Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Osnabrueck / Munich, February 26, 2026. The global logistics service provider Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and Exotec, a specialist in warehouse automation solutions and scalable robotics systems for intralogistics, have signed a global framework agreement. The partnership aims to advance automation within Hellmann Contract Logistics and transform key supply chain processes through a consistent goods-to-person fulfillment approach. 

February 25 2026 – Global investors are rotating away from US equities despite President Trump's stock market optimism in last night's State of the Union speech, asserts the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organizations.

The analysis from Nigel Green of deVere Group comes as President Trump used his State of the Union address to spotlight record highs in US stock markets, presenting equity performance as clear evidence of economic strength under his administration.

Yet fresh investor positioning data indicate one of the most significant rotations away from US equities in decades.

Although US benchmarks have touched record territory in recent months, performance this year has lagged major European and Asian indices.

The S&P 500 has traded in a narrow and largely directionless range, modestly negative on the year, even as overseas markets advance.

Regular global fund manager surveys show the strongest positive allocation to eurozone assets on record.

Over recent months, overweight positions in European equities have surged, while underweight allocations to US stocks have more than tripled.

Nigel Green, Founder and CEO of deVere Group, says: “President Trump is right to highlight record market levels. But markets are forward-looking mechanisms. When we examine capital flows rather than speeches, we see a clear and measurable broadening of exposure beyond the US.

“Market participants report that while large-scale capital flight is not occurring, incremental global flows are increasingly being directed away from the United States.”

He continues: “For more than a decade, US exceptionalism has anchored global portfolios, driven largely by tech sector dominance.

“As volatility increases around AI-related names and economic growth moderates to 1.4% annualized, allocators are reassessing concentration risk.”

The shift reflects multiple converging pressures. The extraordinary reliance on a narrow group of large-cap tech stocks has left US indices vulnerable to sector-specific pullbacks.

At the same time, improving fiscal momentum in parts of Europe, particularly Germany, and stabilising sentiment indicators across the eurozone are encouraging a reweighting of global exposure.

Importantly, recent policy adjustments from Washington, including recalibrations around tariffs, have not triggered a sustained rebound in US equity leadership. Relative performance trends suggest the reallocation is structural rather than reactive.

The deVere CEO adds: “Of course, the US remains a core engine of global growth.

“But capital markets evolve. Investors aren't reducing US exposure out of sentiment; they're, sensibly, increasing diversification because risk-adjusted opportunities are broadening elsewhere.”

Record inflows into European equity funds underscore the scale of the shift. For the first time in decades, the dominance of US equities within global benchmark allocations is being actively questioned by institutional investors.

The contrast between the State of the Union emphasis on record highs and the quieter rebalancing within global portfolios highlights a defining feature of 2026 markets: headline index levels alone no longer dictate capital direction.

As the year progresses, sustained earnings breadth and renewed sector leadership will determine whether US equities regain relative momentum.

For now, the data show that global capital is incrementally repositioning, with the balance of flows suggesting the shift is gathering pace.

Nigel Green concludes: “President Trump's State of the Union address celebrated where markets have been. Investors are positioning for where they are going.

“Those are, perhaps, two very different conversations.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Most comprehensive study to date linking global air connectivity and multinational investment, covering 7.5 million firms and 400,000 flight routes over 30 years
Beyond evaluating number of direct connections, the researchers' new methodology – measuring pairwise connectivity, and degree, betweenness and eigenvector centrality – identifies the deeper network factors that shape global investment
Knowledge-intensive sectors such as finance, technology and professional services are especially sensitive to the quality of a city’s global air links

Singapore, 23 January 2026: A new study by the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology’s (SMART) Mens, Manus & Machina (M3S)interdisciplinary research group, alongside collaborators from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and National University of Singapore (NUS), has identified a strong statistical association between global air connectivity and patterns of where multinational corporations (MNCs) invest and set up subsidiaries. This is the most comprehensive global study merging 7.5 million firm records with 30 years of international flight data across more than 800 cities in 142 countries.
 
