TOKYO: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday there was no need for the government to lower its stake in Renault and that he wanted the Renault-Nissan alliance to work on strengthening its synergies.
Relations have been strained between the alliance members since the shock arrest in November of former boss Carlos Ghosn, but Macron referred to that as an individual situation that should not have a bearing on their partnership.
“Nothing in this situation justifies changing the cross shareholdings, the rules of governance, and the state’s shareholding in Renault, which has nothing to do with Nissan,” Macron told reporters.
Macron’s comment contradicts recent remarks by Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire that the government was ready to reduce its 15 percent stake in Renault in the interest of bolstering the automaker’s alliance with Japan’s Nissan Motor.
“I wish for the group to maintain its stability concentrating on the essential and that synergies between Renault and Nissan continue to be strengthened,” said Macron, who was in Japan on an official state visit ahead of the G20 in Osaka.
“The future of the group is how it can become leader in electric vehicles and one of the leaders in autonomous vehicles … I think the future is more of a growing integration.”
Despite the French government’s frequent calls for Renault and Nissan to strengthen their partnership, Nissan has been unhappy with what it sees as an unequal relationship and has rebuffed previous suggestions of an outright merger.
Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan which has surpassed its French partner in size since being rescued by it two decades ago. Nissan holds a 15 percent, non-voting stake in its partner.
Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa said at a shareholders’ meeting this week the Japanese automaker would “postpone discussions” on the future direction of the alliance as it prioritized recovery of its financial performance.
No need to lower French government’s stake in Renault: Macron
No need to lower French government’s stake in Renault: Macron
- Relations have been strained between the alliance members since the shock arrest in November of former boss Carlos Ghosn
- Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan, which in turn holds a 15 percent, non-voting stake in its French partner
Qatar lists first green sukuk as Al Rayan raises $137m
RIYADH: Qatar Stock Exchange listed its first green sukuk after Al Rayan Bank raised 500 million Qatari riyals ($137 million), expanding the range of sustainable Islamic finance instruments in the market.
The three-year sukuk carries an annual profit rate of 4.25 percent and is listed on QSE’s debt market, according to Qatar News Agency. The issuance is the first green sukuk in Qatar’s financial market and the first by an entity registered with the Qatar Financial Centre to be locally listed, cleared and settled.
The listing reflects efforts to deepen Qatar’s debt market and broaden access to Shariah-compliant instruments aligned with environmental, social and governance standards as investor demand for sustainable assets grows globally.
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Ansari, CEO of QSE, said: “The listing of the first green sukuk in QSE’s history represents a significant milestone in the development of Qatar’s capital market. It reflects our commitment to expanding the range of sustainable, Shariah-compliant financing instruments and enhancing the depth and diversity of the debt market in line with global best practices.”
He added: “This achievement also underscores QSE’s role as an integrated platform capable of supporting innovative financing solutions that align with national development priorities and long-term sustainability goals.”
Al Rayan Bank CEO Fahad Abdullah Al-Khalifa said the issuance underscores the lender’s ambition to lead in ESG-linked Islamic finance while strengthening the domestic capital markets infrastructure.
“By offering the first green sukuk to be listed, cleared, and settled in Qatar, we are not only reinforcing our role as a forward-looking institution but also contributing to the development of the local capital markets infrastructure,” he added.
Al Rayan Bank said the issuance reflects its ambition to play a leading role in advancing Qatar’s sustainable finance ecosystem by aligning Islamic banking principles with financing structures designed to deliver long-term value.
The listing comes amid continued development of QSE’s debt market, which has recently introduced inaugural corporate bonds, Islamic sukuk and sustainable bonds.
The green sukuk provides investors with a tradable Shariah-compliant asset that combines financial returns with environmental objectives, supporting portfolio diversification while reinforcing sustainability standards in the local market.
