Latest news with #BWB
Economic Times
a day ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Deploy Broken Wing in LIC Housing Finance to benefit from bearish outlook
The Broken Wing Options Strategy, specifically the Broken Wing Butterfly (BWB), is a variation of the classic butterfly spread, which is used to take advantage of directional market moves while reducing risk and cost. Synopsis LIC Housing Finance has entered a bearish phase after breaking down from a Rising Wedge pattern. With weakening technicals, rising volumes, and a declining RSI, analysts suggest a Broken Wing Butterfly strategy to benefit from the stock's downside while maintaining a defined risk profile. LIC Housing Finance shares are currently trading at Rs 590.30 and have recently entered a corrective phase after a prolonged consolidation. The stock had formed a Rising Wedge pattern on the daily chart—a bearish setup that often signals a potential reversal. ADVERTISEMENT After facing consistent rejection from higher levels, it has now given a breakdown below the wedge, indicating growing selling pressure and a possible trend stock has slipped below all its key short-term and medium-term exponential moving averages (EMAs), reflecting weakening structure and a lack of buying interest at crucial support zones. 'This breakdown is further supported by increasing volumes, hinting at strong participation from sellers,' noted Hardik Matalia, Derivative Analyst at Choice Broking. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently at 37.21 and trending downward, suggesting intensifying bearish momentum with room for further downside.'If LICHSGFIN breaches below the critical support level of Rs 580, it may trigger additional downside and extend the decline towards lower levels in the near term. Sustaining below this zone would validate the pattern breakdown and invite further selling interest,' he added. ADVERTISEMENT On the derivatives front, the highest Put Open Interest (OI) is at the Rs 580 strike, making it a crucial support further added that a breakdown below this could lead to unwinding of long positions. On the Call side, the highest OI is seen at Rs 600, followed by Rs 620, which are expected to act as immediate resistance levels on any attempted pullback. ADVERTISEMENT With this, Hardik Matalia suggests deploying a Broken Wing strategy in LIC Housing Finance to play the bearish outlook in the stock. The Broken Wing Options Strategy, specifically the Broken Wing Butterfly (BWB), is a variation of the classic butterfly spread, which is used to take advantage of directional market moves while reducing risk and cost. It is called a "broken wing" because one of the wings of the butterfly is intentionally unbalanced to create a skewed risk/reward strategy lowers the initial cost or generates a credit while limiting both risk and reward on one side of the trade, typically used to capitalise on small directional moves with defined risk. ADVERTISEMENT Below is the payoff graph of the strategy: (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.) (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel) Nikita Papers IPO opens on May 27, price band set at Rs 95-104 per share Nikita Papers IPO opens on May 27, price band set at Rs 95-104 per share Why gold prices could surpass $4,000: JP Morgan's bullish outlook explained Why gold prices could surpass $4,000: JP Morgan's bullish outlook explained Cyient shares fall over 9% after Q4 profit declines, core business underperforms Cyient shares fall over 9% after Q4 profit declines, core business underperforms L&T Technology Services shares slide 7% after Q4 profit dips L&T Technology Services shares slide 7% after Q4 profit dips Trump-Powell standoff puts U.S. Rate policy in crosshairs: Who will blink first? Trump-Powell standoff puts U.S. Rate policy in crosshairs: Who will blink first? SEBI warns of securities market frauds via YouTube, Facebook, X and more SEBI warns of securities market frauds via YouTube, Facebook, X and more API Trading for All: Pi42 CTO Satish Mishra on How Pi42 is Empowering Retail Traders API Trading for All: Pi42 CTO Satish Mishra on How Pi42 is Empowering Retail Traders Security, transparency, and innovation: What sets Pi42 apart in crypto trading Security, transparency, and innovation: What sets Pi42 apart in crypto trading Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Altcoins? How investors are structuring their crypto portfolios, Avinash Shekhar explains Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Altcoins? How investors are structuring their crypto portfolios, Avinash Shekhar explains The rise of Crypto Futures in India: Leverage, tax efficiency, and market maturity, Avinash Shekhar of Pi42 explains NEXT STORY
Sydney Morning Herald
09-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Inside the revolutionary jet design that aims to change air travel forever
Video pods and 'club seating' As the decades passed, the BWB design was sidelined in preference of the 'tube and wing' design which Boeing and Airbus have adopted. But now, with airlines under pressure to meet net zero targets by 2050, the fuel-efficient BWB aircraft is back on the table. Natilus is one of the smaller firms in the mix. Its Horizon aircraft will have a range of 3500 nautical miles (6482 kilometres) with a capacity of up to 196 passengers. This puts this particular BWB in a similar playing field to the Boeing 737-800, which has a capacity of 189 seats and a range of 2500 to 3850 nautical miles (4630 to 7130 kilometres). But it is the other numbers that will catch the attention of prospective buyers. According to Natilus, the Horizon will reduce operating costs by 50 per cent, and the aircraft is 25 per cent lighter than conventional jets. Natilus says: 'Blended-wing bodyaircraft outperform traditional tube-and-wing aircraft in the areas of efficiency, performance, and environmental impact, resulting in improved fleet operations while protecting our planet for future generations.' At a configuration of 196 passengers, the Horizon would have space for 108 in economy class (at 31-inch [79cm] pitch), 