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Azeri BTC's daily oil exports for November are expected to increase by 3% m/m.
The differential between Brent and Urals crudes dated on Wednesday remained unchanged, but the Azeri BTC plan for exports from Turkey's Ceyhan Port in November was set at 15,3 million barrels compared to the 15.4 million barrels exported in October. Calculations showed that Azeri BTC crude exports would increase by approximately 3% per day in November compared to October. Alexander Novak, Deputy Premier of Russia, said that the country has gradually increased its oil production. It was very close to achieving the output quota set by OPEC+ last month. PLATTS WINDOW There were no bids or offerings reported on the Platts Window for Urals, Azeri BTC Blend or CPC blend crudes on Wednesday. According to sources, the U.S. delayed sanctions against Serbia's Russian owned NIS oil company that runs Serbia's sole oil refinery for a week, until October 15. The Nova Ekonomija portal in Belgrade reported this on Wednesday. (Reporting and editing by Kirsten Doovan)
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Brazil will not be introducing free public transportation soon, the chief of staff to the president says
Rui Costa said that the Brazilian president's chief of staff has no plans for the government to eliminate the public transport fares in Brazil this year or the next. This comes a day after Brazil's finance minister confirmed the results of studies assessing ways to fund the sector. Costa told a local radio station that there was no plan for this or next year. "I would like to be clear that the president has only asked for studies." A government source said that there were doubts about the logistical and the political feasibility of this proposal. Source: President Luiz inacio Lula da So has asked his economic team for an evaluation of the possible implementation of the measure. However, he is not in a hurry and doesn't intend to make it a part campaign promise. Costa said that the studies would be presented to President Obama so he could assess if the project was feasible and from where the money would come. If it is viable, the announcement will come at the right time. In an interview this week with Record TV, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad stated that the proposal will be included in Lula’s policy platform in Brazil next year when it holds its general elections. Haddad stated that "(Lula), knows this issue is very important for workers, environmental protection, and urban mobility." Investors' fears that the initiative might have negative fiscal consequences have caused the finance minister's comments to influence Brazilian markets. Reporting by Lisandra Parguassu, Writing by Fernando Cardoso, Editing by Rod Nickel
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ADNOC to pay out $43 billion as dividends to its subsidiaries by 2030
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company announced on Wednesday that six of its publicly listed subsidiaries would distribute 158 billion Dirhams ($43.02billion) in dividends between 2030 and 2035. ADNOC stated that the target amount is almost double the 86 billion dollars in dividends that the six subsidiaries collectively paid since ADNOC Distribution was listed in 2017 via an initial public offer. ADNOC has raised billions by selling stakes to its subsidiaries. It aims to be the top three petrochemical company in the world and top five gas company. Last year, it established the international investment arm XRG to help achieve these goals. ADNOC Gas and ADNOC Logistics & Services will also join ADNOC Drilling to pay quarterly dividends, providing more frequent returns for investors. ADNOC announced the news at an investor presentation of its listed subsidiaries. This was the first event that the group held. ADNOC Gas also announced that it had signed a 20 year gas supply contract with Ruwais LNG, valued at 147 billion Dirhams ($40 billion), to provide feedstock to the new LNG plant. The plant is expected to start production in 2028. It will more than double ADNOC’s LNG capacity. ADNOC said the merger between ADNOC and OMV, petrochemical companies Borouge and Borealis to create Borouge Group International is expected to be completed in the first quarter 2026. ADNOC and OMV have secured financing from global banks to finance the deal worth 56.6 billion Dirhams. This includes the acquisition of Nova Chemicals. ADNOC reported that BGI's deal with the companies will generate annual benefits worth 1.8 billion dirhams. The new entity will be the fourth largest polyolefins company in the world.
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Airbus delivered 507 jets during the first nine months
Airbus announced on Wednesday that it has delivered 507 aircraft in the first nine-month period. The fourth quarter will see 313 additional planes being delivered to meet the full-year goal of 820. In a sign that engine supply has improved, the world's biggest planemaker confirmed that it delivered 73 jets to customers in September. This was a record number for this month. Airbus' spokesperson confirmed that the number of gliders - or fully assembled aircraft waiting to be powered - had decreased from the peak of 60 reported earlier this year. However, the spokesperson did not provide a new estimate. The drop in gliders and the jump in September deliveries, from 50 last year to just 25 this month, suggest that the arrival of engines has accelerated in recent weeks after being affected by the recent strike at CFM supplier as well as the competing demand for spare engine from airlines. (Reporting and editing by Kirsten Doovan; Tim Hepher)
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Ryanair, a major Boeing customer, will see 737 production reach 48 units per month in April.
