Bilfinger SE (GBF) News

Jane Edmondson, Head of Index Product Strategy at TMXVettaFi, joined Steve Darling from Proactive to discuss the rapidly evolving global defense landscape and its investment implications. With geopolitical tensions on the rise and shifting defense priorities, investors must navigate new opportunities and risks in the sector. Edmondson highlighted Europe's unprecedented surge in defense spending, a direct response to the U.S. decision to scale back military aid to Ukraine. Central to this shift is the European Union’s €800 billion "Rearm Europe Readiness 2030" initiative, aimed at bolstering military preparedness. This includes substantial investments across key defense technologies and a dedicated €150 billion credit facility to enhance military capabilities. “There’s going to be a lot of spending to come,” Edmondson noted, emphasizing major growth areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber defense, drone technology, and advanced artillery systems. She pointed out that leading European defense firms—including Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, Thales, Dassault, and Leonardo SPA—stand to benefit significantly from this expansion. Additionally, South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace is emerging as a key player in global defense contracts. In contrast, U.S. defense companies are experiencing headwinds due to budget cuts and canceled procurement deals, leading to a relative downturn in the sector. Another critical shift in global defense procurement is unfolding as traditional U.S. allies reconsider their defense purchases. Canada and Portugal, for instance, are re-evaluating orders for U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets in favor of alternative options, such as aircraft from Dassault Aviation. Edmondson stressed that these geopolitical realignments are creating strong economic tailwinds, particularly for Germany, which is set to invest an estimated €500 billion in defense over the next several years. She cited a recent Goldman Sachs report, which projects that half of this spending will

ATOME PLC (AIM:ATOM) CEO Olivier Mussat talked with Proactive about a landmark milestone for the company’s Villeta green fertiliser project in Paraguay. The company has signed its first definitive engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement with Swiss firm Casale S.A. Mussat explained that this agreement marks the world’s first large-scale green hydrogen fertiliser project to reach the EPC stage, underlining its global relevance. “It’s significant for us as a company because we’ve announced that we had been working on the front-end engineering and design for more than two years now,” Mussat said, noting the long-term collaboration with Casale. He highlighted Casale’s industry-leading expertise, describing the firm as the oldest ammonia licensor globally, with the ability to deliver complex, full-chain fertiliser projects. According to Mussat, the partnership serves as a strategic blueprint for Casale’s future growth. Looking ahead, ATOME aims to reach a final investment decision on the Villeta project by the end of the first half of the year. The company is working to finalise offtake agreements and complete financial documentation for both debt and equity funding. This includes a $115 million equity commitment from Hy24, with further syndication in progress. For more updates on green hydrogen and clean energy developments, visit Proactive’s YouTube channel. Like this video, subscribe, and turn on notifications to stay informed. #ATOMEPLC #GreenHydrogen #EPCContract #FertilizerProject #Casale #SustainableEnergy #CleanTech #HydrogenEconomy #ParaguayProjects #Yara #Hy24

SSV Capital PLC CEO Ankur Ghosh talked with Proactive about the company’s early loan repayment, expansion in fintech and real estate, and upcoming plans for 2025. SSV Capital has made strides in solidifying its financial position, having repaid a £2.5 million convertible loan note ahead of schedule. Ghosh attributed the decision to strong investor trust and confidence in the company’s banking and fintech operations. “If our balance sheet is strong, why can’t we repay them early?” he stated, highlighting the company's proactive approach even in a challenging financial climate. Ghosh also discussed momentum behind SSV Smart Pay, noting positive reception from both merchants and customers and ambitious targets of scaling to 2 million transactions this year. The initiative incorporates loyalty and cashback schemes and is underpinned by open banking and upcoming embedded finance capabilities. In addition, SSV Capital is progressing in its Proptech development through its SSV Real Estate unit. Ghosh explained that the project has passed alpha and beta testing and is now on track to roll out in the coming months. Looking ahead, the company is focusing on institutional partnerships, establishing a presence as a general partner in Luxembourg, and pursuing FCA licenses as it builds out an equity desk focused on early-stage private equity and venture capital. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more insightful interviews and updates. Don't forget to give the video a like, subscribe to the channel, and enable notifications for future content. #SSVCapital #AnkurGhosh #SmartPay #Fintech #OpenBanking #EmbeddedFinance #RealEstateTech #Proptech #PrivateEquity #VentureCapital #FinancialServices #InstitutionalInvestment #InvestorUpdates #FCA #LuxembourgFunds

St George Mining Ltd executive chairman John Prineas talked with Proactive about the company's newly announced maiden JORC resource, which he says could be among the world’s most significant niobium and rare earth deposits. Prineas said the deposit features over 500 intercepts of high-grade mineralisation and boasts a rare combination of high grades and shallow mineralisation starting at surface, supporting an open pit development. “We think, possibly the second highest niobium deposit in terms of grade and, probably one of the highest rare earth deposits,” he told Proactive. He confirmed the company has already seen interest from industry players, with some expressing interest in potential partnerships and even mergers. The resource was released following St George’s acquisition of the project in late February, and the company has committed to a drill program starting in the coming weeks. According to Prineas, this program could potentially double the existing resource. In Brazil, St George has assembled an experienced in-country team and engaged a global EPC contractor to progress mine development. The company has also begun metallurgical and downstream processing studies and believes the project will deliver a commercial-grade product, supported by decades of similar production by neighbours CBMM. 👉 For more interviews like this, visit Proactive's YouTube channel. Don’t forget to like this video, subscribe, and enable notifications so you never miss an update. #StGeorgeMining #Niobium #RareEarths #JORCResource #MiningExploration #ASX #CriticalMinerals #BrazilMining #ResourceUpdate #MineralDiscovery #JohnPrineas #ProactiveInvestors