2025-12-04 19:34
Dec 4 (Reuters) - Energy trader Vitol is expected to supply Colombia’s new liquefied natural gas import terminal for five years starting in 2027, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing the project’s developer. "The country currently has one LNG import terminal in operation, with a slate of new projects proposed by state oil company Ecopetrol SA and others," the report said. Sign up here. Last week, Colombian state-run energy company Ecopetrol (ECO.CN) , opens new tab warned that natural gas supply to the country's northern and central regions could be at risk due to an ongoing roadblock at its Guajira field. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/vitol-set-supply-new-colombia-lng-project-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-12-04/
2025-12-04 19:28
Dec 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Thursday that spot crypto asset contracts will begin trading for the first time on futures exchanges registered with the agency. The move, first hinted at in August is another effort by the Trump administration to weave digital assets into mainstream finance and could help open the door for the broader use of cryptocurrencies. Sign up here. "Recent events on offshore exchanges have shown us how essential it is for Americans to have more choice and access to safe, regulated U.S. markets," CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline Pham said. The CFTC, which regulates U.S. derivatives markets, had also launched an initiative , opens new tab in September to collect feedback and suggestions from interested stakeholders on the use of tokenized collateral including stablecoins in derivatives markets. The digital assets industry has made advances this year under President Donald Trump, with bills like the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act designed to provide new, tailored rules it has long pushed for. Trump's support for digital assets stands in sharp contrast to the stance of former President Joe Biden, who moved aggressively against the industry in an effort to curb fraud and money laundering. https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/spot-crypto-products-begin-trading-cftc-registered-exchanges-2025-12-04/
2025-12-04 19:26
MILAN, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Italy's Economy Ministry has ordered an in-depth review of existing safeguards against cryptocurrency risks, which are seen potentially rising, the Bank of Italy and other financial regulators said on Thursday. "An in-depth review has been launched to assess the adequacy of existing safeguards for direct and indirect investments Sign up here. in crypto-assets by retail investors," the regulators said in a statement. The decision was taken at a meeting of the so-called Committee for Macroprudential Policies, including the heads of the Bank of Italy, market watchdog Consob, insurance and pension funds watchdogs, and the director general of the Treasury. "The risks associated with the spread of crypto-assets could increase due to growing interconnections with the financial system and regulatory fragmentation at the international level," the committee members said in a statement The committee, tasked with safeguarding the stability of Italy's financial system, said economic and financial conditions in Italy remain broadly favourable, albeit in a context of high global uncertainty. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/italy-launches-in-depth-review-cryptocurrency-risks-2025-12-04/
2025-12-04 19:15
Dec 4 (Reuters) - Bank of America (BAC.N) , opens new tab will begin allowing its wealth advisers to recommend allocations to crypto in client portfolios from next month, the U.S. lending giant said on Thursday, in a landmark moment for the digital assets sector. Starting January 5, advisors at Bank of America Private Bank, Merrill, and Merrill Edge will be able to suggest several crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) clients, without any asset threshold. Sign up here. Clients whose assets met predetermined thresholds have had access to bitcoin ETFs since early 2024, the bank said. However, the latest move evolves the role of advisors from executors of crypto orders to advisers. As U.S. President Donald Trump continues to push regulatory relief for the asset class, crypto has been benefiting from widespread institutional adoption. Several of these investors prefer to hold crypto via ETFs and ETPs, which provide greater liquidity and security, and simplified regulatory compliance compared to managing the underlying asset directly. "For investors with a strong interest in thematic innovation and comfort with elevated volatility, a modest allocation of 1% to 4% in digital assets could be appropriate," said Chris Hyzy, Chief Investment Officer for Merrill and Bank of America Private Bank. Proponents of crypto have long championed it as a diversification tool against inflation and conventional assets. However, critics warn against its volatility and security concerns as an asset class. Bitcoin shed more than $18,000 in November, as a record amount of money rushed out of the market, making this its largest monthly dollar loss since May 2021, when a number of cryptocurrencies collapsed. "The link between adoption and long-term value is real but not guaranteed, and periods of speculative excess can distort prices far above true utility," Merill said in a note. https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/bank-america-expands-crypto-access-wealth-management-clients-2025-12-04/
2025-12-04 18:58
NEW DELHI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi on Thursday, where he was received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport, beginning the Russian leader's first visit to old friend India since the start of the war in Ukraine nearly four years back. Putin is accompanied by senior ministers and a large Russian business delegation on the two-day trip as Moscow and New Delhi seek to expand their economic ties beyond energy and defence. Sign up here. Modi is hosting Putin for a private dinner on Thursday and the two leaders will hold summit talks on Friday. Modi's presence to greet Putin on arrival at the airport is a rare gesture, as visiting foreign leaders are usually received by senior Indian ministers. The two leaders embraced each other on the red carpet after Putin walked down from the aircraft. Most recently, Modi received Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in February. He also went to the airport to receive U.S. President Donald Trump when he visited India in 2020. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/russias-putin-arrives-india-summit-talks-with-pm-modi-2025-12-04/
2025-12-04 18:47
ABUJA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Nigeria has approved the payment of 185 billion naira ($128 million) in longstanding debts owed to gas producers for supplies to power generators, aiming to restore confidence in the energy market and improve electricity supply. The National Economic Council, chaired by the vice president, approved the decision following President Bola Tinubu's directive to clear arrears that have discouraged investments, strained cash flows, and curtailed gas supply for power generation, the minister of state for petroleum said. Sign up here. Ekperikpe Ekpo said the settlement, to be implemented through a so-called "royalty-offset arrangement", was a "decisive step" towards revamping Nigeria's gas sector and stabilising electricity output, adding that the move aligned with a government initiative to almost double gas output to 12 billion cubic feet per day by 2030. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, continues to face persistent electricity shortages, which have hindered business operations and economic growth for decades. ($1 = 1,447.3300 naira) https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/nigeria-approves-128-million-payment-gas-debts-bid-boost-power-supply-2025-12-04/