48 in economy-plus (34 inches or 86cm) and 40 in first class (38 inches or 97cm). Natilus renderings show the potential for 'video conference pods', while there are also plans for 'club seating' configurations which would allow groups to sit together during longer flights. Crucially for prospective buyers, Natilus says its planes are being designed in a way that they can use existing airport infrastructure, plus they will use the same engines as conventional aircraft. In a 2024 interview with CNN, co-founder Matyushev said the plan is for the Horizon to go into service in the early 2030s. It appears that another manufacturer might beat them to it. Ambitious competitors California-based startup JetZero has similar ambitions to Natilus. The firm has received the backing of United Airlines, which has pre-ordered 200 of its 250-passenger Z4 plane (which is, as yet, uncertified), which it hopes to launch by 2030. At this size, the aircraft would be bigger than the single-aisle Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, but smaller than their twin-aisle designs, allowing it to fill a vital gap in the market. The managing director of United Airlines's Venture has previously said the Z4's width would create a 'living room in the sky'. But it is not only focusing on producing commercial jets. JetZero received a further boost when the US Air Force put in a $US235 million ($A360 million) contract for a demonstrator aircraft. This, according to Frank Kendall, the US secretary of the air force, was all about 'maintaining our edge over China'. It could be that these military aircraft are developed first, paving the way for the commercial jets in the future. Other manufacturers are involved in the race. JetZero traces its origins to a Nasa-McDonnell Douglas project in the early 1990s, which culminated in a successful test-flight of a 17ft demonstrator in 1997 (the JetZero co-founder, Mark Page, led this project). Boeing went on to take on the designs after merging with McDonnell, creating the unmanned X-48B and X48-C aircraft, which were tested more than 100 times. But, ultimately, these were never put into service, as other research initiatives took precedence. Airbus has revealed plans for a BWB prototype called Maveric, showcased at a Singapore air show in 2020. While Bombardier is the first business jet manufacturer to explore the potential of the blended-wing design with its 'EcoJet' project. The benefits, analysed Despite Boeing pausing its plans, the blended-wing dream remains alive. Fuel efficiency is the chief reason. Blended-wing jets are considerably more efficient compared with tube-and-wing aircraft, because they can generate more lift at take-off and face less drag as they fly. This means the aircraft is cheaper to run and produces lower emissions. 'They do offer significant fuel savings over conventional aircraft, at least in theory, as they avoid all the common joints and fillets that create form drag, or the loss of energy from wind resistance,' says pilot Brian Smith, who flies for a British cargo airline and has previously flown with Ryanair, Emirates and Air2000 (later, First Choice). From a passenger point of view, there will be exciting bonuses. The interior would be wider and more spacious, given that the plane is not structured around a long, thin tube. This could allow for some game-changing configurations, impossible in a tubular design. Given that the wider cabin design allows for multiple aisles, the boarding and disembarkation process would likely be much quicker and more pleasant for passengers, too. By all accounts, BWB aircraft could be quieter than traditional jets. Because they are more aerodynamically efficient, they will be able to use smaller engines that generate less noise. The location of the engines above the fuselage would also shield passengers from excessive noise. Natilus estimates that its planes would be around 40 per cent quieter than tube-and-wing aircraft. And if, as Natilus suggests, the aircraft can run with 50 per cent lower operating costs, this could also allow airlines flying BWB aircraft to be priced more competitively than traditional tube-and-wing services. Dilemmas and hurdles But there are, inevitably, some downfalls to the BWB design. Due to the plane's wider interior, fewer passengers will have a window seat. There are also concerns that evacuating a blended wing aircraft would be more difficult, given that there would be fewer exit doors available. Another challenge that BWB aircraft face is stability and control, due perhaps to the absence of a traditional tail. To counter this, designers may need to incorporate sophisticated flight control systems. There are also technical challenges around how to manage the pressurisation in a non-cylindrical fuselage. It is generally thought that the traditional tube-shaped design is better equipped to handle this. And last, but certainly not least, is the question of whether such a design would ever pass through regulators. Conventional tube-and-wing aircraft, produced by manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing which have been building them for more than half a century, must meet strict requirements before they can fly. Sometimes, these checks are so rigorous that they can lead to delivery delays. With a unique design, and chequered 100-year history, it is safe to assume there would be significant regulatory hurdles facing BWB manufacturers before they can safely take flight. Loading Brian Smith is optimistic that airlines could be flying BWB planes in the near future: 'If they can be scaled up and produced in large enough numbers, and prove at least as high a degree of safety as conventional types, then it is likely that they will gain serious attention from airlines, both passenger and cargo,' he says. 'They will certainly be heavily computerised, and may even be the vanguard of pilotless aircraft, but they would be interesting to fly, and no self-respecting pilot would turn down the opportunity to fly one. They'll come too late for me, alas, but I am sure I will see them fly commercially in my lifetime.'
