount of snow in Italy and Austria has been well below average so far in 2026. This has led to a sharp drop in the fuel source for hydropower plants. Local?utilities use natural gas plants primarily to offset the declines in?hydro?dams. These are the largest power sources in Austria and Italy, respectively. According to LSEG, the gas-fired electricity output in Italy is up 24% and in Austria by 17% compared to where it was at this time in 2025. Power firms are likely to maintain the current level of gas production if snow accumulation continues below historical averages. This will further reduce regional gas stocks, which have already been at a multi-year low. The prospect of increased gas demand in Europe is a boon for major LNG exporters such as the U.S. The upbeat outlook for gas could be ruined by heavy snow and rain in the region over the next few weeks. EAST-WEST ?DIVIDE Recent maps of Europe's snow cover - or the lack thereof – highlight the severity of the shortage in certain areas. Most of Western and Southern Europe, including the areas hosting the Winter Olympics, does not have enough snow. Ski resorts are able to create artificial snow for the Olympics. Utility companies looking to manage power flows will have to rely on real snow to act as a storage reservoir during winter, and then to channel the runoff to rivers?and?dams to produce electricity when the snow melts. LSEG data show that Italy's hydro power production from run-of river dams is down 22% compared to a year ago and the lowest year-to date since at least 2023. LSEG also has a sluggish forecast for the future of hydro production. The estimated output is projected to be 13% lower than its long-term average through April. Austria's projected shortfall will be even greater, with a production that is expected to fall by around 40% below its long-term average through April. The forecasts for the larger Danube catchment region - which spans southern Germany, Hungary, and Romania – are in line with long-term averages despite the subpar readings this year. GAS CRUTCH Austrian and Italian utilities are used to patchy hydro-generation and rely on gas plants for any shortfalls. Utility companies in Turkey increasingly follow similar generation trends. Periods of high gas-fired output coincide with bouts of low hydro dam production. With regional natural gas inventories at multi-year lows across Europe, power companies may begin to see costs of gas replacement rise as storage farms and utility networks manage system throughput. Prices for regional benchmark natural gas are well above what they were in 2025. The average price per megawatt-hour (MWh) in 2026 is around 34 euros, compared to around 27 euros/MWh last December. If there is a disruption in the LNG export flow from the U.S., or any other supplier, we could see further price increases. Gas inflation can cause utilities to lose money and increase energy bills. If?snow accumulates in key hydro markets are scarce, power companies may have no choice but to pay for the gas that they need to keep the lights on during winter and spring. These are the opinions of the columnist, an author for. You like this article? Check it out Open Interest Follow ROI on Twitter for the latest global financial news. Follow ROI on You can find us on LinkedIn. Listen to the song Morning Bid daily podcast Spotify Or the . Subscribe to the podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets 7 days a weeks.
-
AirAsia X unveils Kuala Lumpur-Bahrain-London route, establishing Middle Eastern hub
AirAsia X, Malaysia's budget airline, announced a new route on Wednesday that connects Kuala Lumpur with?Bahrain before continuing to London's Gatwick 'airport'. This is the latest step of the airline's global expansion. In a press release, the company stated that the service would begin in June and will be Bahrain AirAsia X’s first hub outside Asia. It will use its location to link Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Europe. Last month, Asia's largest low cost carrier completed the acquisition of the short-haul business from parent Capital A. This unifies the group's 7 airlines under one banner. The return of non-stop flights to Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport in the British capital is also significant. It has been more than 10 years since these flights were discontinued and long-haul Airbus A340 aircraft retired. The Kuala Lumpur-Bahrain-London route will be serviced by AirAsia X's A330 fleet, as part of ?its efforts to expand international operations. In November, the airline began flights between Kuala Lumpur and Istanbul. AirAsia X in Malaysia, which has a network of more than 150 destinations, and a fleet spanning 255 aircraft, is exploring options for refinancing about $600,000,000 in debt. Last month, according to industry sources, it was reported that Airbus is close to a major agreement to sell AirAsia around 100 of the A220, its smallest jet, with an additional option to buy 50 more. Last month, AirAsia X Deputy Group Chief Executive Farouk Kamal said that the company was looking at ordering 'another 150 jets. AirAsia is one of Europe's largest customers. It operates a fleet entirely made up of Airbus aircraft and has more than 350 narrow-body A320 jets on order. In July last year, the airline placed a preliminary order for 50 A321XLR long-range aircraft. AirAsia was founded in 2001, with only two aircraft. It pioneered the development of low cost carriers in Southeast Asia. Capital A was severely impacted by pandemic travel restrictions. It was classified as financially distressed in Malaysia's PN17 framework. Fernandes is also the 'CEO of Capital A. In a statement issued last month, he said that Capital A had 'completed its PN17 Regularisation Plan. AirAsia X, the new name for all AirAsia aviation businesses, will allow them to focus on growing their operations and reducing cost while Capital A focuses on reviving their finances. (Reporting from Julie Zhu, Hong Kong; editing by Jamie Freed).
