S&P Global Inc. - SPGI STOCK NEWS

International Seaways Inc. (NYSE: INSW) will replace Consolidated Communications Holdings (NASD: CNSL) in the S&P SmallCap 600 index effective prior to trading on Monday, December 30, 2024. The change comes as Searchlight Capital Partners and British Columbia Investment Management (BCI) are finalizing their acquisition of Consolidated Communications. The transition will see International Seaways joining the index under the Energy sector, while Consolidated Communications will be removed from the Communication Services sector.

NiSource (NYSE: NI) has been included in the 2024 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the 11th consecutive year. The company, which serves approximately 3.3 million natural gas and 500,000 electric customers across six states, scored above the industry mean in all ESG categories.

NiSource particularly excelled in areas including waste and water management, climate strategy, business ethics, and occupational health and safety. The DJSI, launched in 1999, measures company performance using environmental, social, and governance criteria, comparing peer companies on ESG risks, opportunities, and impacts.

The recognition reflects NiSource's commitment to environmental stewardship and its mission to deliver safe, reliable energy while driving value for customers and supporting economic development in served communities.

S&P Global Commodity Insights reports that methane emissions from oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin decreased 26% in 2023, equivalent to 34 billion cubic feet reduction. This decline equals the carbon emissions avoided by all U.S. electric vehicles that year, or approximately 18.5 million tons of CO2 emissions avoided.

The analysis, conducted with Insight M, used nearly 700 high-resolution aerial surveys covering 88% of the basin's active wells. Despite increased oil and gas production, the basin's methane intensity dropped by over 30%. The methane emissions represented 1.36% of the region's total 2023 production of over 23 bcf per day, with methane intensity at 0.63% of total production.

The improvement is attributed to better equipment and new technologies, including AI-driven analysis and enhanced leak detection methods.

Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT) has achieved notable recognition by being included in the S&P Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the fourth consecutive year and the North America Index for the fourteenth consecutive year. The company scored in the 98th percentile in the Building Products industry, with a perfect score of 100 in the Energy category.

The company recently became the first in its industry to commit to a 40% reduction in embodied carbon through supplier partnerships and circular design criteria. This builds on their 2030 Sustainability Commitments and net-zero by 2050 pledge, with emissions reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative.

Additional recognitions include placement in The Wall Street Journal's Management Top 250, Extel's 2024 All-America Executive Team, and TIME's inaugural World's Best Companies for Sustainable Growth ranking.

S&P Global Mobility forecasts global new light vehicle sales to reach 89.6 million units in 2025, representing a 1.7% year-over-year increase. The forecast reflects cautious recovery growth amid various challenges, including high interest rates, affordability issues, and changing EV adoption rates. The outlook considers several factors: improved supply, tariff impacts, elevated vehicle prices, and electrification challenges.

Key regional forecasts include: Western/Central Europe expected to flatline around 15 million units (+0.1%), US projected at 16.2 million units (+1.2%), and Mainland China forecast at 26.6 million units (+3.0%). Global battery electric vehicle sales are expected to reach 15.1 million units in 2025, up 30% from 2024, representing 16.7% of global light vehicle sales.

S&P Global Mobility forecasts December 2024 U.S. auto sales to reach 1.45 million units, maintaining a 16.5 million SAAR (seasonally adjusted annual rate). The fourth quarter's selling rate average of 16.4 million units marks the highest quarterly average since Q2 2021. For 2025, sales volumes are projected to reach 16.18 million units, a modest 1.2% increase from 2024's estimated 16.0 million units.

The report highlights ongoing challenges including high vehicle pricing, though expected to decline, and sticky inflation despite anticipated lower interest rates. Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) share has consistently exceeded 8% since June, with December projections exceeding 9.0%, potentially driven by anticipated withdrawal of Federal EV incentives in 2025.

Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) has maintained its position on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the 15th consecutive year and the DJSI North America Index for the seventh consecutive year. The company achieved an impressive score of 83 out of 100 in the 2024 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, leading the building products industry.

The company's sustainability achievements include ranking in the top 10 of 3BL's 100 Best Corporate Citizens list for the seventh consecutive year, and placing 41st overall and 10th in social responsibility on the Wall Street Journal's Top 250 Best-Managed Companies list. Chief Sustainability Officer David Rabuano emphasized the company's commitment to building a sustainable future through material innovation.

S&P Global's new study projects significant economic benefits from growing U.S. LNG exports through 2040, including support for 500,000 domestic jobs annually and a $1.3 trillion contribution to U.S. GDP. The analysis forecasts U.S. LNG export capacity to double within five years under their Base Case scenario, which accounts for the 2024 pause on LNG export decisions to non-free trade agreement countries.

The study anticipates $2.5 trillion in total U.S. business revenues, $166 billion in federal and state tax revenues, and $500 billion in labor income. According to Daniel Yergin, S&P Global Vice Chairman, U.S. LNG has already demonstrated strategic importance by replacing nearly half of Russia's gas supply to Europe following the Ukraine war, while domestic natural gas prices are expected to remain among the world's lowest.

S&P Global Market Intelligence has released its Top 10 Economic Insights for 2025, highlighting a challenging economic outlook dominated by policy uncertainties. The report, presented by Global Economist Ken Wattret, indicates that renewed inflationary pressures are expected to pause the Fed's easing cycle, leading to less accommodative global financial conditions.

Key insights include: a U.S. soft landing with increased downside risks; slower growth in mainland China due to potential tariffs and property sector challenges; Western European economies facing technical recession risks; emerging economies confronting less favorable financial conditions; divergent inflation dynamics across regions; and persistent U.S. dollar strength. The report also addresses core inflation trends, commodity price forecasts, and concerns about fiscal deficits and debt sustainability.