The Age
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Inside the revolutionary jet design that aims to change air travel forever
Video pods and 'club seating' As the decades passed, the BWB design was sidelined in preference of the 'tube and wing' design which Boeing and Airbus have adopted. But now, with airlines under pressure to meet net zero targets by 2050, the fuel-efficient BWB aircraft is back on the table. Natilus is one of the smaller firms in the mix. Its Horizon aircraft will have a range of 3500 nautical miles (6482 kilometres) with a capacity of up to 196 passengers. This puts this particular BWB in a similar playing field to the Boeing 737-800, which has a capacity of 189 seats and a range of 2500 to 3850 nautical miles (4630 to 7130 kilometres). But it is the other numbers that will catch the attention of prospective buyers. According to Natilus, the Horizon will reduce operating costs by 50 per cent, and the aircraft is 25 per cent lighter than conventional jets. Natilus says: 'Blended-wing bodyaircraft outperform traditional tube-and-wing aircraft in the areas of efficiency, performance, and environmental impact, resulting in improved fleet operations while protecting our planet for future generations.' At a configuration of 196 passengers, the Horizon would have space for 108 in economy class (at 31-inch [79cm] pitch), 48 in economy-plus (34 inches or 86cm) and 40 in first class (38 inches or 97cm). Natilus renderings show the potential for 'video conference pods', while there are also plans for 'club seating' configurations which would allow groups to sit together during longer flights. Crucially for prospective buyers, Natilus says its planes are being designed in a way that they can use existing airport infrastructure, plus they will use the same engines as conventional aircraft. In a 2024 interview with CNN, co-founder Matyushev said the plan is for the Horizon to go into service in the early 2030s. It appears that another manufacturer might beat them to it. Ambitious competitors California-based startup JetZero has similar ambitions to Natilus. The firm has received the backing of United Airlines, which has pre-ordered 200 of its 250-passenger Z4 plane (which is, as yet, uncertified), which it hopes to launch by 2030. At this size, the aircraft would be bigger than the single-aisle Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, but smaller than their twin-aisle designs, allowing it to fill a vital gap in the market. The managing director of United Airlines's Venture has previously said the Z4's width would create a 'living room in the sky'. But it is not only focusing on producing commercial jets. JetZero received a further boost when the US Air Force put in a $US235 million ($A360 million) contract for a demonstrator aircraft. This, according to Frank Kendall, the US secretary of the air force, was all about 'maintaining our edge over China'. It could be that these military aircraft are developed first, paving the way for the commercial jets in the future. Other manufacturers are involved in the race. JetZero traces its origins to a Nasa-McDonnell Douglas project in the early 1990s, which culminated in a successful test-flight of a 17ft demonstrator in 1997 (the JetZero co-founder, Mark Page, led this project). Boeing went on to take on the designs after merging with McDonnell, creating the unmanned X-48B and X48-C aircraft, which were tested more than 100 times. But, ultimately, these were never put into service, as other research initiatives took precedence. Airbus has revealed plans for a BWB prototype called Maveric, showcased at a Singapore air show in 2020. While Bombardier is the first business jet manufacturer to explore the potential of the blended-wing design with its 'EcoJet' project. The benefits, analysed Despite Boeing pausing its plans, the blended-wing dream remains alive. Fuel efficiency is the chief reason. Blended-wing jets are considerably more efficient compared with tube-and-wing aircraft, because they can generate more lift at take-off and face less drag as they fly. This means the aircraft is cheaper to run and produces lower emissions. 'They do offer significant fuel savings over conventional aircraft, at least in theory, as they avoid all the common joints and fillets that create form drag, or the loss of energy from wind resistance,' says pilot Brian Smith, who flies for a British cargo airline and has previously flown with Ryanair, Emirates and Air2000 (later, First Choice). From a passenger point of view, there will be exciting bonuses. The interior would be wider and more spacious, given that the plane is not structured around a long, thin tube. This could allow for some game-changing configurations, impossible in a tubular design. Given that the wider cabin design allows for multiple aisles, the boarding and disembarkation process would likely be much quicker and more pleasant for passengers, too. By all accounts, BWB aircraft could be quieter than traditional jets. Because they are more aerodynamically efficient, they will be able to use smaller engines that generate less noise. The location of the engines above the fuselage would also shield passengers from excessive noise. Natilus estimates that its planes would be around 40 per cent quieter than tube-and-wing aircraft. And if, as Natilus suggests, the aircraft can run with 50 per cent lower operating costs, this could also allow airlines flying BWB