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

With such generous subsidies, many households—previously frugal—can still save money even after receiving them. For most families, energy expenses won’t differ much; only ultra-wealthy households will see significantly higher bills—and sure enough, you’ll spot them flaunting on social media: 'Our electricity and gas bill hit €2,000/£2,000 this quarter!' Just watch their ostentatious displays. So—will electricity or 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, causing electricity demand to surge sharply. France suffered an unexpected nuclear power shortfall—its nuclear generation dropped 30% year-on-year in August (nuclear supplies ~70% of France’s electricity). Exceptional drought also crippled hydropower output in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and other nations heavily reliant on it. Yet despite all this, no residential blackouts occurred across Europe, nor did businesses adopt rotating shutdowns like ‘work three days, rest four.’ This clearly demonstrates Europe’s substantial energy supply redundancy. The UK imports only about 4% of its natural gas from Russia—such a tiny share could easily be offset by domestic production increases, additional imports from Norway, or modest conservation efforts by affluent households. Worrying about shortages is truly unnecessary—like the ancient tale of the man who feared the sky would fall. Many netizens argue: 'Household life may be fine, but industry is collapsing! Deindustrialization is underway!' Let’s examine whether this is genuinely 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, up 200% year-on-year. Do we really need to say more? The UK also hosts global chemical industry giants—INEOS, for instance. Though less widely known online, INEOS ranks among the world’s top ten chemical companies. Its latest financial results show: H1 2022 revenue reached €11.715 billion, up 29.2% from €8.563 billion in H1 2021; net profit stood at €1.299 billion, up from €1.044 billion year-on-year. Hardly struggling—indeed, growing steadily. Third, Linde—the UK’s second-largest and world’s twentieth-largest chemical enterprise—just released its Q3 2022 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, up 14.72%. This quarter fully encompassed August’s sharp energy price spike—following a prolonged period of steady, moderate increases. Even so, net profit rose 30%, and revenue climbed 14%, indicating that profit margins more than doubled compared to last year! Notice anything? The UK’s most energy-, consumption-, and raw-material-intensive enterprises—including BP, INEOS, and Linde—have seen little negative impact on operations or profitability. On the contrary, many posted robust growth—especially in profits, which surged even more dramatically than revenues. So is Europe truly undergoing chemical-industry deindustrialization? In reality, the Eurozone’s unemployment rate is at an all-time low; the UK’s unemployment rate has hit a 50-year low.

Linde reported first-quarter sales of $8.1 billion, with strong performance in the Americas region.

Linde released its Q1 2025 financial results, reporting $8.1 billion in sales, $1.7 billion in net income, and $2.2 billion in operating profit. Sales were flat year-on-year, while net income rose 3%. Q1 2025 sales totaled $8.112 billion, unchanged from the prior year. Although prices rose 2%, volume declined 1% in manufacturing and metal mining end markets, resulting in a 1% increase in underlying sales. Net income for Q1 2025 amounted to $1.673 billion, with diluted earnings per share of $3.51—up 3% and 5%, respectively. Operating profit for Q1 2025 was $2.184 billion; adjusted operating profit increased 4% to $2.438 billion, driven by pricing gains and sustained productivity initiatives across all business segments. Adjusted operating margin stood at 30.1%, up 120 basis points year-on-year. Strong Performance in the Americas Region By region, the Americas delivered robust Q1 results, with sales up 3%; Asia-Pacific sales fell 1%, while Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) sales declined 3%. Americas sales reached $3.666 billion, up 3% year-on-year. Higher prices (+3%) and volume growth (+1%), particularly in electronics, chemicals, and energy end markets, drove a 4% increase in underlying sales. Operating profit totaled $1.137 billion, representing 31.0% of sales—40 basis points higher than the prior year. Asia-Pacific sales amounted to $1.539 billion, down 3% year-on-year. Underlying sales declined 1%, as stable pricing failed to offset a 1% volume drop—primarily in metal, mining, and manufacturing end markets.

Linde plc Set to Report Q1 2026 Earnings on May 1

May 5, 2026

Linde plc will release its Q1 2026 earnings on May 1, with analysts forecasting an adjusted EPS of $4.27, an 8.1% year-over-year increase. Market attention focuses on pricing power and resilience amid global decarbonization trends.

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