Stories from Toulouse · France

A Molière play is scheduled to be performed tonight at the Sorano Theater in Toulouse, France. Both RFI Afrique and RFI Monde announced the cultural event.

Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales are planning to bundle their space activities to compete with SpaceX. The move aims to address market competition and prevent potential monopolies in the aerospace sector.

Airbus is considering a merger with pension companies Leonardo and Thales to compete with global rivals like SpaceX. The European Union has established conditions for such mergers, requiring them to be for Europe.

Airbus has appointed strategy consultant Eric Kirstetter to its board of directors. Airbus SE has appointed Eric Kirstetter as Executive Vice President Strategy. The appointment is effective May 18 to support the company's growth and sustainability initiatives.

Airbus reported that its earnings before interest and taxes were impacted by engine supplier issues and a weak US dollar at the start of the year. The company noted these factors as burdens on its results. A third round of negotiations is scheduled for mid-May in Potsdam.

Airbus has requested an extension for the deadline to install secondary cockpit barriers on A220 aircraft. The request follows delays related to certification processes and supply-chain issues.

Airbus reported a steep profit drop during the first three months of the year. Aircraft deliveries for the company slowed to their lowest levels since 2009. Airbus ADRs were trading down by 2.5% following the report. WTI crude was trading at $99.80, up 3.5%, while Brent crude was at $11.18, up 2.7%. The European aircraft manufacturer attributed the drop to low commercial aircraft deliveries. Despite the profit decline, the company maintains a full order book with over ten years of production at current rates. This follows a period where competitor Boeing reported record deliveries. Airbus reported that its adjusted earnings before interest and taxes halved to 300 million euros compared to the previous year. The aircraft manufacturer stated in Toulouse that revenue fell by 7 percent to under 12.7 billion euros.

The commercial court of Toulouse has granted a six-month reprieve to the last two French paper mills. This decision follows a request from the companies' directors after they declared insolvency in early April. The court's ruling aims to provide the businesses with time to restructure or find new solutions.