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King Charles seen in public and Harry flies in to see him after cancer diagnosis

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King Charles seen in public and Harry flies in to see him after cancer diagnosis
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Britain’s King Charles leaves the London Clinic with Queen Camilla after receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate in London, Britain January 29, 2024. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo

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By Michael Holden and Sarah Young

LONDON (Reuters) – King Charles smiled and waved to passers-by on Tuesday as he was seen in public for the first time since it was revealed he was suffering from a form of cancer and as his estranged younger son Prince Harry flew to Britain to see him.

Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that Charles, 75, on the throne for less than 18 months since the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth, had been diagnosed with the disease and would postpone his public engagements to undergo treatment.

Charles waved to passers-by on Tuesday afternoon as he was driven the short distance from his Clarence House home in central London to Buckingham Palace. He and his wife Queen Camilla then took a helicopter to his Sandringham estate in rural eastern England to begin his recuperation.

Shortly before the king’s departure, Harry, who has fallen out with the rest of the royal family since he stepped down from royal duties almost four years ago, was pictured arriving at Clarence House, and had a brief reunion with his father according to newspaper reports.

However, a royal source said there were no plans for Harry to see his elder brother, heir-to-the-throne Prince William, during his visit to Britain.

William is expected to step up to fulfil some of the monarch’s duties, along with other senior royals while Charles begins a series of out-patient treatments.

The palace has said the king was remaining “wholly positive”, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier on Tuesday said the cancer had been caught early.

Despite the diagnosis, Charles is planning to continue with much of his private work as monarch including his weekly audience with the prime minister and dealing with state papers. Sunak said he was in regular contact with the king.

“That will of course continue as normal and we’ll crack on with everything,” he said.

The cancer was discovered when Charles stayed three nights in hospital last month where he underwent a corrective procedure for a benign enlarged prostate. Beyond confirming it was not prostate cancer, the palace has not given any further details.

The royal family usually keep medical matters private, but the palace said Charles had chosen to go public as he was patron of a number of cancer-related charities.

While the king will receive expert private care, his diagnosis will draw attention to Britain’s rising cancer waiting times within the state-run National Health Service (NHS) which is widely regarded as being in crisis.

Survival rates for cancer in Britain lag those of other European countries for nine out of 10 of the most common types of the disease, according to an NHS Confederation report published in January.

SURPRISE DIAGNOSIS

The surprise diagnosis, which has dominated British media since the announcement was made, is another personal blow for Charles during his year and a half on the throne.

Early last year, Harry published his autobiography “Spare”, which contained damning revelations about his father and elder brother, while Charles has also had to contend with ongoing allegations against his brother Prince Andrew relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Harry, who quit royal duties in 2020, jetted back to Britain from California where he lives with his American wife Meghan and two children to see his father after Charles told him and his other immediate family of his diagnosis.

The king’s cancer revelation comes as Kate, the Princess of Wales and wife of heir William, recuperates at home after spending two weeks in hospital following planned abdominal surgery for an unspecified but non-cancerous condition.

She is not expected to return to public duties until after Easter and the absence of the senior figures will put pressure on the other working royals to perform extra engagements.

Charles has always been keen to have a more slimmed down monarchy but with his younger brother Andrew and Harry no longer involved, all those who currently carry out royal engagements are aged over 50 apart from William and Kate, with some now in their 80s.

His sister, Princess Anne, often tops the list for being the busiest royal, followed by Charles.

Royal biographer Matthew Dennison said that Charles, as a workaholic, would be impatient to return to “the everyday business of the public side of monarchy.”

Stock Markets

SKK Holdings sets IPO price at $4 per share

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SINGAPORE – SKK Holdings Limited, a Singaporean civil engineering service provider, has set the price for its initial public offering (IPO) at $4.00 per share, aiming to raise $10 million in gross proceeds before underwriting discounts and offering expenses. The company, which is specialized in subsurface utility works such as cable laying and sewer rehabilitation, is offering 1,750,000 ordinary shares while the remaining 750,000 shares are being sold by existing shareholders.

The shares are scheduled to start trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market tomorrow under the ticker symbol “SKK”. The offering is expected to close on October 9, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Bancroft Capital, LLC is serving as the sole underwriter for the IPO.

SKK Holdings has over a decade of experience in public utility projects, contributing to the construction and maintenance of infrastructure that benefits society and the environment. The company’s services include power and telecommunication cable laying works, water pipeline construction, and sewer rehabilitation.

The IPO is conducted under the company’s registration statement on Form F-1, which was declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 18, 2024. The final prospectus for the IPO is available on the SEC’s website.

The press release issued by SKK Holdings contains forward-looking statements about the company’s expectations regarding the IPO. However, these statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected.

This news article is based on a press release statement and aims to provide an unbiased summary of the key facts related to SKK Holdings Limited’s IPO pricing and details.

InvestingPro Insights

As SKK Holdings Limited prepares for its Nasdaq debut, InvestingPro data offers valuable insights into the company’s financial performance. In the last twelve months as of Q4 2023, SKK reported revenue of $9.76 million, with a modest growth of 1.43% over the same period. The company’s gross profit stood at $3.45 million, translating to a healthy gross profit margin of 35.39%.

SKK’s operating income for the same period was $0.42 million, resulting in an operating income margin of 4.32%. This indicates that the company has been able to maintain profitability in its core operations, which is crucial for a civil engineering service provider entering the public market.

