Europe's STOXX 600 closes on record high due to earnings boost. ECB shifts focus
Investors assessed corporate earnings and reports about a possible leadership change at the European Central Bank. All major regional benchmarks finished in positive territory. The pan-European Index closed 1.2% higher at 628.69. The defence sector rose 2.9%. BAE Systems added about 4%, after reporting an increase in operating profit that was better than expected…
TotalEnergies CEO: TotalEnergies did not pay French taxes last year because of a loss in the refining business
TotalEnergies, the French oil giant, did not pay corporate tax in France in 2017 because its operations there generated a loss in excess of 300 million euros (about 356.07 million dollars), said CEO Patrick Pouyanne on Friday. Pouyanne, in an interview, was asked how Total, who on Wednesday reported a 2025 adjusted net profit of $15.6 billion escaped France's surtax on large corporations -- a measure which was supposed to be temporary…
YPF's XRG and ADNOC XRG sign agreement to advance Argentina LNG Project
Argentine's state oil company YPF, Italy’s?Eni, and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s international investments arm XRG'signed a binding 'joint 'development 'agreement' to advance Argentina LNG. The project is expected to achieve a liquefied gas capacity of 12,000,000 tons per year, XRG stated in a Thursday statement. In a statement, YPF's CEO Horacio Martin said that the deal marked XRG’s formal inclusion.
Low oil and gas prices affect TotalEnergies' profits, so the company has cut back on buybacks but maintained its growth plans.
TotalEnergies said on Wednesday that it would halve its share buybacks in the first quarter, but was committed to increasing its oil and gas reserve. Low oil and 'gas prices have negated the soaring profit of the fourth-quarter from refining fuels and proceeds from stake sales for renewable assets. The French oil giant's adjusted fourth-quarter net income dropped to $3.8 billion from $4.4 billion one year ago.
Rosneft Oil Refinery Warns of US Sanctions
Management at a Russian-owned oil refinery in Germany have privately warned Berlin that U.S. sanctions are hurting its business and threatening fuel supply for the country's capital and the region, according to correspondence seen by Reuters.In a January letter, management of the PCK Schwedt refinery, controlled by Rosneft, made an "urgent appeal" to economy…
The EU's new sanctions plan is designed to target Russian crude exports more severely
The European Commission proposed on Friday a ban on all services that "support" Russia's crude oil exports by sea. This is a far more comprehensive measure than previous EU sanctions, and goes beyond the piecemeal approach in an effort to "stunt" Moscow's main source of revenue for its war against Ukraine. With the assistance of Western shipping, Russia exports more than a third its oil on Western tankers. These are mainly from Greece.
Shell misses profit expectations, but keeps buyback pace
Shell's fourth-quarter profits missed expectations on Thursday, with an 11% decline to the lowest levels since early 2021 due to lower oil prices. However, it kept its massive share buyback program. Oil majors are used to large buybacks. However, lower gas and oil prices, ahead of a crude and liquefied gas glut, have led some to speculate that they may be reduced. This is especially true for European companies.
Borouge will be listed in Vienna by 2027, according to Austria's OMV.
Austrian oil and gas and chemicals group OMV beat market expectations on net income Wednesday. Its chemicals division was the main driver. Borouge, which recently merged, will be listed in Vienna by 2027. Analysts cited good results in a difficult market environment as the reason for OMV's 3% rise at 1325 GMT. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and OMV decided…
SLB tops quarterly profit estimate, plans $4 billion shareholder returns
SLB beat Wall Street expectations for the fourth-quarter profits on Friday as the world's largest?oilfield service provider benefited from ChampionX acquisition and announced?plans? to return $4 billion in profit to shareholders this year. The company acquired ChampionX for $7.75 billion in all-stocks last July. This acquisition added production chemicals and artificial lifting technologies to the company's portfolio.
Ambani's Reliance missed profit forecast due to higher expenses and oil and gas drag
Mukesh Ambani, the Indian billionaire who owns Reliance Industries, missed its quarterly profit estimates on Friday due to higher expenses and a weak performance in its oil and natural gas segment. The unit's performance has been affected by lower output and softer prices realized from its KG D6 fields in Andhra Pradesh. These are a major source of gas for the domestic market.