Ryanair, a major Boeing customer, said that it is confident that the U.S. aircraft manufacturer will be granted permission to increase the monthly production rate for its flagship 737 to 42 by October and to 48 by March orApril next year. Boeing, Boeing's biggest European customer, has repeatedly had to cut its growth forecasts because of delays. Boeing is currently working to stabilize production following a mid-air blowout panel on a new 737 MAX that occurred in January 2024. This exposed widespread quality and safety issues. Michael O'Leary is the Chief Executive Officer of Ryanair Group. His team regularly meets with Boeing management. He said he felt "fairly confident," that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will approve an increase in production monthly from 38 to 42 aircraft in October. RYANAIR - 'Pretty Confident' about progress at Boeing Will the FAA allow them to move to rating 48 next March or April? That would be a big jump. He said in an interview that he was "pretty confident" this would happen. After the panel explosion, the FAA capped 737 MAX output at 38 per months in early 2024. On September 26, it said that Boeing has not requested a rate hike, but if they did, FAA safety inspectors on site would do extensive reviews. Boeing stated earlier in the month that there were no supply chain issues that would prevent it from increasing monthly 737MAX production to 42 by the end of the year. Boeing's other major concern is when the MAX 7 and MAX 10 will be approved by regulators. Ryanair has placed 150 MAX 10 firm orders. Will they be able to get the MAX 7 or MAX 10 certified by 2026? Boeing tells us that they are now confident in the certification process. O'Leary, while praising recent achievements at Boeing and expressing his gratitude for them, said that there are no guarantees. He said, "We're confident but there is still a chance that it will be disrupted." Corina Pons is the reporter. Conor Humphries wrote the article. David Latona, Mark Potter and Mark Potter (Editing)
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As the shutdown continues, airlines prepare for a third day of flight delays
The major U.S. carriers are bracing themselves for a third consecutive day of delays as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration continues to face staffing problems for air traffic control as the stalemate regarding funding for the government continues. Nearly 10,000 flights were delayed on Monday and Tuesday. Many of these delays were caused by the FAA slowing down flights due to air traffic controllers absences in facilities all over the country, as the shutdown entered its eighth day. The air traffic control shortages during the shutdown are more severe than during the last major government funding halt in 2019, which occurred during U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, along with congressional Democrats, called on Wednesday for an end to the airport shutdown at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. They noted that air traffic control officers and Transportation Security Administration agents are working without being paid. Moore, a Democrat from Maryland, stated that President Trump was unable to "close a deal" in order to keep the federal government open. Kwiesi mfume (Democrat) called for supplemental laws that would pay air traffic control during a shut down. He said that people are starting to be concerned about flying, and as a country we shouldn't get to this point. During a 35-day government shutdown in 2019, the number of controllers and TSA agents absent increased as they missed paychecks. This led to longer waits at checkpoints. The authorities were forced to reduce air traffic in New York. This put pressure on legislators to end the standoff quickly. They are not paid. During the shutdown of the federal government, 13,000 air traffic control officers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers still have to report for work. The controllers will receive a partial pay on October 14, for work done before the shutdown. Moore stated, "Our BWI employees are still here." Moore said, "They do it because they are patriots." They do it because they understand the importance of their work. Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary, said that since the FAA shutdown began last week there has been a slight rise in sick leave. Staffing in certain areas of air traffic has also decreased by half. Air traffic control shortages have been a problem in the U.S. for over ten years. Many controllers were working six-day work weeks and mandatory overtime even before this shutdown. About 3,500 air traffic control positions are not enough to meet the FAA's target staffing levels.
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Container traffic at Rotterdam's port is disrupted by a strike by lashers for higher wages
On Wednesday afternoon, the largest seaport in Europe, Rotterdam, went on strike for 48 hours to demand higher salaries. Meanwhile in the neighbouring Belgian port's main port Flemish harbourpilots were protesting pension reforms. The FNV union said that all workers of International Lashing Services (ILS) and Matrans Marine Services (Matrans Marine Services), the two lashing firms active in the Dutch ports, stopped working at 3:15 pm (1310 GMT), and will continue their strike to the same time Friday. The FNV stated that during the two-day strike, no container ships can be unloaded or loaded at the port while lashers are securing the ship's cargo. Niek Stam, FNV's spokesman, said: "Without lashers, the entire port grinds to an halt." The Rotterdam Port Authority said that the strike would certainly affect traffic but it is too early to estimate its impact. International Lashing Services and Matrans Marine Service were not available for immediate comment. Port authorities in Belgium have reported that the maritime traffic at Antwerp-Bruges was severely disrupted for four days by Flemish harbourpilots who were protesting federal pension reforms. The port of Antwerp, which normally processes 60-80 ships per day, only processed 31 vessels on February 2, with some delayed or stranded, and others headed to other destinations.
