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CMA CGM's earnings gets on resilient shipping demand

Strong global need rose CMA CGM's thirdquarter earnings while the present quarter was seeing a rush to ship items from China, the shipping group stated on Friday as it soft-pedaled the threat to trade from possible U.S. tariffs.

The French business reported a net revenue of $2.73 billion for third quarter, up from $388 million in the year-earlier duration, supported by a 5.5% increase in volume for its primary ocean shipping department.

Like other shipping companies, CMA CGM has taken advantage of restocking by U.S. companies this year, enhanced by issues that geopolitical stress and a recent labour conflict at U.S. East Coast ports would injure trade.

Companies are waiting to see if Donald Trump will impose tariffs on China and other nations as he assured throughout his triumphant U.S. governmental campaign.

China's exports grew at their fastest in more than two years in October, which experts viewed as an indication of front-loading before prospective U.S. and European Union tariffs.

We observe that need remains strong and also that there appears to be earlier than usual anticipation of the Lunar New Year in China, CMA CGM's Chief Financial Officer Ramon Fernandez told reporters on a call.

While it was too early to predict the impact on trade circulations from the upcoming Trump presidency, the international economy appeared robust and previous experience showed changes to tariffs can be made, with Mexico and southeast Asia taking share from China in U.S. imports, he stated.

Favourable demand was helping stabilise freight rates after they pulled away from a peak at the end of July as new vessels went into the market, he stated, adding that the sector may face overcapacity next year, especially if typical traffic resumes through the Red Sea.

Vessel re-routing far from the Red Sea, due to attacks by Yemen's Houthi militants, has lengthened Asia-Europe voyages but benefited operators by soaking up fleet capability and boosting freight rates.

In France, CMA CGM continued to deal with the assumption it will deal with an exceptional tax of around 800 million euros ($ 861.44 million) on its shipping revenues as part of government proposals to stem a budget deficit, Fernandez said.

The levy would reduce its financial investments however it was prematurely to state which tasks might be affected, he added.

(source: Reuters)