-
Chinese captain pleads guilty to damages charge in Baltic Sea Cable Case
The Chinese captain of an?Hong Kong registered cargo ship pleaded 'not guilty'?on a charge?of criminal damage on Wednesday, after allegations that his vessel had?damaged underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. According to a Hong Kong chargesheet reviewed by the. The charge sheet said that?Wan was "reckless", and had "damaged property belonging to others without lawful excuse". Investigators in Finland said that the container vessel had pulled its anchor so as to cut off the Balticconnector pipeline. The Finnish police retrieved an anchor that had broken from the seabed, near the Balticconnector gas pipeline. An attorney for Wan, Jerry Chung said earlier that 18 prosecution witnesses will be called to give testimony in the case. The charges include one of criminal damage as well as two of failing to ensure that the ship met the safety requirements of the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea. Wan also pleads not guilty to these two charges. Chung said that these?witnesses' include Hong Kong officials and maritime experts, as well as crew members. Since?Russia invaded Ukraine 2022, the Baltic Sea region has been on alert for sabotage. This is because of a series outages that have involved power cables and gas pipelines. NATO has increased its military presence with frigates, aircraft, and naval drones.
-
Dubai's DXB Airport is expected to handle 100 million passengers in this year
Dubai International Airport (DXB), which is the world's busiest travel hub and is expected to?handle close to 100 millions passengers this year, according to its operator. This will build?upon a record-breaking performance in 2025. Dubai Airports said that it expects to have 99.5 million passengers by 2026 as the demand grows across major markets. DXB handled 95,2?million passengers in 2018, up 3.1% compared to 2024. India, Saudi Arabia, and Britain were its top three markets. Egypt, Italy, and China all experienced double-digit growth. Dubai is the Middle East’s largest tourism and trade hub. It's home to the tallest tower in the world, as well as palm-shaped islands. According to government statistics, it is also an important connecting point for flights from Europe to Asia. Dubai Airports said that in 2025 DXB had its busiest day, month, quarterly and annual records. It was operating at the limit of physical capacity, while consistently delivering operational excellence. The emirate announced that it would be investing $35 billion in its second airport (Al Maktoum, operated by Dubai Airports) to'meet the rising demand for air travel and the rapidly growing population. When completed, the expansion will be able to handle 260 million passengers annually. (Reporting by Federico Maccioni. Mark Potter (Editing by Federico Maccioni)
-
Air New Zealand cancels its long-haul flights as a cabin crew strike is imminent
Air New Zealand announced on Wednesday that it had 'cancelled' 46 wide-body long haul services in advance of a two-day cabin crew strike over the stalled negotiation. Air NZ announced that the cancellations affected 9,500 passengers. The company added, "the domestic and regional network will operate as usual, with some cargo-only flight schedules." The local?union E tu issued a statement saying that the airline's cabin staff would be striking on February - 12 and 13 if talks fail to resolve their concerns. They urged Air New Zealand make a "fair and realistic" proposal. Rachel Mackintosh, E tu's National Secretary, said that the work of wide-body cabin staff is difficult and misunderstood. They are also shift workers, whose rosters vary every month. The work is very irregular... there are no guarantees in their patterns of work. The union said that only cabin crew will be involved in the strike, and not wide-body aircraft workers. Air New Zealand said that it had contacted affected customers with options for rebooking or refunds. The airline said that it has rescheduled its flights and redeployed their fleet to prevent most Tasman Pacific services from being cancelled.
