Global air cargo rates fell in July as the conflict involving Iran pushed up jet fuel costs and disrupted supply chains, while new European Union import rules further weakened shipments from China and Hong Kong to Europe, according to WorldACD Market Data.
Global chemical leader Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) has announced that it has completed the sale of its engineering thermoplastics (ETP) business in the Americas and Europe to Mutares SE & Co, thus marking a key step in its portfolio optimisation strategy.
Companies in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region are overhauling their data infrastructure to keep pace with the rapid adoption of AI, with 98% saying they delayed or cancelled an AI project in the past year because of data governance and compliance, said a recent survey.
Global airfreight volumes declined in the first full week of August after a mild rally the previous week, with chargeable weight sinking from all origins, said a report. The Middle East was among the weakest-performing markets, along with South Asia, with volumes down 6pc in the first full week of August.
Europe’s push to secure critical raw material supplies is renewing focus on exploration and diversified resources, as Pulsar Helium advances its Tunu Project in East Greenland amid growing supply-chain concerns.
European electrolyser manufacturers currently have enough capacity to meet near-term hydrogen orders, but a shortage of investable projects is leaving factories underused and putting the region’s 2030 hydrogen ambitions at risk, according to a report by the Energy Industries Council (EIC).
Diesel prices in the US and Europe have risen sharply amid disruptions to supplies of refined oil products, including diesel fuel. US ultra-low sulfur diesel futures surged 7.4% to settle at $4.19 per gallon on Monday, while in Europe, the diesel refining margins witnessed a 10% drop.
Minor Hotels reported steady growth in the second quarter of 2026, with core profit rising 2% year-on-year to THB 2.8 billion (approximately $84.3 million), supported by continued strength across Europe and the Americas that helped offset weaker trading conditions in the Middle East.
Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade reached a record 436.98 million tonnes in 2025, rising 6.3 percent and marking the fastest growth since 2022, according to the International Gas Union (IGU).
Worldwide air cargo tonnages and rates for the first half of 2026 were well up on last year’s levels with the June’s figures up 9% over the same month last year, and stable compared to May, despite the disruptions to capacity and markets in the Middle East, said a report.
