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US Airlines reduces flight reductions for Friday despite FAA order of 6%
Cirium, an aviation analytics company, and airline officials report that U.S. carriers have cut fewer flights on Friday than required by the requirement to cut 6% domestic flights from the 40 busiest American Airports. Federal Aviation Administration announced late Wednesday that it would not increase cancellation requirements and freeze mandatory flight reductions at 6%. This was in line with what had been previously announced. Cirium reported that airlines cancelled just 1.4% of flights for Friday after cancelling 3.5% on Wednesday and Thursday. The FAA may revise or add to the order. United Airlines announced that it had cancelled 134 flights on Friday, almost 3%, after cancelling 22 flights on Thursday. The FAA has not yet commented. Under condition of anonymity, other airlines confirmed that they did not plan to reduce 6% of their flights on Friday. Prior to the FAA revising its order, airlines were expected to cancel 10% of flights in the 40 busiest international airports and 8% of flights within the United States on Thursday. The FAA decided to reduce the number of cancellations on Wednesday after air traffic control absences had decreased dramatically in recent weeks, just before Congress gave final approval to an agreement to reopen government which was signed by President Donald Trump. The FAA said that it would continue to evaluate whether the system could gradually return to normal operation. FlightAware's flight tracking website reported that airlines canceled 1,020 of their flights on Thursday, in accordance with the FAA requirement. Cirium reported that carriers had canceled flights by 4:20 pm. ET only cancelled 371 flights on Friday. The FAA reported staffing problems at Reagan Washington National Airport and Newark Airports on Thursday, causing delays at both airports. However, there were significantly fewer issues compared to before the government reopened. There are about 3,500 fewer air traffic controllers than the FAA needs to meet its target staffing levels. Before the shutdown, many had already been working six-day weekends and mandatory overtime. FlightAware reports that flight operations have improved, with only 3,000 delays on Friday, compared to 4,000 on Tuesday, and almost 10,000 on Monday. Since October 1, when the 43 day shutdown began, air traffic absences led to tens-of-thousands of cancellations and delays. (Reporting and editing by Leslie Adler & Rod Nickel; Reporting by David Shepardson)
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Alstom increases revenue forecast for 2025 after beating first-half sales
Alstom, a French train manufacturer, raised its organic sales forecast for 2025 after reporting a half-year revenue that was above expectations. This was due to strong demand for high-speed trains. Alstom, the manufacturer of trains and signalling for urban and regional railway networks, expects its organic sales to rise over 5% in comparison with previous guidance between 3% and 5%. "Strong growth in sales across all product lines shows our ability to accelerate delivery of backlog and achieve growth for the full year above our initial expectations." Henri Poupart Lafarge, chief executive of Henri Poupart Lafarge. Organically, revenue grew 8% to 9,06 billion euros ($10.57billion) in the first six months of the year. According to a consensus compiled by the company, analysts had predicted 8.97 billion euro. The growth was driven primarily by "strong performance" across Europe where the group's revenue increased 8.5% on an annual basis in the first half. Alstom signed several large contracts in the first quarter of this year, including a contract worth 6.9 billion zlotys ($1.9 billion) with Poland's long-distance railway operator PKP and a 1.4-billion-euro Alstom order for high-speed trains from French rail operator SNCF Voyageurs. The group has confirmed its rest of the guidance for the year.
