Latest in Business
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Asian shares are mixed and oil gains as world waits to see if US will join Israel's war against Iran
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Crude oil prices rose and Asian shares were trading mixed on Friday as investors awaited more clarity on whether or not the U.S. will join Israel's war against Iran. U.S. futures edged lower after Wall Street was closed on Thursday for the Juneteenth holiday. U.S. benchmark crude oil added 15 cents to $73.65 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard was up 19 cents at $76.89 per barrel. Oil prices have been gyrating as fears rise and ebb that the conflict between Israel and Iran could disrupt the global flow of crude. Iran is a major producer of oil and also sits on the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's crude passes. Investors remained wary after the White House said President Donald Trump could decide on whether to launch an attack on Israel within the next two weeks, but that he 'still believes diplomacy is an option,' said Anderson Alves, a trader at ActivTrades. Trump's tariffs agenda remains another major factor weighing on markets. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index edged 0.1% higher to 38,538.14 after Japan reported that its core inflation rate, excluding volatile food prices, rose to 3.7% in May, adding to challenges for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government and the central bank. 'Core Japanese inflation rose more than expected in May. Even so, the Bank of Japan is likely to prioritize the negative impact of U.S. tariffs, Min Joo Kang of ING Economics said in a commentary. 'For now, it's more concerned about the risk that US trade policies could break the virtuous circle of wage growth and inflation." Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 1.2% to 23,504.59, while the Shanghai Composite gained 0.1%, reversing earlier losses, to 3,364.83. China's central bank kept its key 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates unchanged, as expected. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.3% to 8,500.40 while South Korea's Kospi gained 1.2% to 3,014.05. 'Risk sentiments were cautious as Iran-Israel tensions continued roiling,' Mizuho Bank Ltd. said in a commentary. On Thursday, the Bank of England kept its main interest rate at a two-year low of 4.25%, citing risks that the conflict between Israel and Iran will escalate. The U.S. dollar slipped to 145.28 Japanese yen from 145.46 yen. The euro rose to $1.1530 from $1.1498. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Time Business News
13 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Time Business News
Do Used Rock Crushers Meet Safety Standards? What Buyers Need to Know
Buying a used rock crusher can be a smart investment for contractors, quarries, and demolition crews looking to cut equipment costs. But there's one critical factor that can't be overlooked — safety. No matter how affordable a machine might seem, it must still comply with modern rock crusher safety standards. Failure to verify this could lead to serious accidents, regulatory fines, or costly downtime. In this guide, we'll cover what buyers need to know about used rock crusher safety standards, from OSHA regulations to practical inspection tips. Crushing equipment handles some of the most dangerous tasks on any construction or mining site — breaking large, heavy materials into smaller, manageable sizes. Without proper safety features and compliance protocols, operators are at risk of mechanical failure, flying debris, electrical hazards, or even fatal accidents. That's why rock crusher safety compliance is more than a box to check — it's a legal and ethical responsibility. If your operations fall under the jurisdiction of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) or MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration), you're legally required to ensure that every machine — even a used rock crusher — meets their safety guidelines. Key requirements often include: Emergency stop functions Clear and updated labeling Guarding on belts, pulleys, and pinch points Lockout/tagout capabilities Proper noise and dust control systems Older equipment that hasn't been updated or retrofitted may not meet OSHA regulations for used rock crushers, putting your team and your business at risk. Not all used equipment is unsafe, but buyers should be cautious. Some common red flags include: Missing guards on moving parts or flywheels No emergency shutoff switches or damaged control panels Worn or outdated electrical systems that fail to trip under overload Cracked safety decals or faded warning signs Rust and structural fatigue near load-bearing sections Non-compliant noise levels without sound dampening features These issues don't just signal maintenance neglect — they may also mean the machine violates rock crusher safety standards. One of the best ways to ensure you're buying a safe used rock crusher is to do a full pre-purchase inspection — ideally with a certified technician. Here's a quick used rock crusher safety checklist to start with: ✅ Verify all mechanical guards are present and secured ✅ Test emergency stop buttons and power-down procedures ✅ Inspect wiring for fraying, corrosion, or loose connections ✅ Look for clear, readable safety labels ✅ Confirm lockout/tagout protocols are in place ✅ Check for operator manuals and safety documentation ✅ Ask if the machine has passed recent inspections or audits Document your findings and ask the seller