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Ryanair CEO: airline is on track to recover from last year's 7 percent fare decrease
Michael O'Leary, the Chief Executive of Irish budget airline Ryanair, told reporters in Madrid that it believes it will recover its 7% decline in fares from 2024 during this financial year. "The traffic has exceeded the target...Fares are expected to rise by 7% over the course of the year," O'Leary stated, adding that this summer's prices were "pretty close" to those of the summer of 2023. The CEO stated that the full-year results will depend on the pricing of the company's third-quarter, which includes Christmas, and the fourth-quarter, for which the company currently has "very little visibility". He said that the economic weakness in Britain, France and Germany was causing price sensitivities. This led consumers to switch to Ryanair over flag carriers such as British Airways or Air France. O'Leary stated that "there is less demand to travel across the Atlantic to America at the moment - (U.S. president Donald) Trump alienated people. More people are choosing to holiday in the Mediterranean or Europe and this has been good for Ryanair's businesses." (Reporting and writing by Corina Poons; editing by Kirsten Doovan)
US retailers prepare for the holidays by preparing their shipping plans.
As the U.S. East Coast port strike and Gulf Coast port strike continues, major retailers such as Levi Strauss and Costco have been preparing alternative shipping plans in order to make sure that goods are delivered on time during the holiday season. Container ships waited in long lines outside U.S. port facilities on Thursday, as the largest dockworker strike for nearly 50 years entered its third day. This prevented unloading of goods and threatened shortages of bananas, auto parts and other products.
Sky Canaves, an analyst at eMarketer, says that retailers account for half of the container shipping volume. Walmart, IKEA and Home Depot are among those who heavily rely upon East Coast and Gulf Coast port, according to Sky Canaves. Levi, a denim manufacturer that imports most of its product from Asia via the East Coast in the United States, has said it has made alternative plans. These include shifting routes to the U.S. West Coast and prioritizing specific ports. Levi isn't the only one to use this strategy. Costco said it had contingency planning in place, including pre-shipping certain products to get holiday goods in early and preparing for different ports.
In an interview on Wednesday, CEO Chris Peterson said that Newell Brands - which produces cleaning products like Rubbermaid buckets, garbage cans, and mops - contacted retailers such as Walmart and Lowe's to offer to increase production in the event of a shortage. Peterson, CEO of Atlanta-based Newell, said that the company manufactures the majority of Rubbermaid products in America, while other companies may be held up at ports.
He said that the retailers would "let us know if we need to rush in and assist." Peterson stated that the manufacturer could increase production by 50% in the near future.
He said, "We have safety stocks built up."
He said that the company's capacity could be increased by 20% in the medium- and long-term.
CHALLENGES IN SUPPLY CHAIN
The East Coast is the main port of entry for coffee into the United States. Prices are rising and shipments have been disrupted.
Folgers coffee maker J.M. Smucker has strategies in place for addressing potential supply chain challenges. These include confirming how much inventory is already available and ready to be shipped to retailers. They also adjust production plans to maximize the manufacturing of finished goods.
Michael Ashley Schulman is the chief investment officer of Running Point Capital Advisors.
He added that, depending on the length of the strike, retailers and auto dealers may have to reduce their holiday sales because they will not have enough stock.
Linda Bolton Weiser, D.A., stated that Mattel and Hasbro, two of the largest toy manufacturers, have limited exposure, as they import most of their products from China through West Coast ports in particular Los Angeles. Davidson.
Walmart, the largest retailer in the world by sales, said that it had prepared for any disruptions to its supply chain. It also maintained additional sources of supplies to ensure that it always has key products on hand.
Local media reported that some consumers bought extra toilet paper and paper towel products, out of fear for shortages. Most of the paper products, however, are made in the United States.
Nakia is an associate in Manhattan at Target who refused to reveal her last name. She said she noticed that shoppers were buying extra tissue, paper towels and canned foods. The shelves of the store were stocked.
Conagra Brands CEO Sean Connolly stated that he expected the company to be in a position to handle any disruptions with minimal impact, as they had planned ahead and worked with their suppliers.
A Tapestry spokesperson said that a modest strike wouldn't result in significant increases to costs or transit times as we have been pulling volumes forward throughout the summer, and we already received our holiday stock.
Home Depot, like Nike, said that it was closely monitoring the situation. Birkenstock refused to comment, while Best Buy and Target as well as the Dollar chains did not respond immediately to requests for comments.
(source: Reuters)