FINWIRES — Financial News

Market Chatter: Blackstone, Apollo and SoftBank Eye Over 1 Trillion Yen TEPCO Capital Tie-Up

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TYO:9501) has drawn interest from Blackstone, Apollo Global Management, and SoftBank (TYO:9984) for a planned capital partnership that could involve external funding exceeding 1 trillion yen, according to a Nikkei report on Thursday.Citing people familiar with the discussions, the publication said global private equity firms are viewed as strong contenders to provide such an investment.Proposals were submitted before TEPCO's end-of-March deadline, the news agency added, allowing the utility to begin screening potential partners.The power company intends to spend the coming months refining possible deal structures and narrowing down the candidate list, the report noted.TEPCO has not replied to MTNewswire queries at press time.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

$TYO:9501$TYO:9984

German Inflation Hits Two-year High in March as Middle East War Fuels Energy Price Surge

The annual inflation rate in Germany accelerated in March 2026, marking its highest level since January 2024, largely driven by soaring energy prices due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.The German consumer price index climbed to 2.7% in March from 1.9% in February, in line with the provisional estimate, final data from the country's Federal Statistical Office showed Friday. On a monthly basis, consumer prices matched the initial reading of a 1.1% increase, compared with the previous 0.2% uptick.Energy product prices jumped 7.2% year over year, indicating the first time energy prices increased on an annual basis since December 2023, with motor fuel and heating oil prices surging 20% and 44.4%, respectively, as a result of the war.On the services front, prices rose 3.2%, while the prices of food and goods were respectively 0.9% and 2.3% higher, aligning with the overall inflation rate. The annual core inflation, which excludes food and energy, stood at 2.5%.Meanwhile, the annual harmonized inflation rate increased to 2.8% from 2%. Month over month, harmonized consumer prices were 1.2% higher, compared with the previous 0.4% gain. The statistical office confirmed the preliminary readings for both.Looking ahead, ING expects headline inflation in Germany to further increase, remaining between 3% and 4% for most of 2026."All in all, today's German inflation data shows that, for the time being, the new inflation wave stemming from the war in the Middle East is 'only' an energy price shock. Any [European Central Bank] reaction to this new price shock will clearly depend on whether soaring energy prices will find their way into the rest of the economy or not," the research firm said in a March 30 note. "Needless to say that a broadening of inflationary pressures and a de-anchoring of inflation expectations could trigger an ECB rate hike. For now, however - at the risk of using a forbidden word, at least at the ECB - the energy price shock falls under the label of 'transitory'."

$^SXXP

International15d ago

Ceasefire Prospects Lift Asian Stock Markets

Asian stock markets gained ground Friday, after media reports that US-Iran ceasefire negotiations will take place on Saturday in Pakistan.Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo finished in the green, as did most other regional exchanges.Brent oil futures held under $100 a barrel, near $96 during Asian trading hours.In Japan, the Nikkei 225 opened higher and rose to the close, finishing up 1.8% as traders weighed a profit report from a major retailer and mulled Middle East peace prospects.The benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1,028.79 to 56,924.11, although losing issues outnumbered gainers 146 to 75.Leading the upside was Fast Retailing, up 12% after reporting H1 earnings and issuing upbeat guidance. Consultancy BayCurrent declined 5.8%.In economic news, Japan's producer price index (PPI) rose 2.6% on year in March, after rising 2.1% on year in February, pushed by higher oil bills, reported the Bank of Japan.In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index opened higher and held ground, closing up 0.6% after an inflation report from Beijing suggested the nation's bout with industrial-price deflation may be ebbing.The broad gauge Hang Seng rose 141.14 to 25,893.54 as gaining issues outnumbered losers 56 to 31. The Hang Seng TECH Index gained 0.8% on the day, while the Mainland Properties Index rose 0.4%.Leading the upside was Contemporary Amperex Technology, gaining 9%, while noodle-maker Tingyi declined 3.3%.On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.5% to 3,986.22.In economic news, China's producer price index (PPI) rose 0.5% on year in March, snapping a 41-month stretch of contraction, reported the National Bureau of Statistics.China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 1% in March on year, slipping February's 1.3% reading, added the NBS.On the other regional exchanges, the S. Korean KOSPI rose 1.4%; the Taiwan TWSE inclined 1.6%; the Australian ASX 200 declined 0.1%; the Singapore Straits Times Index rose 0.3%, and the Thai Set inclined 1.2%. In late trading in Mumbai, the Sensex was up 1.2%The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index rose 0.7% on the day.