for a written statement on the machine's compliance history. Yes — and in many cases, it's worth the investment. Many manufacturers or third-party mechanics can retrofit used rock crushers with updated electrical systems, emergency shutoffs, and guarding that meets current safety codes. This can add $5,000–$15,000 to the total cost, but it's far cheaper than legal penalties or injury lawsuits. If the unit you're considering falls short on safety, ask for a professional quote on upgrades before making your decision. Even after the machine is safely on your site, your job isn't done. Ongoing safety practices are critical for maintaining compliance and protecting your team. Here's how: Schedule regular inspections based on manufacturer guidelines Train all operators on safety procedures and emergency shutdowns Document maintenance and safety checks Replace worn parts promptly Conduct surprise audits to catch issues early Compliance isn't a one-time checkbox — it's a continuous effort. Used equipment can offer significant savings — but only if it's safe. Whether you're buying a jaw, cone, or impact crusher, confirming rock crusher safety compliance should be one of your top priorities. Use this article as your guide to evaluating whether the used rock crusher you're considering meets today's safety standards. Cutting corners on safety can cost you far more than just money. So do your homework, inspect thoroughly, and when in doubt — bring in a pro. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Big Oil Isn't Afraid of Peak Oil Demand
Big Oil firms expect global oil demand to stop growing at some point early next decade. But the decline will be very slow and gradual and will look more like a plateau than a downward spiral. The world's biggest international oil and gas companies have started to acknowledge that demand growth could slow or stop within a decade. But these firms keep pumping oil and gas more than they did earlier this decade as they expect that oil demand – regardless of a peak – isn't going the headline-grabbing surge in renewable energy capacity, solar and wind cannot replace fossil fuels in many industrial processes and production while demand for petrochemicals drives increased oil and gas consumption. The strategic shift of BP and Shell from early this decade to boost investments in renewables while scaling back oil production lasted only a couple of years. Europe's Big Oil found out firsthand that the renewables business isn't bringing the profits that the core oil and gas business is generating. Faced with the difficult task of rewarding shareholders with attractive yields and payouts and stopping the investor outflow from the industry, and with an energy crisis with soaring oil and gas prices, Shell and BP drastically scaled on their ambitions in renewables and shifted their focus on oil and gas again. Equinor of Norway, where electric vehicles hold an enormous market share and power comes from hydro and wind, also reduced investments in renewables, in order to boost returns for shareholders and adapt to an uneven energy transition. The Norwegian major, which dropped 'oil' from its name and rebranded to Equinor seven years ago with more renewables business in mind, acknowledged that market conditions in the clean energy sector have changed and the energy transition is going forward with an uncertain and uneven pace. At the same time, Equinor, which now produces a large part of the gas going to Europe via pipelines, expects to keep a high level of oil and gas production in Norway 'all the way to 2035.' 'What we are working on is to make sure that we are able to squeeze every molecule out of the Norwegian continental shelf,' chief executive Anders Opedal told the Financial Times. 'So we have to drill around 100 wells a year for the next decade.' Low returns from higher-cost renewables and the uncertain pace of the transition amid the push for security of supply have had European majors scale back plans and investments in renewables and look to grow low-cost lower-carbon oil and gas production. In the U.S., ExxonMobil and Chevron didn't have to pivot as they weren't deep into renewable energy even before the 2022-2023 energy crisis and soaring the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has just doubled down on its forecast of peak oil demand by the end of this decade, Big Oil companies don't see any peak by 2030. Some have put a peak at some point in the 2030s, but all say that oil and gas will remain essential for global economic growth and development in 2050. 'Under any credible scenario, oil and natural gas remain essential,' ExxonMobil says in its latest Global Outlook to 2050. The U.S. supermajor also believes that 'Lower-carbon technology needs policy support to grow rapidly but ultimately must be supported by market forces.' In 2050, more than 50% of global energy demand will still be met by oil and natural gas, Exxon reckons. 'The world will be different in 2050, but the need to provide the reliable, affordable energy that drives economic prosperity and better living standards, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, will remain just as critical as it is today,' it says. Shell's CEO Wael Sawan has said that reducing global oil and gas production would be 'dangerous and irresponsible' as the world still needs those hydrocarbons. In its 2025 Energy Security Scenarios, Shell sees oil demand likely to grow by 3?5 million barrels per day (bpd) into the early 2030s, with a long but slow decline after that as petroleum remains an affordable and convenient fuel, particularly in transport, and an important feedstock for the petrochemical industry. In all three scenarios analyzed by Shell, upstream investment of around $600 billion a year 'will be required for decades to come as the rate of depletion of oil and gas fields is two to three times the potential future annual declines in demand.' In the most-discussed strategy reset this year, BP slashed spending on clean energy and boosted upstream investments. The UK-based supermajor will aim for 10 new major oil and gas projects to start up by the end of 2027, and a further 8–10 projects by the end of 2030. Production is also expected to grow: to 2.3–2.