Connect with us

Business

First Western European Ship Crosses Strait of Hormuz Since Iran War Began

Published

on

Police in Paris remain on high alert days after a foiled attack on a Bank of America branch led to four people, including three minors, being placed under formal investigation. Authorities say the incident highlights potential risks to US and Israeli interests in France amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

American multinational investment bank Goldman Sachs placed its Paris offices under police surveillance on Thursday after US authorities warned of a threat from a pro-Iranian group planning attacks on US bank buildings in the city using explosive devices. The bank authorised its Paris employees to work remotely. “The safety of our employees is our absolute priority, and we are taking the necessary measures to ensure their security,” a spokeswoman told AFP.

While French security services believe France itself is unlikely to be directly targeted, officials warn that US and Israeli establishments could be at risk due to escalations in the region. Goldman Sachs declined to comment further when contacted by Euronews.

The heightened alert follows a foiled bomb attack on a Bank of America branch in Paris on 28 March. Four individuals—a young adult and three minors—have been formally charged. French authorities say the adult allegedly recruited the teenagers, who were reportedly tasked with planting an explosive device outside the building.

France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office indicated that the attack may be linked to Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), a little-known Islamist group with possible ties to Iran. No formal connection has yet been established. HAYI, which translates as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Jewish community targets in the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

See also  Raising Pension Ages Sparks Controversy Across Europe Amid Economic Challenges

Security experts note that the timing of the alert is linked to the wider Middle East conflict. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on 28 February, sparking a regional escalation that has raised concerns about potential reprisals abroad.

French authorities have increased police presence around US-linked financial institutions and diplomatic missions. Sources say intelligence sharing between French and US security services has intensified to prevent any further attacks.

The Bank of America incident underscores a growing concern among multinational corporations operating in Europe. Companies with US and Israeli ties are reviewing security protocols, and some, including Goldman Sachs, have temporarily shifted employees to remote work while authorities monitor threats.

Analysts say that while the immediate risk to the general public remains low, the foiled attack demonstrates the capability of small extremist cells to exploit local recruits, particularly minors, in planning acts of terrorism. Authorities are urging vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement to prevent further incidents.

Business

Europe Faces Higher Jet Fuel Costs Despite Supply Improving

Published

on

Europe is expected to have enough jet fuel to meet demand through the final quarter of the year as shipments from Asia increase and seasonal aviation demand begins to decline, although smaller airports could remain vulnerable to local shortages.

Nearly 900,000 tonnes of jet fuel from Asia are scheduled to arrive in Europe in the coming months, according to trade intelligence company Kpler. The additional supplies should reduce the risk of widespread shortages, but prices are expected to remain elevated, said George Shaw, Kpler’s senior insight analyst for distillate markets.

“Jet fuel will likely be subject to higher prices, especially as it is deeply linked to the diesel market, which is becoming even tighter and experiencing record prices recently,” Shaw told Euronews.

The average European jet fuel price reached $207.56 (€176) a barrel last week, according to the International Air Transport Association’s fuel price monitor. The figure was the highest among the regions tracked and 27.8% above the previous month’s European average.

The assessment reflects regional refinery prices and does not necessarily represent what individual airlines pay. Jet fuel prices have risen alongside crude oil costs and wider refinery margins, which measure the difference between the price of crude and refined products.

Europe has been particularly exposed to supply disruption because it previously relied heavily on jet fuel from the Middle East. Since disruptions affected production and shipping routes, suppliers have increasingly turned to South Korea, Nigeria and the United States.

Kpler estimated European jet fuel imports at about 672,000 barrels per day in September, including movements between European markets. South Korea, Nigeria and the US accounted for around 60% of the total.

See also  Samsung, SK Hynix Shares Soar as OpenAI Taps Korean Memory Giants for $500bn AI Project

Between July and September, about 1.31 million tonnes of jet fuel moved from Asia-Pacific to Europe, with South Korea supplying almost 87%. Another 900,000 tonnes from South Korea and elsewhere in Asia are scheduled to arrive in the coming months.

Shaw said European aviation demand normally falls significantly from November, meaning the fourth quarter should be less constrained than earlier periods.

However, supply risks remain at smaller airports. Kpler identified the UK and France as particularly vulnerable because of their high consumption and reliance on imports. The UK received about 177,000 barrels per day in September, while France received around 73,000 barrels per day.

Cirium said smaller airports could face shortages first if deliveries are disrupted because they often have fewer suppliers, less storage capacity and fewer alternative transport routes.

Brindisi airport in Italy experienced such difficulties on April 6, when normal aircraft refuelling was restricted after a local supplier failed to meet agreed deliveries. Six other Italian airports also rationed fuel that week.

Europe has so far avoided a widespread shortage by increasing refinery output, securing additional cargoes from the US and Nigeria and drawing on stored supplies.

Mike Malik, chief industry officer at Cirium, warned that these measures cannot be repeated indefinitely because refineries have limits and lower inventories leave less protection against another disruption.

The International Energy Agency expects Middle Eastern oil supply disruptions to continue affecting markets, with a full recovery in regional supplies potentially delayed until 2027.

For European airlines, the immediate concern is likely to be higher operating costs rather than widespread fuel shortages. How much of those costs reach passengers will depend partly on fuel prices and the extent to which airlines secured supplies in advance.

Continue Reading

Business

Spain’s Housing Market Faces Growing Pressure as Big Landlords Expand

Published

on

A lack of transparency over property ownership is making it difficult to determine how much housing is controlled by large landlords in Spain, even as major investors continue to make significant purchases across the country.