aircraft to be priced more competitively than traditional tube-and-wing services. Dilemmas and hurdles But there are, inevitably, some downfalls to the BWB design. Due to the plane's wider interior, fewer passengers will have a window seat. There are also concerns that evacuating a blended wing aircraft would be more difficult, given that there would be fewer exit doors available. Another challenge that BWB aircraft face is stability and control, due perhaps to the absence of a traditional tail. To counter this, designers may need to incorporate sophisticated flight control systems. There are also technical challenges around how to manage the pressurisation in a non-cylindrical fuselage. It is generally thought that the traditional tube-shaped design is better equipped to handle this. And last, but certainly not least, is the question of whether such a design would ever pass through regulators. Conventional tube-and-wing aircraft, produced by manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing which have been building them for more than half a century, must meet strict requirements before they can fly. Sometimes, these checks are so rigorous that they can lead to delivery delays. With a unique design, and chequered 100-year history, it is safe to assume there would be significant regulatory hurdles facing BWB manufacturers before they can safely take flight. Loading Brian Smith is optimistic that airlines could be flying BWB planes in the near future: 'If they can be scaled up and produced in large enough numbers, and prove at least as high a degree of safety as conventional types, then it is likely that they will gain serious attention from airlines, both passenger and cargo,' he says. 'They will certainly be heavily computerised, and may even be the vanguard of pilotless aircraft, but they would be interesting to fly, and no self-respecting pilot would turn down the opportunity to fly one. They'll come too late for me, alas, but I am sure I will see them fly commercially in my lifetime.'
Euractiv
08-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
The Brief – The real story behind Europe's high energy bills
Critics who say expensive natural gas is the driving force behind Europe's high power bills have got it right – but miss the forest for the trees. Gas-fired power plants have a tight grip on Europe. Despite providing just 14% of electricity last year, they set the power price 40% of the time – making gas the decisive factor in calculating monthly energy bills. Lest we forget, our energy bills are around three times more expensive than in the US or China. However, don't let the very necessary fight against King Gas consume all the oxygen in the room. A power bill is usually split into three components: fuel (gas), grid costs and levies. Whilst the price of the fuel itself depends on international markets, there are still plenty of means by which Europe could bring consumer costs down. This is highlighted by the discrepancies in electricity bills across Europe. Take Austria, where the EU's 2000s market liberalisation simply failed and there is still 'no functioning national competitive market,' as the head of competition authority BWB has admitted. Instead, all the energy firms simply own shares in each other and local governments happily partake in the bonanza. Other issues affect all of Europe, like Paris blocking Spain from constructing cross-border cables to connect the sun-rich Iberian Peninsula to the European mainland – fearful of undermining the business case for nuclear (an industry French politicians back to the hilt). Even worse is Germany's infamous unitary electricity price zone – by which German politicians insist that electricity should cost the same in its wind-rich north and gas-reliant south, even though the cables to connect the two halves of the country do not exist. This has major ramifications for prices elsewhere in the bloc, the biggest loser being Denmark, where power prices are much higher because of competition from Bavaria. Similarly, the for-profit firms that manage electricity grids are usually the same companies that own the cables – allowing them a stranglehold on bill-payers. Whenever there is a bottleneck in the grid, companies usually just lay down more (expensive) copper cables, instead of opting for cheaper 'non-wire solutions', because at the end of the day, it's consumers who foot the bill. Meanwhile, a lack of regulatory oversight allows low-voltage grid operators (the ones who deliver power to households) to make a killing. A recent investigation in Germany found local monopolies earning up to 50% return on their investment in 2023 (ten times more than would be appropriate). A full account of the many factors inflating Europe's energy bills could fill a book. But the villain of the story wouldn't be gas itself, rather the pretence that gas is singularly responsible for our crippling energy bills. Much as they would have us believe otherwise, governments played a major role in getting Europe hooked on gas. Not only did they mismanage energy transitions (look no further than Germany's hopeless attempt to ditch coal and nuclear at the same time ), but they profit from our pain with high rates of VAT. Europe can't fix its gas woes overnight, but there are other levers it should pull. The Roundup De-risking, not de-coupling – Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the EU must accelerate efforts to 'de-risk' from