Russell: Quality is important as coal prices rise amid LNG spikes on Iran War
The rise in spot prices of liquefied gas (LNG), but only in higher-quality grades, has led to a price increase for seaborne thermal coal. Last week, the spot price of LNG in Asia nearly doubled as the market digested a loss of almost 20% of global supply of super-chilled fuel after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. This cut off Qatar's LNG. The price of British thermal units (mmBtu), which is the unit used to measure energy, jumped 116% in a week ending March 6th. Gas-to-coal switchovers in Japan and South Korea are possible due to the surge in LNG prices.
AFR reports that Glencore is open to listing Australia if it's beneficial.
The Australian Financial Review reported that Glencore was "open" to considering a listing in Australia if it proved beneficial for the company. This follows the failure of merger negotiations with Rio Tinto. According to the report, a secondary ASX listing could attract more investors. "It would give investors an alternative option other than Rio and BHP," CEO Gary Nagle said. Nagle, a newspaper reporter, said that the company would have to consult with its shareholders before proceeding?with any listing. Glencore declined to provide any further comment on the report.
Santos and Beach Energy have approved the Moomba Central Optimization project
Australia's Santos said Monday that it would?proceed?with?the Moomba Optimisation Project in the Cooper Basin of South Australia with its joint -venture partner,Beach Energy. Santos announced that it would invest $357 million into the project. The project is expected to?be delivered over three years. Santos, Australia's No. Santos, Australia's No. The company said that the project would replace seven gas-driven compression stations with one electric-driven station. This was to ease bottlenecks and enable future production growth in the Central Fields of the Cooper Basin.
Australian shares rise as investors buy battered stocks, with banks leading the way
Australian shares eked modest gains on Thursday, as investors picked up beaten-down tech, bank, and energy stocks after a two-day slide triggered by the escalating Middle East conflict. After a 3.2% decline in the two previous sessions, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.4% to 8,940.30. Global equity markets rallied after a significant selloff during the previous sessions, following gains in U.S. stocks overnight. Financials in Australia led the way on Thursday with a 0.8% gain, its best session since February 19. Three of the "Big Four' banks increased between 0.4% to 0.6%. Kai Chen, director of investment advisory firm MPC Markets attributed the dip-buying.
Woodside posts smaller-than-expected annual profit; CEO update imminent
Australian oil and gas ?producer Woodside Energy posted a ?smaller-than-expected fall in annual profit on ?Tuesday, ?as robust production offset weaker realised prices, and said it expects to name a new CEO in the first quarter of 2026. The company stated at its results presentation that "the appointment of the CEO is an important activity ...(the Board) intends to make a announcement in the first half of 2026." Former CEO?Meg O'Neill has left Woodside for the top position at British oil giant BP. Woodside's shares rose 2.9% to A$27.890 - their highest level since August 2024. The stock closed at a 2.6% increase.
Prices for EUROPE Gas remain firm as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue
Dutch and British wholesale natural gas prices rose on Friday morning after a sharp increase in the previous session. This was due to tensions between Iran and the United States that could impact the shipping of LNG. Gas market concerns are any possible disruptions of LNG shipments via the Strait of Hormuz. This is especially true for Qatar, the second largest gas supplier in the world. In intraday trading on Thursday, the Dutch front-month contract jumped as high as 16%. Data from LSEG shows that the last time a price rose more than 27.54% in a single day was on Aug. 9, 2023, due to fears of 'Australian LNG strikers.
Santos will cut 10% of its workforce as the growth projects reach their end. The annual profit is below expectations.
Australian oil and ?gas producer Santos Ltd reported a ?steeper-than-expected ?drop in annual profit on Wednesday, hurt by weak commodity prices, and said it would reduce its headcount by about 10% as major growth projects near completion. The shares of Australia's 2nd largest gas producer fell as much as 1.8 percent in early trading. However, they retraced the majority of these losses to trade slightly lower at 0020 GMT. Kevin Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer, said that as the Barossa LNG project was completed and the Pikka Phase 1 project neared completion in?Alaska the growth projects of the company would be transitioned to the "base" business.
Australian gas producer Santos wins court fight over net zero claims
A court in Australia dismissed a lawsuit filed against the gas producer Santos on Tuesday. The suit alleged that the company had misled the public about its plans to achieve "net zero carbon emission". The Australasian Center for Corporate Responsibility (an activist shareholder) filed the lawsuit in 2021. It claimed it was the first of its kind to challenge a company's target of net zero carbon emissions in any country. Companies around the globe have set ambitious targets to become carbon neutral in the next 20-30 years.
Australia's Origin Energy raises earnings forecast for energy markets, shares rise 8%
Australia's Origin Energy increased its full-year earning?outlook? for its energy retail division, citing higher electricity margins that helped the firm exceed market expectations. The shares of the electricity retailer and gas retailer jumped 8.1% intraday to A$11.970. This was their largest intraday percentage increase in almost three years. The slow rollout of solar and wind on both coasts, coupled with tight gas markets, is forcing Australia's states to run coal plants longer than they planned. This, despite the fact that demand for renewable energy has shifted and policies have been changed.
Chile to receive its first Australian LNG in 3 years amid tighter Atlantic supply
According to ship tracking data, two Australian LNG cargoes are on their way to Chile. This would be the first time in three years that Chile has received shipments of this nature. The competition between these two 'basins' could be increased by more cargoes being sent to the Atlantic. This would also support the spot LNG price in the region. Kpler data shows that the Gaslog Gladstone tanker, which loaded cargo at Queensland Curtis LNG terminal (QCLNG), on January 27, is expected to arrive in Quintero, Chile on February 14.
