Prysmian shines as BlackRock, Stellantis bet big on U.S. - Oct 15, 2025

As of October 15, today's news highlights Prysmian’s strong outlook, major AI-driven investments by BlackRock, and Stellantis’ 13 billion dollar U.S. expansion plan. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the current US tariff scenario - with 50% duty on copper wires and an exemption for raw-copper imports - is a competitive advantage for Prysmian's US-skewed production footprint, notably for the low-voltage business in its Electrification unit, offering upgrade room for 2025's 2.3-2.375 billion euros Ebitda guidance. Bloomberg Intelligence add that European industrials are set to lead earnings this season, with 4.9% EPS growth driven in large part by capital goods. Siemens Energy, ABB, and Prysmian account for much of the gain, benefiting from rising AI-related electrification and data center investments. Meanwhile, an investor group including BlackRock, Microsoft and Nvidia is buying one of the world's biggest data center operators with nearly 80 sites in a deal worth 40 billion dollars to secure coveted computing capacity for artificial intelligence. Furthermore, Stellantis new 13 billion dollars investment plan in the U.S. marks a key step to countering tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump and to reviving the automakers' sales in its main market, investors and analysts said today. In market developments, shares of Aurubis fell after Salzgitter divested a significant portion of its stake, prompting a 6.7% drop in stock value. The U.S. copper market appears more resilient, as Shanghai copper prices stabilized due to hopes for U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts amidst ongoing trade tensions with China. Meanwhile, a 0.9% increase in copper prices signals a recovery trend, supported by a weaker dollar and cautious optimism regarding stimulus measures in China. Looking at broader scenarios, an analysis from consultancy DNV indicates that emissions from North America's power sector could potentially increase by 3 billion metric tons by 2050 due to recent federal policy shifts favoring fossil fuels over clean energy. Meanwhile, international news includes calls from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for NATO allies to increase investments in U.S. military support for Ukraine, as dwindling military aid raises concerns over the ongoing conflict.