An InvestingPro Tip suggests that SKK’s earnings per share have shown improvement recently. This aligns with the company’s reported basic and diluted EPS of $0.01 for continuing operations in the last twelve months, potentially making it an attractive proposition for investors looking at its IPO.

Another InvestingPro Tip notes that SKK has a high return on invested capital, which is supported by the company’s return on assets of 1.43%. This could indicate efficient use of capital in its subsurface utility works and other civil engineering projects.

These insights provide a snapshot of SKK’s financial health as it embarks on its IPO journey. Investors interested in a deeper analysis can access additional tips and metrics through InvestingPro, which offers a total of 12 additional tips for SKK Holdings Limited.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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Equinor buys 9.8% stake in offshore wind developer Orsted

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By Nora Buli and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen

OSLO/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Norway’s Equinor has bought a 9.8% stake valued at around $2.5 billion in Danish offshore wind farm developer Orsted (CSE:), it said on Monday, as it seeks to build up its renewables portfolio.

Orsted shares have dropped 69% from their 2021 all-time high as the offshore wind sector has faced surging costs and technical problems with turbines.

But Equinor said its share acquisition was a long-term bet on the sector, after the Norwegian company made slow progress on reaching its ambitious renewable energy targets.

The transaction would count towards Equinor’s renewable energy portfolio target, adding 1.7 gigawatt (GW) of net generation capacity out of the company’s goal of installing 12-16 GW by 2030, CEO Anders Opedal told Reuters.

At the end of 2023, the company had less than 1 GW of installed renewable capacity.

“We see this as a good counter cyclical move at this point in time to get into a very attractive portfolio,” Opedal said.

Orsted’s share price rose more than 8% on the news before paring gains to stand 5.8% higher at 1300 GMT. Equinor’s shares fell by 3.9%.

An Orsted spokesperson declined to comment.

Equinor said it did not plan to raise its stake beyond 10% and would not seek board representation.

The world’s biggest offshore wind developer was last year hit by costs and project delays as inflation raised the price of turbines and other equipment and services.

“The offshore wind industry is currently facing a set of challenges, but we remain confident in the long-term outlook for the sector, and the crucial role offshore wind will play in the energy transition,” he said.

Equinor’s ownership position was built over time, through a combination of market purchases and a block trade, the company said.

The investment makes Equinor the second largest shareholder in Orsted after the Danish government.

Battling to restore investor confidence, Orsted in February trimmed its investment and capacity targets and paused dividend payouts as part of a major review.

“Structurally, this doesn’t change anything for the direction Orsted is heading,” Sydbank analyst Jacob Pedersen said.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A view of the turbines at Orsted's offshore wind farm near Nysted, Denmark, September 4, 2023. REUTERS/Tom Little//File Photo

The company has broad political backing in Denmark with no signs that the state will relinquish its 51% stake, he said.

Denmark brought in Goldman Sachs as a strategic shareholder 10 years ago, when the company – formerly DONG Energy – was focused on oil and gas. The Wall Street bank doubled its 8 billion-crown investment just two years later, when Orsted listed in Copenhagen in 2016.

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Stock Markets

Trade balance, exports, and imports data due Tuesday

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As traders approach another pivotal day for financial markets, a series of crucial economic data releases that could sway market dynamics are expected on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. The day’s schedule includes significant reports on trade balance, exports, and imports, which will provide insights into the United States’ economic performance and international trade position.

Major Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET – Trade Balance (Aug): Expected -$70.60B, Previous -$78.80B. Measures the difference in value between imported and exported goods and services.

• 8:30 AM ET – Exports (Aug): Previous $266.60B. Provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports.

• 8:30 AM ET – Imports (Aug): Previous $345.40B. Measures the value of goods and services brought into the US from other countries.

• 10:30 AM ET – Atlanta Fed GDPNow: Forecast 2.5%, Previous 2.5%. Provides a running estimate of real GDP growth based on available economic data.

• 12:00 PM ET – EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook: Offers forecasts for consumption, supply, trade, and prices across major fuel types.

• 12:45 PM ET – FOMC Member Bostic Speaks: Atlanta Fed President’s remarks may offer insights into future monetary policy.

• 1:00 PM ET – 3-Year Note Auction: Previous 3.440%. Indicates the yield on Treasury Notes auctioned, reflecting government debt situation.

• 4:30 PM ET – API Weekly Crude Stock: Previous -1.458M. Reports inventory levels of US , gasoline, and distillates stocks.

Other Economic Events to Watch

• 3:00 AM ET – FOMC Member Kugler Speaks: Federal Reserve Governor’s remarks may influence market expectations.

• 6:00 AM ET – NFIB Small Business Optimism (Sep): Forecast 92.0, Previous 91.2. Indicates the health of small businesses in the U.S.

• 8:55 AM ET – Redbook (YoY) (Oct 6): Previous 5.3%. Measures year-over-year same-store sales growth in large US general merchandise retailers.

• 10:10 AM ET – IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism (Oct): Forecast 47.2, Previous 46.1. Rates the relative level of economic conditions.

• 4:00 PM ET – Fed Collins Speaks: Boston Fed President’s comments may offer insights into monetary policy stance.

• 7:30 PM ET – Fed Governor Jefferson Speaks: Remarks may provide clues about future Fed decisions.

For further information and the latest updates, please refer to our Economic Calendar, here.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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