The latest Market Talks covering the Auto and Transport sector. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.

1441 ET - Investors will likely focus on the pace of Tesla's robotaxi deployment when the company reports 2Q results slated for next week, according to Bank of America in a note. Tesla missed an original target of having robotaxis in nine cities by the first half of this year, with operations in five markets and four others in preparation, analysts Alexander Perry and Jack Joyce say. The Texas fleet is scaling quickly, they say, but their analysis of San Francisco robotaxis indicates that demand is still outpacing supply. They are bullish on Tesla's long-term opportunity in robotaxis, which are expected to be "the most significant change agent in the Auto 2.0 landscape, offering consumers more time, safer travel, and more accessible transportation." Tesla is off 2.5%. (elias.schisgall@wsj.com)

0915 ET - European natural gas prices have climbed to their highest level since late March and are on track for a weekly gain of more than 18%. According to Commerzbank, prices are being supported not only by concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, low European gas storage, and strong Asian LNG demand, but also by two new risks: the partial outage at the U.S. Freeport LNG terminal until at least the end of August--which primarily supplies Europe, accounting for 60%-70% of its LNG exports--and forecast U.S. heatwaves that are expected to boost domestic gas demand, reducing LNG available for export. The benchmark Dutch TTF contract is up 5.1% at 57.72 euros a megawatt-hour.(giulia.petroni@wsj.com)

0856 ET - Autoliv second-quarter earnings are broadly in line with expectations, so the initial 5% share price decline looks excessive, SB1 Markets analyst Edvin Jabeskog writes. The bank expects limited forecast revisions. Net sales amounted to $2.83 billion, compared to consensus of $2.76 billion, while adjusted EBIT was $270 million compared to the expected $268 million. Organic growth was 1%--exceeding the 0.3% decrease in global vehicle production--driven by strong development in Asia. Company guidance was reiterated and share buybacks will continue. SB1 Markets reiterates its buy rating on the stock with a 1,390 Swedish kronor target price. Shares fall 4.4% to 1,152 kronor. (dominic.chopping@wsj.com)

0847 ET - Volvo Car reported a weaker-than-expected second-quarter adjusted EBIT, which will likely lead to a 4%-6% reduction in market profit forecasts, SB1 Markets analyst Edvin Jabeskog writes. The company reported net sales that were 5.8% below consensus with adjusted EBIT 36% below, Jabeskog says. The adjusted EBIT margin of 1.1% compares to an expected 1.6%. The result is explained by a weak development in China, inventory sales and discounts. At the same time, management highlights cost savings, a positive view of volumes in the second half of the year, expectations of strong cash flow and two upcoming model launches. SB1 Markets rates Volvo Car at neutral with a 23 kronor price target. Shares fall 9.3% to 19.19 kronor. (dominic.chopping@wsj.com)

0824 ET - Oil prices extend gains in early U.S. trade, with Brent crude up 2.1% to $86.02 a barrel and WTI futures rising 2.4% to $80.15 a barrel. Escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran are curbing flows through the Strait of Hormuz and raising fears of a full-blown conflict as the two sides attack energy infrastructure in the Gulf region. Meanwhile, all eyes are on the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the gateway to the Red Sea that market watchers fear could become a target for Yemen's Houthi rebels. While in February just under 3.9 million barrels a day were transported through this strait, the figure rose to about 7.2 million barrels in April, highlighting the growing importance of the shipping route, analysts at Commerzbank say. (giulia.petroni@wsj.com)

0614 ET - Ryanair's earnings forecasts have held up and the valuation gap with European peers is widening, making a solid case for the stock to recover some of its recent weakness, Citi analysts say in a research note. Shares of the Dublin-listed carrier have weakened versus Europe's major airlines this year, trailing by around 15 percentage points despite a lack of earnings outlook downgrades from the company, the analysts say. The budget carrier's fares appear set to stabilize, while airlines such as Lufthansa could face weaker pricing and pressure on earnings later this year, they add. Shares trade 1.3% lower at 26.3 euros. (nina.kienle@wsj.com)