Illustrative snapshot of global air network as of 2019 and top hubs by eigenvector centrality. Nodes represent airport cities and links denote direct flight routes, while node size and colour highlight the most central cities as measured by eigenvector centrality. The right panel ranks the top 20 cities. 2019 data is shown here as it represents normal operating conditions, and key findings remain consistent over three decades. (Photo: SMART M3S)
 
The study’s significance lies in its unprecedented scale and its new methodology, which goes beyond evaluating the number of direct routes. Previous studies typically examined a small set of large global cities, specific regions or domestic flights, and often covered only short time periods. Additionally, the effect of air connectivity on a city’s attractiveness is often only assessed using local connectivity measures, such as total passenger flows or the number of direct flights to other cities. However, this overlooks the topological configuration of the global air transportation network and the influence of indirectly connected airport cities.
 
“Rigorous and data-driven research around connectivity is essential to understanding the forces that shape our cities and economies and to uncover the hidden infrastructure that enables global businesses. As cities become more interconnected and strive to evolve into global hubs, insights from large-scale, interdisciplinary research such as this will be critical to guiding sustainable growth,” said Fabio Duarte, Principal Investigator at M3S, associate director of MIT’s Senseable City Lab and co-corresponding author of the paper.
 
A new lens on a city’s economic competitiveness
The study, titled “Air Connectivity Boosts Urban Attractiveness for Global Firms” and recently published in Nature Cities, adopted a broader methodological approach. Analysing an unprecedented dataset allowed them to observe how improvements in air travel networks influence the expansion of MNCs into new cities.
 
The research combines firm-level records from the Orbis database with international flight data from the International Civil Aviation Organisation over three decades, from 1993 to 2023.
 
The study first evaluated pairwise connectivity — the number of direct and indirect flights between the cities in which parent companies and their subsidiaries are located. Then, to evaluate global connectivity, the researchers analysed patterns in the air travel network using network-based centrality measures – including degree (number of direct flight connections), closeness (how easily a city can reach others with minimal layovers), betweenness (how often a city acts as a transfer point between other cities) and eigenvector (a city’s flight routes and the connectedness of its linked destinations) centrality. The study found that pairwise connectivity, alongside degree, betweenness and eigenvector centrality, play a significant role in shaping where multinational corporations establish subsidiaries.
 
Key findings
Fewer layovers meant more subsidiaries: The study provided strong empirical evidence that air traffic connectivity is a critical coordination infrastructure for multinational corporations, showing a clear correlation between flight convenience and foreign investment. Even one layover is associated with an average of 20% fewer subsidiaries being established, and this rises to 34% with two or more layovers.
 
Quality of flight connections matters most: A city’s eigenvector centrality – capturing not only a city’s own flight routes but also its indirect connections through its destinations, reflecting its embeddedness in the global air network – was found to be the strongest predictor of how many foreign subsidiaries it attracted. Cities with flight connections to influential global flight hubs consistently outperform those with more flight connections but to less-connected destinations – a 10% increase in eigenvector centrality is associated with nearly a 1% increase in the number of foreign subsidiaries.
 
Knowledge-intensive sectors rely on connectivity: The impact of air connectivity is especially pronounced in industries that depend on frequent face-to-face interaction, including finance, consulting, technology and other knowledge-based services. For these sectors, direct flights and strong global connections are especially important for attracting investment, while the effect is much weaker for others such as manufacturing and retail.
 
Singapore among highly connected cities
Singapore hosts roughly 6,000 large- and medium-sized foreign-owned subsidiaries with a minimum annual revenue of US$5million – the highest number for any city. In the connectivity metrics studied, Singapore scores highly on eigenvector centrality – alongside other cities such as London, Paris, Hong Kong, Dubai and Tokyo – reflecting its strategic links to other well-connected airports. These patterns suggest that global connectivity is a contributing factor – among other unobserved factors – that may shape where multinational firms choose to locate.
 