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Spanish police bust a ring suspected of trafficking minors from France
The Spanish police announced on Thursday that they had broken up an international criminal ring suspected of trafficking minors to France from the Canary Islands. They arrested 11 people during an operation spanning Lanzarote and Madrid, as well as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Police said that four suspects were placed in detention pending trial on charges of organised crime, document fraud and child pornography. An investigation was launched after 14 minors disappeared from centres run by the state on the Canary Islands in the period between 2024 and 2025. The police said that the group used contacts and routes in Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Spain to transport the children to France and provided them with fake documents. Lanzarote police officers searched two homes and seized cash, electronic devices, personal documents and other items. Police said that the investigation is still ongoing to find the missing minors, and track down international connections. (Reporting and editing by Alexandra Hudson, Jesus Calero)
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Hackers from abroad have targeted the systems of a major Russian port operator, says a large Russian port operator
Port Alliance, a Russian group that operates a network for sea cargo terminals said Thursday that foreign hackers targeted its systems in three-day attacks, including a distributed denial-of service (DDoS), and a hacking attempt. In a press release, it said that key elements of its digital network had been targeted in order to disrupt exports of coal and mineral fertilizers at its sea terminals located in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea region, Far East, and Arctic regions. Port Alliance reported that the attack was successfully repulsed and that operations were not affected. The most basic web attack is the denial of service. It works by flooding targeted servers with fake requests for data. This makes it impossible for any legitimate web traffic. Since Russia sent tens and thousands of troops to Ukraine in 2022, Russian authorities and companies have reported numerous attempts at DDoS attacks and hacking from outside. Ukraine and certain Western countries have accused Russia of cyberattacks. Port Alliance operates cargo terminals in five Russian ports. (Reporting and writing by Gleb Stlyarov, Anton Kolodyazhnyy and Andrew Osborn; editing by Andrew Osborn).
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Poste Italiane does not see any major impact of EU plan to charge low-value parcels
Matteo Del Fante, the chief executive officer of Poste Italiane, said that the plan by the European Union to levy a 2-euro fee on small parcels coming from outside the EU will not have a major impact on the company's volume. Del Fante said that such a move could also delay plans by Chinese ecommerce platforms to establish their own logistics network in the region. Why it's important The proposed measure is designed to stop the flow of cheap goods from China and other non-member nations entering the EU. This would affect Chinese ecommerce imports by companies like Shein or Temu. Poste Italiane, a state-owned logistics operator, handles millions of parcels each year. Any change in the cross-border fee could be relevant to their business model. Quotes Del Fante, during a call with analysts after the results were announced, said that "usually the market adjusts... One or even two euros won't really change the appeal of these platforms." It is less attractive for Chinese platforms to set up infrastructure in Italy. The Chinese platforms have also started to organise their own logistics, based on what's happening in the world. This type of barrier makes investment in a particular region seem more distant. CONTEXT The European Commission proposed a 2-euro fee but it's not clear when this would be implemented. Brussels has announced that it wants to accelerate the levying of customs duty on low-value parcels coming into the European Union, in an effort to curb cheap Chinese imports which arrive by the millions each year. Some EU nations appear to be preparing to introduce handling fees at the national level. Italy will introduce a tax to protect the fashion industry by the end the year, said the industry minister on Wednesday. Poste is Italy's second largest logistics company behind Amazon.
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Shares of UK retailer B&M hit record low after weak start to the festive quarter
B&M, a British discount retailer, reported a weak start for the crucial Christmas quarter on Thursday, sending its share price to a new record low. However, its CEO is hopeful that a strong position with festive gifts and decorations can improve their performance. Helen Cowing, an experienced finance executive, was appointed interim finance director a month following the disclosure of an accounting mistake that resulted in a profit warning as well as the departure of their previous finance chief. Five months after taking on the position, CEO Tjeerd Gegen has already laid out a turnaround plan that focuses on reducing inventory and sharpening prices to combat falling sales, inconsistent pricing, and too complex product lines. "The golden quarter is yet to come, the peak of business." Jegen said on Thursday that B&M's strength is in its Christmas decorations and gifts across all food categories as well as non-food items. Profits Under Pressure B&M has approximately 1,300 stores worldwide that sell everything from toys and food to garden furniture, electrical goods and other items. Jegen stated that the company was looking to compete with full-priced supermarkets, and they were exploring a channel online to tap into the social media-driven buying. It said, however, that UK like-forlike sales were below the upper end of the forecast range when it began its third fiscal quarter. The range is from a single-digit increase to a single-digit decrease. Analysts at Jefferies said that B&M is undergoing change, but it's not happening fast enough to save current trading. B&M shares fell as much as 5% to 155.6 pence before 1240 GMT. Cowing previously served as Chief Financial Officer at the transport operator Mobico and European coffee service provider Selecta. He also worked for fashion retailer FatFace. B&M's adjusted operating profit fell 31.5% to 177 millions pounds ($238million) in the six-month period ended September 27, B&M reported.
