** General Motors CFO Paul Jacobson said on Wednesday at a Barclays conference that if U.S. tariffs became permanent, the company would have to consider moving plants, but also said it had not made those decisions yet. GM and other automakers are closely monitoring how tariffs on vehicles and parts from Canada, Mexico and elsewhere will impact their business.
** EV maker Rivian’s most ambitious investment project to date could be at risk, after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp warned disbursement of a $6.6 billion U.S. federal loan had been put on hold.
** So-called “man camp” operator Civeo Corporation announced that it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with a private seller for Civeo to acquire four villages with 1,340 rooms in Australia’s Bowen Basin and the associated long-term customer contracts. It is a $105 million deal.
** Energy Transfer LP announced the pricing of its $3 billion offering of $650 million aggregate principal amount of 5.200% senior notes due 2030, $1.250 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.700% senior notes due 2035 and $1.100 billion aggregate principal amount of 6.200% senior notes due 2055.
** A surprise player in the electric vehicle market topped January’s leaderboard for sales in the United States. According to Electrek, the Honda Prologue led the pack with 3,744 cars sold, continuing its unexpected upward trend. The Ford Mustang Mach-E finished second behind the Prologue last month, posting its best-ever January with 3,529 units sold — a 173% spike from January 2024.
** Gasoline prices are likely headed higher in the weeks ahead as the impact of refinery maintenance and outages, particularly in California, trickle through the market ahead of the yearly switch to more expensive summer blends.
** Diamondback Energy said on Tuesday it would buy specific units of EnCap Investments-backed energy producer Double Eagle to expand its presence in the Permian Basin. In a news release, Diamondback Energy said it will pay 6.9 million shares of Diamondback common stock and $3 billion of cash for Double Eagle’s assets.
World
** U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil plans to boost natural gas output and supply in Guyana through a large-scale project announced on Wednesday, following the government’s call for more gas to fuel onshore power and petrochemical projects. The “Wales Gas Vision”, outlined by Exxon’s Guyana head, Alistair Routledge, at an energy conference in Georgetown, is set to provide gas for several petrochemical and power projects through a $1 billion pipeline completed last year.
** A Slovenian propulsion technologies company has made something that could revolutionize the electric vehicle industry. According to Green Car Reports, Elaphe has created in-wheel motors that are compatible with high-performance brakes, and they’re intended for EVs and hybrids.
** The CEO of Airbus said Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac could disrupt the dominance of his company and Boeing. At a press conference on Thursday after announcing Airbus’ annual results, Guillaume Faury said the sector could go “from a duopoly to a potential triopoly.”
** The Philippines says China is “hindering” its companies from exploring natural resources in the South China Sea. The South China Sea is a key shipping route that holds major oil and gas reserves.