Global distribution of MNC’s subsidiaries in 2023. Each dot represents an airport city, with colour shading indicating the number of subsidiaries of foreign MNCs in 2023 (red represents the highest number). The right panel ranks the top 20 cities by subsidiary count. (Photo: SMART M3S)
 
“By looking beyond simple counts of routes and examining how cities are embedded in the wider air network, our study reveals the deeper structural factors that shape multinational expansion. It demonstrates that firms respond not only to a city’s direct access, but also to the strategic advantages conferred by its position within global connectivity,” shared Wen-Chi Liao, Associate Professor of Real Estate and Assistant Dean at the NUS Business School, Visiting Associate Professor at the MIT Center for Real Estate (CRE) and one of the authors of the paper.
 
Navigating the path to global competitiveness
The practical implications of these findings are significant for policymakers, urban planners and business leaders. Notably, the patterns and findings identified in the study have remained strong throughout the 30-year period, even amidst massive changes in how businesses operate and connect – shaped by shifts such as the internet, rapid digital advances, teleconferencing and digital collaboration tools, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This enduring relationship underscores the importance of maintaining and strengthening strategic air connections to increase a city’s attractiveness to multinational firms and foreign investment.
 
For Singapore, the research suggests that its continued focus on innovation and strategic planning in aviation has proven to be essential, particularly as global competition intensifies.
 
“This study highlights important implications for urban planning and economic policy, as air connectivity isn’t just about adding more routes for travel – it’s about sustaining economic vibrancy and being attractive to MNCs. The results are clear – being connected to influential hubs is critical in better overcoming coordination barriers and accelerating business expansion,” saidAmbra Amico, Postdoctoral Researcher at M3S and co-corresponding author of the paper.
 
As global competition and trade frictions intensify, cities that prioritise not just the quantity but the quality of their air network connections will be best positioned to attract foreign investment and drive sustainable economic growth.
 
“With trade and geopolitical frictions, it’s more and more important to have face-to-face interactions to build trust for global trade and business. You still need to reach an actual place and see your business partners, so cities with good air connectivity really influences how global business copes with global uncertainties,”, said Siqi Zheng, Principal Investigator at M3S, Professor and Faculty Director of MIT Center for Real Estate, and one of the authors of the paper.
 
The research conducted at SMART was supported by the National Research Foundation Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme.

Construction is underway on a hybrid power station near Miles that will support Arrow Energy’s Surat Gas Project (SGP) North, demonstrating how natural gas and renewables can work together to deliver safe, reliable and cleaner energy.

The hybrid facility, which includes a planned solar farm, will supply electricity to Arrow’s field compression station, where gas will be processed in readiness for market.

Up to 90 jobs will be created during the construction phase of the power station, which, once operational, will be fuelled by a mix of gas, solar and battery.

Arrow Energy Chief Executive Officer XinMiao Tong said the power station will provide electricity for Arrow’s operations.

“The hybrid station is a power solution for the future and a strong demonstration of how gas and renewables can work together for cleaner, smarter energy,” Mr Tong said.

“By integrating solar generation and battery storage with gas-powered electricity, we will strengthen our operational resilience while improving our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions footprint as we produce essential energy for Queensland and beyond.

“With natural gas expected to remain an important part of the energy mix for several decades to come, integrated solutions such as this are the shape of things to come.

“Arrow has significantly reduced its emission intensity across our gas operations over the past decade, and this hybrid power solution is the next step in supporting Australia’s net zero ambitions.”

Once operational in 2027, the power station is expected to supply up to 186 gigawatt hours of electricity each year, with approximately 20 per cent generated from solar.

Global energy solutions provider Aggreko will develop, own and operate the facility under a 20‑year agreement with Arrow Energy.

Aggreko APAC Managing Director George Whyte said the project highlighted the role of hybrid energy solutions in supporting major regional developments.

