The latest Market Talks covering Energy markets. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires throughout the day.

0610 GMT - Sembcorp Industries' recent acquisition of Australia's Alinta Energy is likely to be high single-digit earnings accretive, but its gearing may rise, Maybank Research's Krishna Guha says in a research report. The deal offers a scalable platform with high-quality assets and will diversify the Singapore-listed conglomerate's footprint in an AAA-rated geography with regulatory certainty, the analyst says. However, Sembcorp Industries' net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA will probably rise to 4.6X from 3.6X. Maybank Research cuts its 2025 and 2026 earnings forecasts for the conglomerate by 9.6% and 11.5%, respectively, to reflect lower contribution from renewables. It lowers the stock's target price to S$5.65 from S$6.40 with an unchanged hold rating. Shares are 0.2% lower at S$5.91. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)

0528 GMT - Oil extends gains in the Asian session after U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a "total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. "Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America," Trump posted on Truth Social, referring to U.S. warships, planes and thousands of troops deployed to the region. There are clear risks to Venezuelan oil supply, two members of ING's Commodities Strategy team say in a research report. Venezuela exported around 600,000 barrels a day of oil in November, they note. Front-month WTI crude oil futures are 1.6% higher at $56.13/bbl; front-month Brent crude oil futures are 1.5% higher at $59.79/bbl. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 17, 2025 01:10 ET (06:10 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.