$^HSI$^N225$^SSEC

US Markets15d ago

WD-40 Maintains Fiscal 2026 Outlook Despite Potential Impact of Middle East War

WD-40 (WDFC) reiterated its full-year outlook despite the potential impact from the Middle East conflict, while the maker of lubricants and cleaning products recorded year-over-year gains in its fiscal second-quarter results.The company continues to project per-share earnings to come in between $5.75 and $6.15 for fiscal 2026, it said late Thursday, while three analysts polled by FactSet are looking for $6.04. Sales are still pegged at $630 million to $655 million, after adjusting for foreign-currency impacts, compared with the $658.2 million consensus based on the same number of analysts."While geopolitical developments in the Middle East and their potential impact on the global economy warrant caution, we are encouraged by the momentum in the business," Chief Financial Officer Sara Hyzer said during an earnings call, according to a FactSet transcript. "We have clear visibility in promotional activity in the US, and are seeing improving momentum in both (Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa) and Asia-Pacific."Earlier in the week, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, but Tehran later accused Washington of breaching certain elements of the truce. The war started at the end of February, sending energy prices soaring amid the closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz.The conflict has contributed to the increased costs of certain petroleum-based specialty chemicals, which are expected to increase the company's costs of products sold, Hyzer said on the call. "The duration of this conflict and its impact on our raw materials will drive our decisions around mitigation efforts, which we are currently assessing," according to Hyzer.Hyzer said WD-40 is advancing in its process to sell its American homecare and cleaning brand. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, the firm completed the sale of its homecare and cleaning portfolio in the UK.If the company isn't able to divest the Americas homecare and cleaning brand, it expects its full-year EPS and sales guidance to be positively impacted by $0.20 a share and about $12.5 million, respectively, the CFO added.For the three-month period ended Feb. 28, adjusted EPS climbed 14% to $1.50. Sales inclined 11% on a yearly basis to $161.7 million. Revenue from maintenance products grew 13% to $156.8 million, while homecare and cleaning sales dropped 29% to $4.8 million."We capitalized on strong momentum in the second quarter," Chief Executive Steve Brass said in the earnings release. "Maintenance products remain our core strategic focus, and sales of these brands grew 6% in constant currency in the second quarter in line with our long term growth expectations."Sales grew across all regions, led by a 19% jump in Asia Pacific, WD-40 said.

$WDFC

Financial News · Live Terminal

Market Chatter: Blackstone, Apollo and SoftBank Eye Over 1 Trillion Yen TEPCO Capital Tie-Up

German Inflation Hits Two-year High in March as Middle East War Fuels Energy Price Surge

Market Chatter: Blackstone, Apollo and SoftBank Eye Over 1 Trillion Yen TEPCO Capital Tie-Up

German Inflation Hits Two-year High in March as Middle East War Fuels Energy Price Surge

Eurozone's Monthly Services Output Rises 1.2% in January

TSMC's Revenue Soars 45% in March

Hanwha Aerospace Abandons Plan to Take Over Poongsan's Ammunition Business

Ceasefire Prospects Lift Asian Stock Markets

Chunghwa Telecom Logs NT$10 Billion Profit in Q1

Chinese NEV Exports Surge 140% in March, Car Association Says

TD Cowen Adjusts Price Target on Exxon Mobil to $172 From $175, Maintains Buy Rating

MediaTek Logs NT$63.2 Billion Profit in March

Hanwha Aerospace Wins KRW948.2 Billion Follow-On K9 Howitzer Contract from Finland's Defence Ministry

Indian Equities Rise on Friday Ahead of US-Iran Talks

Sansan's Nine-Month Profit Soars 142%

US FCC Could Bar Top Chinese Telcos From Operating US Data Centers

BMO Sees $20 Billion Fiscal Upside For Oil Provinces On $100 WTI, Flags Wider Regional Gap

Brent Crude Up 0.5% at US$96.40 and NY Crude Up 0.7% at Near US$98.60

Heineken Shifts to Brand-Licensing Model in Congo via Bralima Stake Sale

Nasdaq 100 and S&P Futures Both Flat To Slightly Higher Ahead of U.S. and Iran Peace Talks Tomorrow, US CPI Data Today

WD-40 Maintains Fiscal 2026 Outlook Despite Potential Impact of Middle East War

Indonesian Consumer Confidence Declines in March