This project represents an important milestone for the region and for the future of hybrid energy in Australia,” Mr Whyte said. “The combination of thermal generation, solar power and battery storage delivers a robust energy platform that supports Arrow’s operational reliability and contributes to Queensland’s broader decarbonisation goals.”

“Our long-term agreement with Arrow Energy underscores Aggreko’s commitment to being a reliable partner in delivering innovative, loweremissions energy solutions. We look forward to supporting local job creation during construction and playing a role in the continued growth of the Surat Basin.”

Aggreko is proud to support Arrow’s operational reliability, and this investment reflects our long-term commitment to partnering with industry to reduce GHG emissions, improve efficiency and enhance resilience across remote and energy-intensive operations.

Aggreko’s ESG strategy is underpinned by two goals:

Net zero emissions from facilities and operations by 2035
30% reduction in the emissions intensity of energy solutions by 2030.

These environmental commitments sit alongside the company’s social and governance commitments: investing in its own skills and communities and being an ethical and transparent business.

The hybrid power station will include:

• a 17 MWp solar farm (subject to final government approvals) 
• an 8.4 MVA / 16 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS)
• a 33.75 MVA gas‑fired thermal power station.

Construction will be delivered in two stages. The thermal power station and battery system are planned to be operational by mid-2027, followed by the solar farm by the end of 2027.

At peak operations, the solar and battery component is expected to reduce annual fuel gas consumption by around 385,000 gigajoules and cut GHG emissions by approximately 21,000 tonnes of CO₂‑e per year, when compared to a power station fuelled only by natural gas.

The project will also deliver local economic benefits, creating up to 90 jobs during construction and increasing local spend in the Miles and wider Surat Basin region.

KEY FACTS – SGP NORTH HYBRID POWER STATION

• Supports Arrow Energy’s Surat Gas Project (SGP) North near Miles
• Supplies power to the SGP North Field Compression Station
• Hybrid facility using gas, solar and battery storage to generate power 
• Up to 186 GWh of electricity supplied each year once operational
• Approximately 20 per cent of energy generated from solar
• Construction commenced in 2026; fully operational in 2027
• Up to 90 jobs created during construction
• Reduction of approximately 21,000 tonnes CO₂‑e per year at peak operations (when compared to a power station fuelled by natural gas only) 

About Aggreko

Aggreko is a global leader in engineered energy and temperature solutions. We design, deploy and optimise the flexible energy and temperature solutions that are essential to our customers’ operations.

We work across all major industries and bring deep sector expertise to shaping solutions around our customers’ needs. We use our experience working in demanding environments and with complex applications to engineer reliable, efficient and sustainable solutions that meet our customers’ needs, from critical emergencies to long-term energy security.

Founded in 1962, we created the category and continue to lead it. In a world of growing energy demand and an increasing focus on sustainability, we are setting the pace. We are investing in new markets, new applications and the sustainable equipment, fuels and services that power our customers and their energy transition, wherever they are on their journey.

Headquartered in the UK, we employ over 6,900 people worldwide and are active in over 70 countries. We are part of the Aggreko group which includes specialists in every aspect of energy and temperature control.

For more information, please visit our website at www.aggreko.com

The Hague, the Netherlands, 24 February 2026 – EviSafe, an AI-driven safety and evidence app for victims of domestic and sexual violence, is expanding its impact through a new pilot with the City of The Hague. The app combines hands-free emergency alerts with legally valid evidence collection, addressing one of the most persistent barriers in tackling violence at home or outside.

Through the Support, Empowerment and Prevention (SEP) module, the city is now able to add and manage local information within the app, tailored to specific target groups and neighborhoods. This allows users to immediately find relevant local services such as shelters, victim support organisations and care providers.  

Violence behind closed doors often remains invisible. Only one in ten victims of domestic or sexual violence reports an incident, largely due to stigma and a lack of evidence. The app is built on three pillars – Support, Empower and Prevention – and uses artificial intelligence to recognise danger and activate help when victims need it most.