0559 ET - Singapore Airlines could roughly break even in fiscal 1Q, UOB Kay Hian's Roy Chen writes in a note. He cites higher fuel costs and the drag from Air India as factors weighing on the bottom line. However, Chen notes in-line June operational data, with passenger loads driven by travel demand. Cargo loads rose on AI- and data-center-related movements, as well as on the front-loading of e-commerce shipments into Europe before an EU customs duty on small parcels took effect. SIA's profitability could rebound in 2Q despite renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities pushing fuel prices higher, thanks to effective cost pass-through and fuel hedging, the analyst adds. UOB KH retains a hold rating and raises its target price to S$6.76 from S$6.66. Shares ended at S$7.65. (kimberley.kao@wsj.com)

0544 ET - Volvo Car sales were 6% below consensus estimates with adjusted EBIT 25% below them, but the company has signaled improvement from here, SEB says. The adjusted EBIT margin of 1.1% compares to the consensus estimate of 1.2%. Volvo Car's forecast points to a recovery in the second half and cash flow is expected to improve gradually, meaning that free cash flow for the full year will be zero, the bank says. "The recovery is expected and the main positive factor is that the second quarter looks set to be confirmed as the quarter when it bottoms out." SEB rates Volvo Car stock at hold with a 20 Swedish kronor target price. Shares fall 7.3% to 19.60 kronor. (dominic.chopping@wsj.com)

0525 ET - Volvo Car had outlined that the second quarter would be hit by cost inflation, discounting and the tough China market, so the gross profit and EBIT miss should perhaps come as little surprise, Bernstein analysts write. Volvo reported revenue of 77.7 billion Swedish kronor, missing consensus by 6%. Its gross margin of 16.8% came in 0.9 percentage points below consensus. EBIT excluding items affecting comparability is a significant 25% miss. The weakness is driven by lower underlying wholesale volumes, softer sales mix and pricing, currency effects and a one-off sale that boosted last year's figures, the bank says. Volvo's free cash outflow of 5.2 billion kronor is considerably below consensus, which had penciled in an inflow of 1.9 billion kronor, it adds. Shares fall 6.7%. (dominic.chopping@wsj.com)

0412 ET - Recent renewed optimism on Germany's chemical manufacturer BASF is premature, since much remains uncertain around the continued conflict in the Middle East, J.P Morgan analysts say in a research note. Chemical producers in Asia, who were typically more exposed to the Strait of Hormuz for the sourcing of oil and naphtha--the key oil-based feedstock for petrochemicals--prior to the conflict, have shown greater flexibility in sourcing from alternative regions than was originally expected, the analysts say. This means that oversupply in the chemical industry might persist even in a tighter feedstock market, with potential for an even greater margin pressure, they add. Shares trade 0.2% higher at 48.49 euros. (nina.kienle@wsj.com)

0410 ET - Uber Technologies' proposed acquisition of Germany's Delivery Hero brings more economies of scale to the business while expanding its global footprint, according to Accuvest Global Advisors' Eric Clark, who manages an ETF that has Uber among its holdings. "The cross-platform growth opportunities are what gets us excited," Clark says. Users of both Uber's mobility and delivery services typically generate three times more bookings, so the deal offers potential to expand the group's gross bookings further, he says. Moreover, it is cheaper for Uber to get more business from current users than to attract new ones on its own, the investment manager adds. Delivery Hero shares trade broadly flat. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)

0311 ET - Volvo AB's better-than-expected orders in its trucks division indicates that profitability can improve from already solid levels, RBC Capital Markets analyst Nick Housden says in a research note. The Swedish truck maker surprised with order intake in both trucks and construction equipment, with the divisions benefiting from cyclical recovery, Housden says. Volvo AB beat consensus expectations for sales and adjusted earnings before interest and taxes by 1% and 2%, respectively, the analyst adds. Shares trade 2.3% higher at 349.10 kronor. (nina.kienle@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 17, 2026 16:50 ET (20:50 GMT)

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