Metals & Mining
Ramkrishna Forgings goes beyond steel, starts aluminum forging facility in Jharkhand. Ramkrishna Forgings Limited has introduced commercial production at its new aluminum forging unit in Jharkhand. With this new project, the company expands the scope and prospects of its manufacturing operations beyond steel.
China-backed new electrolytic aluminum plant inaugurated in Angola. Angola President João Lourenço has inaugurated an electrolytic aluminum plant, marking a new development towards industrial diversification and job creation. Located in the Barra do Dande Free Trade Zone in Bengo province, Angola, the facility represents the first phase of a five-stage project requiring an initial investment of $250M.
Rio Tinto copper output rises as merger talks loom. Rio Tinto’s copper production rose 5% in the fourth quarter, as a surge from Mongolia’s Oyu Tolgoi underground expansion more than offset weaker output at Chile’s Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine.
Conakry to authorize GIC and Sinohydro to restart operations at the Guinea bauxite mining complex. Guinea’s authorities have approved the restarting of bauxite operations by Guinea International Corp (GIC), led by the former Mining Minister Ahmed Kanté, and its Chinese partner Sinohydro.
Transportation & Logistics
Norfolk Southern orders first new locomotives since 2022. Norfolk Southern has ordered 40 new locomotives from Wabtec, marking its first new locomotive purchase since 2022. Delivery of the six-axle, AC-powered diesel-electric locomotives is expected in the second half of 2026, NS said. The carrier’s Chattanooga, Tenn., shop will handle final preparation.
Cargo theft remains elevated across U.S. and Mexico as organized crime adapts. Cargo theft across North America remained elevated in the fourth quarter, with organized criminal groups increasingly targeting rail corridors, major freight hubs and high-value consumer goods, according to new data released by BSI Consulting.
Long Beach volume to double to 20M containers by 2050. On the strength of another record year for container volume, the Port of Long Beach is making wide-ranging plans to double its cargo throughput by 2050. The hub, which along with the Port of Los Angeles comprises the busiest U.S. import gateway, handled about 9.9 million containers in 2025, Chief Executive Noel Hacegaba said at his first State of the Port address. A new forecast projects Long Beach will move 20 million containers annually by 2050.
Trucking rates have dropped 27% versus CPI. The U.S. trucking industry continues to face a harsh economic reality: spot rates have failed to keep pace with inflation, squeezing carrier margins and contributing to significant financial pressure on truckers nationwide.
Rail regulator sends $71.5B Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern deal back for redo. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s merger application is incomplete, a U.S. railroad regulator said, a setback for the two companies’ efforts to unite their systems in a $71.5B deal.
Energy
California suing Trump administration over Sable oil pipeline restart. California's attorney general said the state was suing the Trump administration for asserting federal authority over two state pipelines and permitting Sable Offshore to restart pumping oil through them.
U.S. to offer states deals to host nuclear waste, source says. The U.S. will seek interest from U.S. states as soon as this week on storing nuclear waste in return for incentives to build nuclear reactors, a source with knowledge of the matter said, but the Department of Energy said no decisions have been made.
Refining is 'critical infrastructure' for Europe, VaroPreem CEO says at Davos. Europe must view oil refining infrastructure as critical, VaroPreem chief executive Dev Sanyal said, as he prepares for more consolidation in a sector battered by decades of closures and intensifying competition from newer plants abroad.
Clean fuels require subsidies and mandates to survive in free market, Trafigura CEO says. Clean or low-carbon fuels require mandates and subsidies to cope with higher costs relative to conventional fuels, global commodity trading house Trafigura's chief executive Richard Holtum said at the World Economic Forum.
Almost 60% of Kyiv without power as Russian strikes shatter grid. More than half of Kyiv is still without power a day after Russian strikes on energy facilities, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as Ukrainians struggle through a bitter cold snap.
Venezuelan oil exports under supply deal with U.S. progressing slowly, documents and data show. Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2B supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels, vessel-tracking data and documents from state-run PDVSA showed, with shipments accelerating after the U.S. eased its blockade but not enough for PDVSA to fully reverse output cuts.
Others
Intel shares slide as costs pile up in bid to meet AI demand. Intel’s latest earnings report made clear that the chip-making company’s turnaround is still a work in progress. The stock, which has more than doubled in value over the past six months, slid 18% recently.
Netflix earnings shed light on why it needs Warner. Netflix will now pay all cash for the storied Hollywood studio and its associated streaming business, removing a stock component that was looking problematic considering Netflix shares have tumbled more than 30% in the past three months.
Geothermal wildcatter Zanskar, which uses AI to find heat, raises $115M. Geothermal company Zanskar has privately raised $115M in its latest funding round to find and develop overlooked geothermal fields such as one in Nevada, concealed beneath an arid expanse of high desert.
Henkel in talks over potential acquisition of specialty-chemicals company Stahl. The management board of Henkel, a German chemical and consumer-goods group, said it was in talks with French investment firm Wendel, the majority owner of Stahl, over the acquisition.