What excites and concerns LNG exporters by 2026? Maguire
In 2025, the LNG industry will make history after exports and production of super-chilled fuel broke records and generated billions in revenue across the global supply chain. Gas sellers were encouraged by the 25% increase in LNG purchases in Europe. This was an important development and raised expectations that gas consumption in countries like Germany, Italy and United Kingdom will continue to grow in 2026.
What excites and concerns LNG exporters by 2026? Maguire
In 2025, the LNG industry will make history after the production and exports of super-chilled fuel broke records and generated billions in revenue across the global supply chain of liquefied gas. The 25% increase in LNG purchases in Europe was a major highlight. This gave gas sellers hope that gas consumption in countries like Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom will continue to grow in 2026.
UAE's ADNOC weighs Venezuela gas investment, Bloomberg News reports
Bloomberg News, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that the?state oil company of Abu Dhabi, ADNOC, is considering entering Venezuela's energy industry. It could also seek a partnership to participate in Venezuela's gas projects with?another? international producer. Could not verify the report immediately. XRG, ADNOC’s international investment arm, set up?inlate 2024, declined comment.
Minister says South Korea's petrochemical companies are on track to reduce their output by up to 3.7 million tons.
South Korea's petrochemical companies are on course to reduce up to 3.7 metric tons of production under a voluntary program to overhaul the oversupplied industry and improve flagging profits margins, said the?industry? minister on Monday. Kim Jung-kwan, Minister of Industry, said that 16 companies including major naphtha producers had submitted blueprints before the year-end deadline, as requested by the authorities.
State researcher: China's oil demand will plateau in 2030.
A research group affiliated with the state 'oil'major CNPC announced on Thursday that China's oil consumption will?plateau? between 2025 and 2030 as electric vehicles reduce the demand for gasoline and Diesel. Haibo Wang is the director of oil?market?research for CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute. She said that most of China's additional demand for oil came from jet -fuel and petrochemicals.
VCI Germany expects the chemical industry to stagnate by 2026
VCI, the German chemicals lobby group, expects sales and orders to stagnate in 2019. This is due to high regulatory uncertainty, uncompetitive manufacturing costs and a long approval process. The ?association, which represents around 2,300 companies, said revenues in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry fell 1% to 220 billion euros ($256.26 billion) in 2025.
Germany's VCI predicts a "difficult road" and a stagnant chemical industry in 2026
VCI, the German chemicals lobby, expects that orders and sales will stagnate by 2026 due to high regulatory uncertainty, uncompetitive?production costs, and slow approval process. The ?association, which represents around 1,900 companies, said revenues in the chemical-pharmaceutical industry fell 1% to 220 billion euros ($256.26 billion) in 2025. The German chemicals industry…
Cobalt hydroxide, a key component in EV batteries, has seen its price rise due to export restrictions from Congo
Sources in the industry said that prices of cobalt hydrxide, which is used to make chemicals for electric vehicles batteries, have increased sharply this past year due to cobalt export limitations from the top producer Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo suspended cobalt exports from February to October. The goal was to increase state revenue and tighten up oversight.
Serra Verde cancels China offtake deal after being approached by Western firms
Serra Verde, a Brazilian rare earths mining company, has reduced the contract durations of its Chinese processing agreements, allowing it to potentially supply Western companies once their separation capacity is available in the coming years. China is the largest supplier of rare earths in the world, and 90% of it is processed. This makes it vital to electronics, defence, electric vehicles, wind turbines and other industries.
Sources say Exxon will permanently close one steam cracker plant in Singapore by March.
Four sources familiar with the situation said that ExxonMobil will cease operations in March at the older steam cracker on Singapore's Jurong Island. This is part of the global trend of the petrochemicals industry to reduce capacity due to losses. Two sources stated that the shutdown of the plant which was opened in 2002 is expected to be completed by June.