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Egypt's state grain buyer is under scrutiny for delayed payments and broken agreements
According to sources in the trade and industry, increased trade tensions, which earlier this year resulted in a decline in Egypt's imports of wheat, have caused a shakeup at Egypt's state grain buyer. A newly appointed leader is attempting to restore credibility. Egypt has operated a transparent procurement system for decades to ensure supplies of bread subsidies that feed tens and millions of people. It is also a cornerstone in social stability. Egypt is now one of the largest wheat importers in the world and a benchmark price for global markets. Six traders from global suppliers of vegetable oils and wheat to Egypt said that the newly formed military-linked agency Future of Egypt ditched formal tenders of its predecessor, the General Authority for Supply Commodities, in favor of informal negotiations. Six traders reported that delayed payments, repeated attempts to renegotiate or cancel contracts by the new agency when global wheat prices and vegetable oil fell were viewed as defaults by many traders. This was something unheard of in GASC. The six traders claimed that these practices caused strained relationships with their suppliers, and were the major reason for the dramatic drop in Egypt's imports of wheat in the first half 2025. Alexander Karavaytsev is a senior economist with the International Grains Council. He said that Egypt's public bids have "long been a barometer of global wheat prices". He said that the shift from indirect to direct negotiation under Mostakbal Misr had reduced transparency on the market and slowed down dealmaking. This may have dissuaded some suppliers. Three traders said that in recent weeks some global suppliers have resumed their sales to the agency after former GASC official Yousria Yousry Mohamed was appointed to oversee international purchasing. Three traders said that Mohamed, who was an official at GASC they had dealt with often, brought a level familiarity and professionalism to their dealings with the former state agency. Some suppliers said that her appointment had helped to restore confidence. They reported that payments were initiated on time and contracts completed. Future of Egypt, Egypt's Supply Ministry and the President's Office did not respond to comments for this article. In recent years, global grain traders like Cargill and ADM as well as Russian's Aston, Ukraine's Nibulon, and Soufflet, Bunge and Solaris were among Egypt's main suppliers. Companies did not respond when asked for comments on the recent changes in Egypt's grain buyer. Imports of wheat are a sludge According to data from shipping and trading, Egypt imported 5.2 million tons of wheat during the first half 2025. This is a quarter lower than the same time period last year. The government's portion of these imports fell by more than half, to approximately 1.6 million metric tons. This does not include any domestic purchases made by brokers or private companies. According to an Egyptian trader who reviewed records, at one point in April Egypt's wheat stock was just a little more than a month worth of grain in storage. Another two months were still being negotiated. According to data released by the government, this was far below the target of holding six months worth of grain and below the seven-months' worth held at mid-2024. Two people claimed that the buffer was restored after the local harvest in late April. One source said that the agency had slowed down imports to prepare for this year's large harvest. We could not determine if payment issues under Future of Egypt contributed to the lower stock. Karavaytsev predicted that Egypt's imports will recover in the second part of the year. He said that the country's crops were likely to shrink in the next season. This would be a challenge for this new agency. Karavaytsev added that the government's purchases and activities in the private sector would be more efficient. He also predicted that Egypt's grain stocks will contract for a 3rd consecutive year, 2025/26. They are expected to reach a multi-year minimum. Egypt is looking to reduce its dependence on wheat imports in the long run, but a sudden decrease could expose the country to price volatility internationally, logistical disruptions or poor harvests which would quickly drain its strategic reserves. Inflation, currency volatility, and increasing debt have all been persistent economic pressures on the country in recent years. Critics claim that President Abdel Fatah Sisi’s increasing reliance on military enterprises is stifling private sector investment. PURCHASES COMING TO LIGHT IN PORT Future of Egypt, unlike GASC, does not reveal its deals. The six traders said that the purchases are only revealed when the vessels arrive in port, which makes the process less transparent. They asked to remain anonymous to discuss commercial deals. The six traders stated that