Reuters

By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Shipping group Maersk on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings above expectations and lifted the lower end of its full-year profit guidance range, supported by higher demand and the diverting of vessels away from the Red Sea.

"Demand is trending towards the higher end of our market growth guidance and conditions in the Red Sea remain entrenched," CEO Vincent Clerc said in a statement.

By Ron Bousso

LONDON (Reuters) -Shell on Thursday reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $7.7 billion, sharply beating expectations, on the back of strong oil trading and higher refining margins.

The oil major announced it will repurchase a further $3.5 billion of its shares over the next three months, at a similar rate to the previous quarter. Its dividend remained unchanged.

Analysts had expected first-quarter adjusted... (continue reading...)

By Gavin Maguire

LITTLETON, Colorado (Reuters) - The four-month window from May through August marks the high point for power generation and demand in the state of Texas, the largest U.S. user of fossil fuels for power generation and the country's top power sector emitter.

A key driver of Texas power demand is an annual climb in air conditioner use by homes and businesses during the hottest time of year, when average temperatures can... (continue reading...)

(Reuters) - German chip equipment supplier Siltronic reported a 27.5% drop in first-quarter core profit on Thursday, a week after it slashed annual targets due to customers' still high inventories.

The company, which makes silicon wafers used in semiconductor chips, posted quarterly earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 90.8 million euros ($97.3 million), down from 125.2 million euros a year earlier.

Its... (continue reading...)

By Hyunsu Yim

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's National Assembly voted on Thursday to approve a bill backed by the ruling and opposition parties to launch a fresh probe into the deadly Halloween crowd crush in the capital Seoul in 2022.

An earlier bill, which was backed the opposition-led parliament without the support of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), was vetoed by President Yoon Suk-yeol in January.

The latest bill... (continue reading...)