“From personal experience, I know how crucial it is to have proof, but even more so to have the ability to call for help the moment you need it. With EviSafe, users can set their own code words. When a code word is recognised, the app automatically records for five minutes and can alert a trusted contact. That combination of immediate support and secure evidence can make a real difference in moments where safety is most needed” Noami Hija, CEO EviSafe.

The app will start recording and call for help when a safe word that people can include themselves is identified. This safe word can be said out loud and will be detected even when the phone is in your bag or on your nightstand. A second password can also be included, which allows the user to use a distress password to quickly wipe information if needed. The recording complies with data-privacy rules, as the Dutch Criminal Code states that recordings may be made if the individual is part of the conversation. Therefore, the recorded audios made during an incident of violence or threats are to be used in court as evidence.  

EviSafe’s Android version is available in English and Dutch and will increase its visibility by adding additional languages and expanding it to iOS. EviSafe aims to cooperate with other municipalities, encouraging more cities to make essential support information digitally accessible.

EviSafe’s approach has already been recognised with several awards and funds in 2025, including the AI Pitch Competition, the Pels Rijcken Access to Justice Fund, and the ImpactCity The Hague Innovators Challenge Award. On 27 November 2025, EviSafe marked its two-year anniversary during the Orange the World campaign, which calls attention to the global fight against violence towards women and girls.  

Read the full story and listen to the interview with Naomi about EviSafe on Stories of Purpose from The Hague: https://storiesofpurpose.thehague.com/impact/new-app-evisafe-empowering-victims-domestic-abuse-and-stalking

About The Hague & Partners

The window to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is narrowing and regional progress must speed up. This was the clear message set forth as government officials, development experts, business leaders, civil society representatives and youth gathered today for the opening of the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) in Bangkok.

“The recent weakening of multilateralism threatens to erode the global partnerships we have forged and to unravel established channels for technology transfers, as well as the financing needed for sustainable development,” said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).  

She added, “With Asia and the Pacific now a stronghold for both technology and finance, the region holds the means of implementation for sustainable development in its hands.  We must collectively consider anew how regional cooperation could provide solutions for our rapidly evolving world.”

H.E. Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) underscored the importance of the Pact for the Future which reaffirmed commitments to strengthen multilateralism and reform international cooperation. “When Asia and the Pacific act collectively – whether on climate resilience, connectivity, trade or social protection – it reinforces stability, reduces fragmentation and strengthens the credibility of the international system. Strong regional cooperation does not dilute global ambition; it anchors it in practical collaboration and shared accountability.”

Persistent development gaps highlight need for practical action    

H.E. Fane Fotu Fituafe, Minister of Internal Affairs of Tonga was elected as Chair of the 13th APFSD. She emphasized the four-day Forum's importance as a key platform to review regional progress and discuss equitable, innovative, coordinated actions for sustainable development priorities moving forward at a fast pace.

Progress has remained imbalanced across the region. While access to basic drinking water and sanitation has improved over the past decade, safely managed sanitation services remain uneven, especially in poorer and climate-vulnerable countries. Droughts, floods and saltwater intrusion are making water security more fragile, particularly in landlocked developing countries and small island developing States.

Electricity access is now nearly universal across the region. But in many remote rural and island communities, power supply remains unreliable and expensive. Connecting the “last mile” and making energy affordable is still a major challenge.

The region has also expanded digital infrastructure rapidly. Yet being connected does not always mean being included. Gaps persist in digital skills, affordability and accessibility, especially for persons with disabilities and low-income households.

Beyond regional commitments, much of the work will depend on national and local action. Speakers at the APFSD further emphasized three practical enablers: political leadership willing to take difficult decisions, better use of timely data to adapt policies as conditions change, and stronger collaboration with businesses and civil society to deliver results on the ground.

Wannapong Yodmuang, representative from the Asia-Pacific People's Forum called for development to be rooted in human rights, care, justice and accountability. “Decision-making power must shift to the people most affected – leading solutions for their own communities.”

