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(AWP Alliance News) - Daikin Industries Ltd on Tuesday raised its dividend and set out a new five-year plan as it reported higher earnings for the 2026 financial year. The Osaka, Japan-based air conditioning manufacturer said attributable profit rose 4.0% to JPY275.23 billion, around USD1.75 billion, in the financial year to the end of March 2026, from JPY264.76 billion a year prior. Net sales climbed 5.5% to JPY5.015 trillion from JPY4.752 trillion. Diluted earnings per share for the year climbed 3.9% to JPY939.14 from JPY903.65. Daikin Industries declared a final dividend of JPY175.00 per share, up 21% from JPY145.00 a year earlier. The total dividend for the year was 3.0% higher at JPY340.00 per share from JPY330.00. Daikin said it expects to increase next year's dividend to JPY360.00 per share, made up of an interim and final dividend of JPY180.00 each. Looking ahead, Daikin expects attributable profit to rise 1.0% to JPY278.00 billion in the 2027 financial year. It forecasts full-year net sales of JPY5.150 trillion, up 2.7% from financial 2026, with earnings per share of JPY949.32. Daikin set out a new five-year strategic management plan, Fusion30, as it aims to 'become a highly profitable and sustainable global company of choice by creating new value through environment and air'. It aims for an operating profit margin of 10% by financial 2029, and 12% by financial 2031, with a net sales compound annual growth rate of 6%. Shares in Daikin Industries closed down 0.7% at JPY24,110.00 on Tuesday in Tokyo. By Michael Hennessey, Alliance News reporter Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

(AWP Alliance News) - Small business optimism in the US ticked up but was worse than expected in April, data published by the NFIB Research Foundation showed Tuesday. The NFIB Small Business Optimism index rose to 95.9 points in April from 95.8 points in March, underperforming against the FXStreet-cited consensus of a sharper improvement to 96.1 points in April. For the second consecutive month, the index remained below its 52-year average of 98. Pertinently, the uncertainty index fell by four points to 88 in April, but remained well above the historical average of 68. NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said: 'Inflationary pressures continue to be a challenge for Main Street. While small business optimism is currently fragile, the benefits of the Working Families Tax Cut Act should start to feed into the private sector over the next few months.' Labour quality was cited by 18% as by small business owners as their single most important problem, up three points from March and ranking as the top problem. It was higher than the historical average of 12%. Nine percent of business owners said labour costs were their single most important problem, down one point from March. Meanwhile, 17% of small business owners reported taxes as their single most important problem, down two points from both March. By Tom Budszus, Alliance News slot editor Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

(AWP Alliance News) - Investor sentiment and the economic situation index in the eurozone was better than expected in May, survey data from ZEW showed Tuesday. The ZEW indicator of economic sentiment for the eurozone improved by 11.3 points to minus 9.1 points in May from minus 20.4 points in April. It was much better than the FXStreet-cited consensus of a soft amelioration to minus 20 points in May. The indicator of the current economic situation climbed to minus 41.4 points in May from minus 43.0 points in April. Meanwhile, the ZEW indicator of economic sentiment in Germany rose to minus 10.2 points in May from minus 17.2 points in April, beating the consensus of a deterioration to minus 19.8 points in May. The indicator of the current situation in Germany worsened to minus 77.8 points in May from minus 73.7 points in April, worse than consensus of a milder deterioration to minus 77.5 points in May. ZEW President Achim Wambach said: 'Weak industrial production, rising energy prices and an inflation rate that exceeds the two-percent mark continue to burden the German economy. There is cautious hope for a potential recovery in the second half of 2026, provided that the Middle East conflict eases and the government's economic stimulus measures are having an effect.' The financial market survey by ZEW was conducted between May 4 and 11, with 188 analysts and institutional investors participating. By Tom Budszus, Alliance News slot editor Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.