-
FAA: Canada to announce certification for Gulfstream jets soon
The head of U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said that he was expecting Canada to announce on Tuesday it would certify a few Gulfstream business aircrafts which?had been stalled for years. This would resolving a problem highlighted by President Donald Trump. After a meeting on Capitol Hill with legislators, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said to reporters: "I believe we have resolved the issues with Canada." "My understanding is that Transport Canada will announce Gulfstream certifications which have been delayed since years." Bedford stated that he expects Canada to announce the certifications of the jets manufactured by the U.S. firm later this week. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Canada's Transport Minister said that Transport Canada continued to work with Gulfstream on the?certification? of business jets. Gulfstream, which is owned by General Dynamics, did not respond immediately to a comment request. Last month, Trump announced in a social media post the U.S. planned to decertify Canadian Bombardier Global Express business jets. He also threatened to impose a?50% tariff on all aircraft manufactured in Canada until Canada's regulator approved a number planes produced by U.S. competitor Gulfstream. The announcement came amid growing tensions among the neighbors after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, citing U.S. Trade Policy, called on nations to accept that the rules-based world order once championed by Washington was over. Trump said that he would "decertify their Bombardier Global Expresses and all Aircraft manufactured in Canada" until Gulfstream planes were certified. This threat would have had a?dramatic impact on the?U.S. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and other carriers rely heavily on Canadian aircraft for their regional flights. Last month, Canadian officials said they were working with Trump to resolve the dispute over aircraft certification. Airlines officials stated that if the U.S. decertified airplanes due to economic reasons, this would give other countries an 'advantageous weapon' and put the entire aviation system in danger. Since then, Trump has brought up other issues with Canada. He threatened on Monday to block the opening of a $4.7billion bridge between Detroit, Michigan and Canada unless Canada agreed trade talks. (Reporting and editing by Allison Lampert, David Shepardson)
-
Boeing, the US aircraft manufacturer, plans to open a fourth 737 production facility in midsummer
Boeing will open a fourth 737 MAX line in Everett in Washington in the middle of summer, a Boeing executive announced on Tuesday during an aerospace suppliers' conference. North Line is a new production line that will help the U.S. aircraft manufacturer increase its 737 MAX jet production to 63 per month in the next few decades. It currently increases production from 38 to 42 jets per month. Katie Ringgold, Vice President and General Manager of the 737 Program at Boeing, said that the company will continue to increase production by 15% over the next 18-months. She spoke at the Advance 2026 Conference organized by the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Association. This would mean that Boeing's next rate target of 47 aircraft per month will be reached in 2027 and not this year as many industry observers and investors anticipate. Boeing officials told two suppliers to expect a monthly production rate of 47 aircraft this year. Boeing shares have dropped by nearly 1%. The planemaker has recovered from crises that impacted its production and supply chain for several years. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who was tasked with turning around the company and restoring "production stability", has prioritised restoring "production stability" by increasing production five planes every six months. The North Line - in Everett - will be the first time a 737 - has been manufactured outside Boeing's Renton Plant south of Seattle. Boeing has begun training workers for the line. Boeing plans to increase 737 production to 63 planes per month "over the next few years", Ringgold informed suppliers. Boeing's best selling airplane, the 737 MAX, is in a close competition with Airbus A320neo on the lucrative single-aisle market. (Reporting and editing by Will Dunham and Rod Nickel; Reporting by Dan Catchpole)
MSCI will add India's Aditya Birla Capital and L&T Finance as part of its flagship global index, while dropping IRCTC
In a periodic reshuffle, global index provider MSCI has added financial services firms Aditya Birla and L&T Finance into its widely tracked Global Standard Index. State-run Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation was removed.
The changes announced on Wednesday will come into effect on the 27th of February.
The MSCI indexes are globally recognized benchmarks that large passive funds track. This means that additions to the index typically result in new capital flows, while removals generally lead to outflows.
After the rejig the number of Indian companies in the MSCI Global Standard Index is expected to rise from 164 to 165. Abhilash Pangaria, Nuvama's head of Alternative and Quantitative research, said that India's weight will remain at 14.1%.
Nuvama estimates Aditya Birla Capital, L&T Finance and?Finance will see passive inflows between $257 and $238 millions. IRCTC, on the other hand, is expected to see outflows in the amount of $141.6 million.
Nuvama reports that AU Small Finance Bank is expected to receive $172 million due to the increase in index weight.
MSCI has also made major changes to the Small Cap Index. It reduced the number of Indian constituents from 508 to 480. India's Small-Cap Index has fallen 7% since 2025. It is underperforming other benchmarks.
The reshuffle is a result of continued pressure on India's small-cap stock market, where concerns about stretched valuations and sustainable earnings have affected sentiment.
L&T Finance was promoted from the Small Cap Index to Global Standard Index. 34 companies were also removed, including Dilip Buildcon, Zaggle, Sterlite Technologies, and KNR Constructions.
Seven Indian firms, including the renewable energy company Premier Energies, National Securities Depository and Emcure Pharma, as well as cement manufacturer JSW Cement, were also added to the Small Cap Index.
(source: Reuters)