0815 GMT - Vestas shares fell sharply yesterday as investors were clearly spooked by headlines that President-elect Trump wants "a policy where no windmills are being built," Citi analyst Martin Wilkie writes. Attention is turning to what Trump can achieve through executive orders. Citi sees a focus on permitting for offshore turbines and in onshore on federal land. "We think that the market already expects new offshore permitting to end, and the incremental focus will be on onshore, on authorizations for renewable energy projects and grid links on federal land." Citi reiterates its buy rating and 220 Danish kroner target price. Shares trade 0.8% lower at 95.98 kroner. (dominic.chopping@wsj.com)

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China's EV Sector Could Face More Competition This Year -- Market Talk

0437 GMT - Competition could intensify for China's electric-vehicle sector in 2025, Nomura analysts write in a note. Demand is expected to be weak in January and February given rushed orders and the rise in subsidy applications for trade-ins of passenger vehicles in the final two months of 2024, they say. The beginning of the year is also traditionally a weak season for the auto sector, and the early Lunar New Year this year may further weigh on demand, the analysts say. Additionally, Beijing released the details of the trade-in program much earlier this time, Nomura notes. It views that as a sign of China's supportive stance toward auto consumption, which will likely lead to heightened industry competition. (jiahui.huang@wsj.com; @ivy_jiahuihuang)

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Crude Palm Oil Could Sustain Price Strength in 1Q -- Market Talk

0412 GMT - Crude palm oil prices could sustain their rising momentum and hover around 4,500 ringgit a ton to 5,000 ringgit a ton in the months ahead before easing, Hong Leong IB analyst Chye Wen Fei says in a note. Factors that could lead to softer CPO prices after 1Q include unsustainable palm oil price premiums, improved supply prospects due to stable weather, and potential delays in Indonesia's B40 biofuel mandate, she says. Chye maintains her 2025-2026 CPO price forecasts at MYR4,000/ton and MYR3,800/ton, respectively. The Bursa Malaysia Derivatives contract for March delivery is last at MYR4,247/ton. Hong Leong maintains a neutral rating on Malaysia's plantation sector, with IOI Corp., Hap Seng Plantations and Johor Plantations as top picks. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

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Iron Ore Drops Amid Lack of Fresh China Stimulus -- Market Talk

0250 GMT - Iron ore drops amid lack of incremental macro supportive policies from China. After repeatedly trading the prospects of more policy support in China, the market can no longer maintain optimistic expectations that more economic aid is on the way in the short term, New Century Futures says in a research note. There is room for Chinese steel mills to replenish their warehouses before the Lunar New Year, but their profitability remains low, it says. Iron ore's surplus pattern may last throughout 2025, prompting prices to start a downward correction, it adds. The most-traded iron-ore contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange is down 0.7% at 745.5 yuan a ton. (sherry.qin@wsj.com)

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Lithium Dealmaking Spree Likely to Continue Amid Downturn -- Market Talk

0031 GMT - Mergers and acquisitions are likely to remain prevalent in the global lithium industry, as valuations decline on expectations for lower lithium prices in the medium term, Goldman Sachs analysts say in a note. The lithium market should be soft again this year as a number of projects ramp up, say the analysts. They reckon producers will be focused on cost-cutting and production efficiency. "Over the medium- to longer-term, we continue to prefer briners over miners," say the analysts, adding that price weakness and new discoveries could make many small, low-quality or remote spodumene deposits less likely to be developed. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)


Write to Barcelona Editors at barcelonaeditors@dowjones.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-09-25 0924ET