China, warning that Beijing's control over critical supply chains like rare earth minerals, alongside support for Russia, pose a growing threat to Europe's economy and security. € in Bulgaria – EU finance ministers gave the final green light on Tuesday for Bulgaria to adopt the euro on the first day of January 2026, nearly 19 years after the country joined the European Union. Parliamentary probe – The European Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a formal investigation into allegations of misusing over €4.3 million of EU funds by Identity and Democracy, a defunct far-right group in the European Parliament that included France's Rassemblement National, a spokesperson for EPPO said on Tuesday. Across Europe Embargoing nowhere – Spain's promise for an arms embargo on Israel faces continued hurdles, as the country continues to import weapons and utilise Israeli military technology in domestic production, and political divisions over the matter deepen. Anonymous immunisation – Public vaccination registration in the Netherlands is being impacted by a rise in anonymous data reporting and a decline in vaccination rates in specific demographics, according to the Dutch Public Health Institute, making it difficult for the organisation to provide exact vaccination rates. A migration loss for Merz – A German court ruled Tuesday that the government must issue visas to an Afghan family previously accepted under a programme for those at risk after the Taliban seized power in 2021, which was frozen by Merz's new government.
Euractiv
07-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Why are Europe's electricity bills so high? Austria has the answer
With Austrian energy companies refusing to compete with one another, consumers at the mercy of their local hegemons are left paying higher bills than they should – a problem mirrored across Europe. When energy prices in Russian-gas-addicted Austria surged – and Vienna's main utility company almost went bust – the government ordered the competition authority and energy regulator to examine the sector. Two years on, their final report paints a damning picture of an energy market frozen in time. 'After 24 years of liberalisation, there is still no functioning national competitive market,' said Natalie Harsdorf, head of Austria's competition authority, the BWB. Instead of utilities competing nationwide for the business of Austria's millions of households, firms have carved out regional fiefdoms – or as Harsdorf put it, 'we have regional companies that dominate the markets'. Austria has one of Europe lowest contract-switching rates – a key indicator used to gauge market competitiveness – at just 4.5%. A typical new supply contract is currently around 10% more expensive than in neighbouring Germany. The investigation revealed a retail electricity market riddled with 'countless cross-shareholdings between companies'. What that means is that each regional utility owns stakes in others. 'The question arises: do these companies even want to participate in Austria-wide competition?' said Wolfgang Urbantschitsch, head of the country's energy regulator, E-Control. Vienna's main utility firm owns 28% of Lower Austria's EVN, which in turns holds an indirect 36% stake in Burgenland's primary energy provider. Most utilities also own shares in Austria's main power producer, Verbund. So why compete? 'It seems that they do not need to,' Urbantschitsch concluded. The situation has grown so dire that Austria is pioneering a new set of antitrust laws aimed at curbing the dominance of major energy suppliers. Introduced in 2024, the legislation compels firms to match consumer-friendly terms offered elsewhere – or explain why they don't. 'The BWB is now focusing on individual investigations,' Harsdorf said. Europe in trouble Austria is far from alone. Two major indicators suggest the entire EU is struggling to foster real competition for retail electricity consumers. Just 7.15% of European household consumers switched suppliers in 2023, according to market data from the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) and EU watchdog ACER. And for all of Austria's flaws, eight countries – including Romania, Slovakia, Poland and Luxembourg – fare even worse. The problem: dominant utilities tend to hold onto consumers. Once switching rates drop below 10%, regulators say 73% of households are locked into a dominant supplier. The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), a common measure of market concentration, tells a similar story. In 2023, just five EU countries were in the 'green' – indicating a competitive, unproblematic market. Nine others – among them Belgium, Poland, Italy and Spain – were in the 'orange' zone, showing signs of worrying concentration. A further nine countries were flagged 'red', where one or very few utilities dominate the retail market – leaving consumers vulnerable without firm regulatory intervention. Too often, that oversight is lacking – and Germany offers a cautionary tale. In 2023, local grid operators saw a staggering 20.2% return on investment, an investigation by think tank BNE found. 'If network operators can achieve such returns, then something is fundamentally wrong with the regulatory framework,' said its CEO, Robert Busch. While firms with state-backed monopolies should normally be afforded returns upwards of 5%, in some extreme cases – like EWE – profits surged to 50% on capital, BNE said. (rh, aw)
