British Gas has warned that 'natural gas reserves are sufficient for only nine days'—how accurate is this claim, and how should the UK prepare for this winter?

With such generous subsidies, many households—especially those accustomed to frugal living—can still save money even after receiving them. For most families, energy expenses won’t differ significantly; only ultra-wealthy households will see markedly higher bills—and sure enough, you’ll find them flaunting their quarterly electricity and gas bills of €2,000 or £2,000 on social media platforms! So, will electricity and natural gas actually run short? In fact, both the UK and other European countries maintain a relatively ample energy supply buffer. Consider August this year: Europe experienced record-breaking heat and drought, driving electricity demand sharply upward. France suffered an unexpected nuclear power shortfall—its nuclear generation dropped 30% year-on-year in August (nuclear power accounts for 70% of France’s electricity). Severe drought also crippled hydropower output in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and other nations heavily reliant on hydro. Yet, despite all this, Europe saw no residential blackouts, nor did businesses adopt measures like operating three days and shutting down four. This demonstrates that Europe’s energy supply buffer remains very substantial. The UK imports only 4% of its natural gas from Russia—such a small share could easily be offset by domestic production increases, additional imports from Norway, and modest conservation efforts by affluent households. There’s simply no need for alarmism. Many netizens argue: 'Household life may be fine, but industry is collapsing—deindustrialization is underway!' Let’s examine whether this is truly the case. First, consider BP—the parent company of Castrol motor oil—a firm directly tied to energy and petrochemicals. Let’s look at its latest financial report: A single quarter yielded nearly $10 billion in profit, with a 200% year-on-year growth rate. Do we really need to say more? The UK also hosts global chemical industry giants—INEOS, for instance, though less widely known among Chinese netizens, ranks among the world’s top ten chemical enterprises. Let’s review INEOS’s latest financials: In H1 2022, revenue reached €11.715 billion, up 29.2% from €8.563 billion in the same period last year; net profit stood at €1.299 billion, versus €1.044 billion a year earlier. Hardly underperforming—indeed, it posted solid growth. Third, Linde—the UK’s second-largest and world’s top-20 chemical enterprise—just released its Q3 earnings: On October 27, Linde (NYSE: LIN) reported Q3 FY2022 net income attributable to common shareholders of $1.273 billion, up 30.03% year-on-year; revenue totaled $8.797 billion, rising 14.72% year-on-year. This quarter fully encompassed August’s sharp energy price surge—preceded by a prolonged period of steady, moderate increases. Even so, Q3 net profit grew 30%, while revenue rose 14%, indicating that profit margins more than doubled compared to last year! Do you notice a pattern? UK-based enterprises most directly exposed to energy costs, energy intensity, and chemical raw materials—all show minimal disruption to operations or profitability. On the contrary, many report robust growth—especially in profits, which have surged dramatically, making these firms more profitable than ever before. So, is Europe truly undergoing deindustrialization in the chemical sector? In reality, the Eurozone’s unemployment rate is at its lowest on record; the UK’s unemployment rate has hit a 50-year low.

Overseas institutional shareholding data has been released—covering institutions from the U.S., the U.K., Japan, Germany, Singapore, and the Cayman Islands.

Page One includes: Weichai Power; BeiGene (Amgen holds 246 million shares, representing 17.53% of total shares outstanding, with a holding value of RMB 57.1 billion); Wanhua Chemical; Shanghai莱士 (Shanghai RAAS Blood Products); Yaopi Glass; Foxconn Industrial Internet; Hangzhou Bank (Commonwealth Bank of Australia holds 5.19%); Daqo New Energy; Jinko Technology; Chengdu Bank; Chuan Yi Instrumentation; Thundersoft; Supor; ACM Research (Shanghai). Page Two includes: Canadian Solar (Canadian Solar Inc.); Wynca Medical; Bank of Beijing (ING Bank N.V. holds 13.03%); Hubei Circuit Board; Shanghai Bank; Ascentage Pharma; Hubei Circuit Board (duplicate listed); VeriSilicon; Shanghai Belling; Huaxin Cement; Shanghai Hejing; Longteng Optoelectronics; COFCO Technology. Page Three includes: Qilu Bank; Chongqing Beer; Chengdu Huawei Microelectronics (China Electronics Corporation holds 18.17%); Runfeng Agrochemicals; China XD Electric; Hanbell Precision Machinery; Anlogic Technology; Autobio Diagnostics;九州通 (Jiuzhou Tong); China New Town Development Group; Hanbell Precision Machinery (duplicate listed); Yiton Electronics; Dongfang Shenghong (Citibank, N.A. holds 4.19%); Jiangling B (Ford Motor Company holds 32%); TianShun Wind Energy; Weifu High-Technology. Page Four includes: Sichuan Shuangma; Kinglong; Hailiang Group; Hongxun Technology; Jifeng Co., Ltd.; Sanxiang New Materials (Nagashima Trading Co., Ltd. of Japan holds 20.09%); Sandam Membrane; Jinyi Enterprise; Huafeng Co., Ltd.; Oufu Egg Industry; Yuexin Health; Quick Intelligent; Hongchang Electronics. Page Five includes: Jingrui Electronic Materials; Hesong Silicon Industry (Fidelity Management & Research Company holds 2.29%); Lanti Tech (Intel Capital holds 1.55%); Dongmu Shares; Sanyuan Foods; SDIC Power (Citibank, N.A. holds 1.03%); Joyoung; Zoomlion; Huaying Technology; Donghua Energy; Xiamen Tungsten; Broadcom Integrated Solutions; Fenglin Group; Sanquan Food.

Commonwealth Equity Services LLC Purchases 73,445 Shares of Linde PLC

7 hours ago

Commonwealth Equity Services LLC acquired 73,445 shares of Linde PLC worth $34.86 million in Q3. The investment follows Linde's strong quarterly earnings beating expectations and a $1.60 per share dividend announcement.

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Franklin Street Advisors Inc. NC Trims Stake in Linde PLC

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Jackson Square Capital Reduces Stake in Linde PLC to $2.90 Million