Europe

Europe’s largest aerospace group saw net income rise by 21 percent in 2013 to €3.6 billion, while revenues rose five percent to €59.3 billion.

The past year witnessed the group delivering a record 626 planes, with Airbus expecting to deliver a similar number this year. Included in this will be an increasing number of its A320 jets, with production to expand to 46 planes a month from 42 by 2016.

The world’s second largest mining firm has reported a full year net income of $3.7 billion, reversing a $3 billion loss in 2012. As a result it is increasing its annual payout to shareholders by 15 percent to $1.92 per share.

"These strong results reflect the progress we are making to transform our business and demonstrate how we are fulfilling our commitments to improve performance, strengthen the balance sheet and deliver greater value for shareholders," Rio Tinto chief executive Sam Walsh said in a statement.

Dr Cornelius’ new firm, Nebula Resources, has been awarded three licences in the Irish Sea, where he believes large volumes of offshore shale gas could be extracted. If the firm was to be successful in such a venture it would result in the first such project in the world.

The area covered by the Nebula licences stretches west from Blackpool into Morecambe Bay. Based on existing geological data, Dr Cornelius believes that up to 250 trillion cubic feet of gas may be in place here, while there is also the possibility of finding oil.

Since its formation in 2003, Offshore Marine Management (OMM) has grown within the renewable energy, subsea telecoms and oil and gas sectors, expanding from providing personnel for offshore projects to taking on turnkey cable installation contracts. Indeed, OMM’s ability to adapt to ever changing market conditions has allowed it to flourish even in times of economic uncertainty.

Measuring approximately 1,850 kilometres in length and with a width varying between from 370 to 805 kilometres, the Scandinavian Peninsula is one of Europe’s largest. Covering Norway, Sweden and most of northern Finland, the Peninsula we see today has been shaped through history by the impact of various Ice Ages, events that have deepened its river valleys, created the famous fjords of Norway and left only a small percentage of the land arable.

The economy of Cyprus in recent years has largely depended on tourism and financial services. The fundamentals of these industries are still sound despite the well documented financial and banking crisis that affected the island in 2012 and Cyprus is now making every effort to restore its economic stability.

Discipline is a great virtue in the challenging price environment the gold mining industry finds itself in today: the players who can keep operating through the lean times will be the ones best place to take advantage of anticipated price rises. But though these struggled upward to the tune of some $60 over the course of January – and western economies are showing signs of growth allied to greater confidence – prospects for 2014 remain uncertain. Investors know that, and they continue to set a premium on discipline.

When asked to explain just how important North Sea oil and gas remains, it doesn’t take Malcolm Webb, chief executive of Oil & Gas UK, very long to respond with what I think you will agree is a pretty conclusive response. “Today the UK is reliant on oil and gas for approximately 73 percent of its primary energy supply.”

Total SA of France has become the first oil major to back shale gas exploration in Britain by announcing that it will commit £30 million to advance drilling projects in Lincolnshire. Total will pay $1.6 million in back costs and fund a work programme of up to $46.5 million, with a $19.5 million minimum commitment.

The Alps are Europe’s great natural boundary, cutting Italy off from the rest of the continent. Getting from one side to the other whether for purposes of travel, war or trade has been a headache ever since ‘the iceman’ Ötzi lost his life 5,000 years ago on the Fineilspitze, not 20 miles to the east of the Brenner pass.