Public data does not provide a complete picture of residential properties owned by companies or individuals with more than 10 homes or 1,500 square metres of residential space. Although the national cadastre holds ownership records, the information is anonymised, limiting efforts to identify the largest landlords and track changes in their portfolios.

Rental-market data can sometimes be obtained through transparency requests to Spain’s autonomous communities, which oversee tenant deposit records. However, such information excludes owner-occupied and vacant properties as well as other categories of housing, making it difficult to establish the full scale of corporate ownership in real time.

Property transactions announced by companies during 2026 nevertheless show continued activity among major investors. The biggest deal so far involved Fidere, a group of listed real estate investment trusts focused on public and rental housing. Canadian investment group Brookfield bought Fidere from Blackstone in March for €1.05 billion, acquiring 47 buildings containing more than 5,000 rental homes.

In May, Azora agreed to acquire 1,200 rental homes in the Barcelona metropolitan area from Patrizia for more than €350 million. Patrizia had purchased the properties from BeCorp in 2022 for about €600 million.

Other deals involve homes that have yet to be completed. Barings is due to acquire 305 affordable homes from Aurora Homes in Madrid’s Los Cerros development for more than €70 million, with completion expected in 2029. It is also buying 188 homes in Valdebebas for more than €56 million from Grupo Ferrocarril.

See also  Commerzbank Delivers Strongest Quarterly Results in Over a Decade Amid Takeover Tensions

Public authorities are also granting concessions on public land to private housing companies, sometimes for periods of 45 to 75 years. This is taking place while Spain’s social rental housing stock remains at just 1.72%, compared with an estimated European average of 8% to 9%.

Culmia, controlled by US investment firm Oaktree, has been involved in several such transactions. In 2025, it transferred a Madrid Plan Vive social housing portfolio to German asset manager DWS through a €255 million transaction. MEAG has also acquired a 50% stake from Culmia in a portfolio containing more than 1,700 homes across Madrid and Valencia.

At the same time, Spain’s wider housing market is showing signs of slower sales growth. Cushman & Wakefield reported a 3.51% annual decline in transactions through May 2026, to about 286,000. BBVA Research expects transactions to fall 7.3% this year before rising 0.6% in 2027.

Despite weaker sales, investment in rental housing has surged. Cushman & Wakefield recorded €2.934 billion in transactions involving large landlords and investment funds during the first half of 2026, a 376% increase from a year earlier.

The figures reflect different parts of the market, as a small number of large portfolio purchases can sharply increase investment volumes without indicating an equivalent rise in the number of individual home sales.

Housing has also become Spain’s leading public concern. According to the September CIS barometer, 37.5% of respondents identified housing as the country’s main problem, ahead of economic issues at 21.6% and immigration at 19.7%.

Continue Reading

Business

Oxfam Calls for Reform of France’s Dutreil Pact to Raise Billions

Published

on

Oxfam France has called for a major reform of the country’s Dutreil tax pact, arguing that changes to the scheme could generate billions of euros for public finances by increasing taxation on the largest business inheritances.

The proposal comes as France begins preparations for its 2027 budget amid mounting pressure to reduce the deficit and contain rising public debt. In a report published on Tuesday, September 22, Oxfam identified large inheritances as a potential source of additional government revenue.

The Dutreil pact, introduced in 2003 under then Trade and Crafts Minister Renaud Dutreil, provides a 75% exemption from gift and inheritance taxes when eligible businesses are transferred to heirs. The scheme was designed to help families pass businesses to the next generation without being forced to sell them to meet tax liabilities.

Beneficiaries must meet conditions including retaining their shares for a specified period and maintaining certain business activities. France’s 2026 finance law tightened some of the rules by extending the required holding period and excluding certain assets that are not directly related to business operations.

Oxfam said transfers made under the Dutreil pact have represented almost €3 billion in annual tax expenditure on average over the past four years, with the figure reaching €5.5 billion in 2024, citing the French Court of Audit.

The organisation estimates that transferring the wealth of French billionaires aged over 70 through the scheme could result in more than €111 billion in lost public revenue over the next 30 years if current rules remain unchanged. Oxfam stressed that this is a projection and not an amount the government would automatically collect if the scheme were abolished.

See also  Nvidia, AMD to Hand Over 15% of China AI Chip Revenues to US Government in Landmark Deal

The group argues that the tax benefit is particularly concentrated among the wealthiest recipients. According to its calculations, the 110 most advantaged beneficiaries, representing about 1% of recipients, saved an average of €30 million each in tax in 2024. Meanwhile, half of the least advantaged beneficiaries saved less than €40,000 on average.

Oxfam proposes limiting the Dutreil exemption to €1 million per beneficiary. It estimates that about 90% of current beneficiaries would remain unaffected by the proposed cap, while the state could raise more than €3 billion annually.

The debate is expected to form part of discussions surrounding France’s 2027 finance bill. Any reform would need to balance additional tax revenue against the original purpose of the Dutreil pact, which is to facilitate the transfer of family businesses.

Layla Abdelke Yakoub, Oxfam France’s Advocacy Manager for Tax Justice and Inequality, said Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had indicated that the government would not change the Dutreil pact.

Oxfam said it hoped the government would reconsider its position and called for the largest fortunes to make a greater contribution to France’s fiscal effort.

Continue Reading

Trending