Maguire: Australia's renewable energy boom will deliver a coveted price for power
Australia's wholesale power prices dropped to their lowest level in four years by 2025. This bucking of rising prices elsewhere, and proving that renewables-intensive power systems can lower power costs for consumers. The increased battery storage capacity, and the solar farms could allow utilities to reduce operating costs. These savings may be passed on to businesses and households as early as this year. According to Ember, an energy think tank, Australia's electrical system has been undergoing 'one of the most aggressive' overhauls in the last decade. The clean electricity production has more than doubled since 2019.
Glencore focuses on short-term disposals while Rio deal remains elusive
Glencore, the Swiss-based mining company, is likely to sell assets to bolster its copper portfolio after failing to merge with Rio Tinto. The two companies have called off talks to create a global mining giant worth $240 billion due to disagreements over valuation and ownership. This is the third failed attempt at a tie-up, following earlier merger discussions between 2014 and 2024. Sources close to the situation have confirmed that Glencore will announce its sale of its 70 percent stake in Kazzinc in the next few weeks as part of its portfolio reshaping. Kazzinc is a zinc, lead, and gold producer based in Kazakhstan.
Australia's biggest takeover bids never came to fruition
The merger talks between Rio Tinto & Glencore failed after both sides could not resolve their differences on valuation. This ended months of negotiations about a tie up that would have created?the world's largest mining firm with a value market exceeding $200 billion. The following is a list containing some of the biggest failed mergers and purchases involving Australian companies in the last three years. After months of discussions, the takeover talks between mining giant Rio Tinto and Glencore came to an end. This ended a deal that could have transformed the global mining industry.
HMC Capital's share price in Australia rises after KKR invests in Energy Transition Platform
HMC Capital, a company based in Australia, announced on 'Friday that it had struck a deal with KKR managed funds to invest up A$603 (US$416.49 ) million in preferred equity into its Energy Transition Platform. This will increase its share price. HMC shares rose 7.7% intraday to A$4.34, their highest intraday increase since November 28, 2025. The investment will be backed by KKR’s Global Climate -Transition strategy and finance wind and battery storage projects that are essential to grid reliability –and Australia’s energy transition. Jessica?Amir is a trading platform MooMoo market strategist. "We've seen U.S. KKR has committed A$355m initially.
Rio records record for Glencore exit, but banks and miners are sapping Australian shares
Australian shares continued to fall on Friday, as an index-wide sale led by banks and miners saw a decline in the market. Rio Tinto reached its highest level to date after abandoning discussions with Glencore about creating what would have been the world's biggest mining company. S&P/ASX 200 index fell 1.6% by 2320 GMT to 8,748.50, setting the stage for its worst session since November. The benchmark fell by 1.3% during the week and is on track for its biggest loss since mid-November. The mining stocks continued to decline for a second day in a row, in conjunction with the?persistent drop in precious and base metal prices.
Beach Energy's profit falls on account of higher costs and lower oil prices
Beach Energy, Australia, reported a 8% drop in its first-half profits?on Friday, due to higher costs of sales and lower oil and liquids price. This sent the company's shares down?more?than?5%. The benchmark ASX200 index edged down 0.2%, as shares of the oil-and-gas producer fell as much as 5.18 percent to A$1.190. This was their biggest intraday decline since January 7th. The Adelaide-headquartered company attributed the profit drop ?to higher cost of sales, including third-party purchases, non-cash inventory adjustments linked to ?Waitsia liquefied natural gas operations, and weaker oil and liquids pricing.
Germany's Uniper stresses diversification and downplays the increasing reliance on US Liquefied Natural Gas
DOHA, February 4 - A top executive of German utility Uniper played down European concerns about increasing reliance on liquefied gas (LNG), which is imported from the United States. He said that companies sign contracts with 'firms, not governments', and stressed the importance of diversification. The transactional diplomacy of U.S. president Donald Trump and his pursuit to "energy dominate" have heightened European concerns over their heavy dependence on U.S. LNG. This has replaced the majority of volumes previously supplied by Russia. According to Kpler, the European Union's LNG exports from the U.S. will reach almost 60 million tonnes in 2025.
EUROPE GAS: Prices firm on LNG storage and concerns
The prices of Dutch and British gas contracts were mostly firmer on Friday. This was due to low storage levels and the cold weather that has been continuing. Also, there are concerns about Iran and its geopolitical implications for liquefied gas shipments. LSEG data show that the January contract?at TTF hub?was up 0.48 euros at 40.45 'euros?per MWh on its last trading day, or $14.12/mmBtu by 0947 GMT. However, the main focus is now on the March contract which has gained 0.47 euros to 38.85 Euro/MWh. The Dutch day-ahead contracts was down by 0.06 euros at 40.35 Euro/MWh. The British gas day-ahead price rose by 1.57 pence, to 103.57 p/therm.
Australia reaches new renewable milestone over 50%
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), a'statement made on Thursday,' said that Australia had achieved a clean energy milestone in the quarter ending December, despite a rise of over 2,2% in power demand from a year earlier. The gas-fired generation has fallen to its lowest levels since 2000. Meanwhile, the total electricity production across the National Electricity Market grew 3.1% from one year ago to just under 25,000 megawatts. The share of generation from renewables increased by 5 percentage points compared to a year earlier, and now exceeds 50%. The NEM excludes Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Australia and Timor call for progress on Greater Sunrise Gas Field
On Wednesday, East Timor's Xanana Gushmao and Australia's Anthony Albanese said that the Greater Sunrise -gas project should begin "as quickly as possible" with Australia pledging a third of state revenues to its neighbour. Albanese signed a partnership agreement on Wednesday with Gusmao, during his first visit to Australia's northern neighbor. The agreement covers deeper defence ties, border security, and economic development. The visit coincides with the tiny Catholic nation's?push to build a Liquefied Natural Gas plant on its southern coast, instead of?piping gas to an Australian plant in Darwin.