while negotiating initial contracts can be straightforward, it is the execution of those contracts which poses the greatest challenge. Renegotiations and unclear commitments, as well as delayed payments, undermine trust. They said that such issues have caused multiple disputes in the last few months. Two people with knowledge of the situation said that a Ukrainian supplier filed arbitration after deals fell through because Future of Egypt did not issue letters of credit to them. Two people familiar with the matter said that a Ukrainian supplier initiated arbitration proceedings after deals collapsed due to Future of Egypt not issuing letters of credit to the supplier. Few suppliers would risk such a move. Future of Egypt did not complete the payment, and the cargo was subsequently resold at a loss to another buyer. According to one source, the Ukrainian company has initiated arbitration proceedings against one of UK-based trade associations which handles such disputes. Could not independently verify if the dispute was arbitrated informally or formally, or if it involved an intermediary instead of the buyer. Future of Egypt, and the Ukrainian firm did not respond when asked for comments. The Federation of Oils, Seeds and Fats Associations, an arbitration association, stated that it had no open cases with Future of Egypt. Meanwhile, the Grain and Feed Trade Association, which is also involved in arbitrations, failed to respond to inquiries. A French wheat supplier also threatened legal action after Future of Egypt did not open a letter of credits for a shipment in May. Three traders claim that the shipment was loaded in July, after Future of Egypt had opened a letter of credits. Since then, the supplier has sold more cargoes. Traders say that Future of Egypt is too important a customer to lose. Another global supplier said that, despite the change in leadership, it was delaying deals until the company saw reliable, consistent trade, backed up by contracts with enforceable terms and accountability.
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Chevron is confident about its energy future and oversupply: Bousso
One would not expect a CEO of a large oil company to brag that he is more confident than ever when warnings are rife about the imminent collapse of oil prices. Mike Wirth, CEO of Chevron, announced the updated strategy on Wednesday. He dismissed concerns about an oversupply of oil in the short term, and expressed confidence in the long-term prospects for the sector. This was a far cry from the doubts that surrounded the industry a few decades ago when the momentum began to build towards the shift away from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy. The strong support for fossil fuels by Donald Trump and his "energy-dominance" agenda has provided Chevron, like its Big Oil counterparts, with a significant tailwind. Wirth said to investors, "Never before in my career have i seen a more confident outlook." "The best of the future is yet to arrive." The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that oil prices will average $55 per barrel in 2019, down from $69 last year. NEAR-TERM RETRENCEMENT But what a company claims is only one part of the story. What the company does is more important. The spending plans of oil and gas companies are a good indicator of their risk appetite, both near and long term. Many energy projects like offshore oilfields and liquefied gas (LNG), for example, require billions in funding and years to build. Chevron has therefore reduced its capital spending by $1 billion compared to previous guidance, resulting in a range between $18 billion and $21 billion annually until 2030. U.S. oil's second largest company is also retrenching, albeit modestly, in response to the uncertainty surrounding the balance between supply and demand on the global market. International Energy Agency currently predicts a massive oversupply of 4 million barrels a day next year, approximately 4% of the global supply. If accurate, this could cause oil prices crater. Chevron’s slight retreat suggests that its thinking is more in line with OPEC analysts who are expecting supply to roughly equal demand next year or other who believe there will be a modest oversupply. BOOM LONG-TERM Chevron’s actions appear to be more in line with its messaging. The company is clearly betting that oil demand will continue to grow and it's a race against time to compensate for dwindling supplies. Chevron has plans to increase oil and gas production between 2% and 3% annually until 2030. Currently, it produces approximately 4 million barrels equivalent to oil per day. Wirth stated that the amount of investment needed to close the oil gap is equivalent to five Saudi Arabias over the next ten years. Chevron has stated that it will keep the production of the Permian shale in America at 1 million bpd until 2040, while reducing its investment from $4.5 billion per annum to $5 billion. Chevron claims that it can maintain production with improved drilling methods, without drilling new wells as fast as they are currently doing. This is a bold prediction given the standard practices of shale drilling or fracking. Chevron's not the only major shale oil producer that has said it can sustain and grow shale oil production profitably for many years. ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and others have also indicated that they are confident of doing the same. EXPLORATION BET Chevron’s increasing investment in oil and natural gas exploration is perhaps the best way to demonstrate its long-term optimism. The high-risk and high-reward nature of this business demands heavy investment. It can take a decade or longer to go from the first drilling to production. Chevron has expanded its exploration activities in recent months to include Namibia, Egypt, and South America. In the coming years, Chevron plans to double its annual budget for exploration. Kevin McLachlan was hired by the company in October as its new exploration chief. Do we have to expect a similar situation as at the beginning of this century when massive, unrestrained investments in new gas and oil resources led us to overspend and get poor returns? Most likely not. Big Oil companies have a laser-like focus on profitability. They've instituted cost-saving measures that will allow them to make money even if the oil price drops below $50. Chevron wants to reduce its structural costs between $3 and $4 billion dollars by 2026. This includes laying off 15% of the global workforce. Chevron, and its peers, should be able to invest with more confidence in the future despite the peaks and valleys of the market. This, in turn indicates that the market will likely remain well-supplied for the foreseeable. All of this does not take into account the energy transition. The timing of Chevron’s strategy update coincides with the IEA’s new long-term outlook, which suggests that oil demand could continue to rise into 2050. Previously, it was thought that the demand would plateau by 2030. It may sound good to Big Oil, but the reality could be harsh for Chevron and other companies in the oil industry if energy transition gains momentum again as many predict. Subscribe to my Power Up newsletter to receive my weekly column, plus additional energy insights and links trending stories in your mailbox every Monday and Thursday. Subscribe to my Power Up Newsletter here. You like this column? Check out Open Interest, your new essential source for global commentary on financial markets. ROI provides data-driven, thought-provoking analysis. The markets are changing faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, X.
Siemens Energy pays first dividend for four years and raises its mid-term outlook
Siemens Energy, a German company, announced on Thursday that it would pay its first dividend for four years and also raise its outlook for the mid-term period due to strong demand in gas turbines, power transmission technologies, and services.
Christian Bruch, CEO of the company's wind-turbine division, said that the success "was hard-earned" and not a result of chance. He was referring to the years of cost cutting and restructuring in response to a quality crisis.
Siemens Energy, which is Germany's sixth-most valuable listed company, has since then benefited from an increase in demand for energy equipment. This was partly due to global AI investments including power-hungry data centers.
Siemens Energy has proposed a dividend per share of 0.70 euro ($0.82) for the fiscal year ending in September. This is the highest payout ever since the company spun off its former parent Siemens AG, in 2020. It also beats the 0.56 euro LSEG survey.
DATA CENTRES DRIVE ENERGY DESIRE
Siemens Energy shares, listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, closed up 2.5% after the news.
Siemens Energy expects to see sales grow at least 10% annually in the period 2025-2028. The profit margin will also increase to between 14% and 16% by 2028.
The group, which produces everything from wind and gas turbines to power transmission equipment and electrolysers, had expected a growth rate of high single digits until 2028 with a margin between 10% and 12%.
Siemens Energy stated that the demand for electricity and the need to upgrade or expand power grids will continue to increase, driven also by "the continued digitalization of the industry, and the share renewable energies, as well as the strong growth in data centers".
Siemens Energy, which competes against GE Vernova, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, expects a profit before special items in 2026 of 9-11%. This is up from 6%.
The fourth-quarter revenue was 10.4 billion euro, driven by the company's power grid division which had its highest quarterly sales to date. This helped support a record order backlog of 138 billion euro. (1 dollar = 0.8575 euro) (Reporting and editing by Lisa Shumaker, Diane Craft and Tom Kaeckenhoff)
(source: Reuters)