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) in 2030, with capacity to increase to 2035. That's a stark departure from BP's previous strategy to lower oil and gas output by 2030. 'We will grow upstream investment and production to allow us to produce high margin energy for years to come,' CEO Murray Auchincloss said. Whenever peak oil demand occurs, it will not be a steep downhill in global consumption—it will be a long plateau with a soft decline afterward, Big Oil says. A steep drop could only occur if there is an aggressive political push toward net-zero emissions by 2050, Shell's head of scenario planning, Laszlo Varro, told FT. But such a push would be 'significantly outside society's current comfort zone.' By Tsvetana Paraskova for More Top Reads From this article on Erreur lors de la récupération des données Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Permian Basin is Fueling America's Electric Future
The growth in US power demand is surging to its highest rate in decades, driven first by the electrification of oil and gas production and then by the build out of data centers. While still below the 5-10% growth seen in China, the world's first 'electrostate," the US power sector is experiencing rapid structural growth. The country is delivering more than a 3.5% annual power demand growth rate for the first time in several decades, potentially positioning the US as the world's next 'electrostate,' despite the strong oil and gas focus of the Trump administration. Nationwide electricity consumption increased by around 200 terawatt-hours (TWh) in the last 10 years, with data centers already accounting for about 50% of the growth. Our updated assessment suggests that in the next decade, growth is likely to be four times faster, with more than 800 TWh of consumption added between 2024 and 2034. We expect the commercial sector – largely data centers – to drive ~60% of the growth. Meanwhile, the electrification of the transport, industrial and residential sectors are expected to deliver 90-150 TWh of growth each. While the market attention is focused predominantly on these data centers, we note that the electrification of the Permian Basin has been one of the most significant contributors to the nationwide demand growth in recent years. In fact, there is no other load zone in the country that has experienced the roughly 4 GW increase in average demand that Texas has seen since 2021. This translates into 30-35 TWh of added consumption and accounts for the entire industrial demand growth in Texas in the last four years. Using a combination of industry surveys, public data and Rystad Energy's proprietary data tools and models, we have been able to deconstruct the current 7.5 GW of Permian Texas grid power demand into individual contributors. Roughly 2.5 GW comes from residential and commercial sectors in West Texas and ~30% of that came on the back of accelerated Permian oil and gas development since 2017-2018. Upstream pad operations (mainly electric submersible pumps and other pad equipment) and gas compression contribute with ~2 and ~1 GW to the demand, respectively. The remaining 2 GW comes from direct electricity use at gas power plants, other oil and gas midstream facilities and liquids transmission. Some of these segments are positioned for significant growth in 2025-2035 regardless of oilfield activity outlook amid ongoing electrification of the basin. Hence, the Permian Basin will inevitably remain a critical contributor to nationwide demand growth. By Rystad Energy More Top Reads From this article on
Business Standard
13 minutes ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Yen upbeat as Japan's core inflation accelerates
The Japanese yen stays upbeat against the dollar on Friday following higher inflation data that increases possibility of rate hike by BoJ. Data released earlier today showed that Japan's annual consumer price index (CPI) remained well above the Bank of Japan's (BoJ) target of 2% in May. Japans consumer prices excluding fresh food quickened for a third month to 3.7% from a year earlier in May, according to a Ministry of Internal Affairs released Friday. Thats the fastest pace since January 2023. Food inflation was again a major driver, with the price of rice the nations staple food jumping 102% from a year earlier. Service prices, a metric closely watched by the BOJ, rose 1.4% from a year earlier, slightly more than 1.3% in April. However, the BoJ earlier this week signaled its preference to move cautiously in normalizing still-easy monetary policy and decided to slow the pace of reduction in its bond purchases from fiscal 2026 that could limit gains in the counter. Nevertheless, safe haven demand amidst persistent trade-related uncertainties and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could keep the yen supported. Currently, USDJPY is seen quoting at 145.29, down 0.14% on the day. Meanwhile, on the NSE, JPYINR futures are down 0.93% at 59.42.