“We urge meaningful and sustained engagement for young people. Our recommendations are grounded in equity and justice, and we insist that every young person, in all our diversity, is recognized, included and empowered without exception,” shared youth representative Michelin Sallata.

New regional report highlights rising urban inequality; calls for inclusive and resilient solutions    

On the sidelines of the Forum, ESCAP, together with the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme, also launched the 2026 Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report, Inclusive Urban Futures: From Inequality to Opportunity. The report warns that while cities in Asia and the Pacific are growing rapidly, inequality is growing alongside them: 697 million people live in slums, more than 65% of urban workers are in informal jobs, and 2.3 billion people breathe unsafe air.

The report calls for urgent action to make cities more inclusive and resilient. It showcases people-centred solutions that deliver results, including community-led housing and service delivery, initiatives to expand decent work and social protection for informal workers, and approaches to improve air quality, waste management and climate resilience.

For further information: https://www.unescap.org/events/apfsd13    

Watch the proceedings: https://www.youtube.com/unescap

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the most inclusive intergovernmental platform in the Asia-Pacific region. The Commission promotes cooperation among its 53 member States and 9 associate members in pursuit of solutions to sustainable development challenges. ESCAP is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.

BRISBANE, February 24, 2026 – From Boston to Brisbane and Beyond.

MassRobotics Co-Founder Joyce Sidopoulos and Director of Growth Marita McGinn completed a five-day national tour anchored by the launch of Propel-AIR 2.0, Australia's robotics and AI accelerator program.

The visit took them from ARM Hub in Brisbane to Sydney's leading universities and industry partners, connecting Australian founders and researchers directly to one of the world's most active robotics ecosystems.

Regional airline and air charter company Skytrans Australia, a part of Avia Solutions Group, is further expanding its regional aviation network with the launch of a new charter regional air route between Sydney and Cobar.

Skytrans Australia has established itself as a leading operator in the Australian regional aviation market. The airline is committed to long-term sustainable growth, continually expanding its turboprop fleet and adding new regional routes to strengthen the delivery of reliable and affordable air services to rural, regional, and remote communities

Weekly flights from Sydney to Cobar commenced on January 19th, 2026. The first phase of these flights will continue until mid-May 2026. The route will be serviced by 36-seat Dash 8-200 aircraft based in Sydney, which also operate the recently launched Skytrans services between Sydney and Lord Howe Island.

“This new charter service to the Copper City, renowned for its rich mining history and heritage, reinforces our ongoing commitment to strengthening the delivery of reliable and affordable air services to rural, regional and remote communities”, said Skytrans Chief Commercial Officer Richard George. “It is an exciting opportunity and a genuine privilege to continue to extend our flight network into the regions, strengthening partnerships and supporting the ongoing development of regional communities and their economic wellbeing.”

Skytrans operates a fleet of Dash 8 turboprops and Airbus A319 jets across domestic Australia. Skytrans is planning further regional network expansion with both scheduled and contracted flying.

Skytrans Australia is uniquely placed as a beneficial partner across the regional aviation sector. Skytrans can help upgrade, grow and maintain essential regional air services with aircraft fleet strategies, ACMI and hybrid leasing models, and maintenance and operational solutions for any regional carrier operating across Australia.

23 FEBRUARY 2026 – Equinor ASA announced on 29 October 2025 a cash dividend per share of USD 0.37 for third quarter 2025.

The NOK cash dividend per share is based on average USDNOK fixing rate from Norges Bank in the period plus/minus three business days from record date 17 February 2026, in total seven business days.

Average Norges Bank fixing rate for this period was 9.5267. Total cash dividend for third quarter 2025 is consequently NOK 3.5249 per share.

On 27 February 2026, the cash dividend will be paid to relevant shareholders on Oslo Børs (Oslo Stock Exchange) and to holders of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) on New York Stock Exchange.

This information is published in accordance with the requirements of the Continuing Obligations and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.