Your privacy choices

We use analytics to improve Pollar and, with your consent, marketing tools (Meta, X) to measure our ads. You can change this anytime in Settings.

Privacy policy
Pollar
HomeAskLiveBriefSearchMapMarketsNotificationsFor You
ThreadsMarkets
NewsroomSupport Pollar
Privacy
Reader-supported

Free to read, and staying that way

No ads. Membership keeps Pollar independent.

from$2.99/mo

Support Pollar
Membership

Members don't see this panel.

  • Supporter$2.99/mo
  • Founder$6.99/mo
Support Pollar

Today’s Brief

Nuclear deals, heat and hacked sandboxes

Trump escalates Iran war as Saudi deal and AI breach expose weaker safeguards

The overnight brief has a familiar shape: hard power moves faster than the rules meant to contain it. Washington threatened Iran, armed Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions, while software and climate systems showed their own uncomfortable limits.

Read the Brief

In the spotlight

All threads

Other · Updated 11m ago

Climate: from mitigation to adaptation

Germany expanded its national heat health action plans, and a new wildfire near Bordeaux led to significant evacuations and land destruction, indicating intensifying climate impacts and adaptation efforts.

HomeBriefThreadsAsk
Categories
AI-generated·Learn how
© LesEchos.fr
Energy & Trade·3h ago

TotalEnergies Q2 profit jumps 67% to $6 billion as Iran war lifts oil prices and refining margins

French oil major reports adjusted net income of $6 billion, up 67%, driven by higher crude prices and refining margins amid the 12-day-old Iran conflict.

Earnings surge

TotalEnergies reported adjusted net income of $6 billion for the second quarter of 2026, a 67% increase from $3.6 billion in the same period a year earlier. The result was in line with analyst expectations, according to a consensus polled by LSEG. Net income (IFRS) reached $5.4 billion, or €4.7 billion, roughly double the €2.36 billion recorded in Q2 2025. For the first half of 2026, net income totalled $11.2 billion, up 73% year-on-year. The company had already posted a near-50% jump in Q1 2026 profit, when adjusted net income stood at $5.4 billion.

In an environment of high prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East, TotalEnergies is leveraging its integrated model and its diversification to post an adjusted net income of $6 billion in the second quarter.

— Patrick Pouyanné
TotalEnergies adjusted net income · $ billion
Q2 2025
3.6
Q1 2026
5.4
Q2 2026
6
Q2 2025
3.6 $ billion
Q1 2026
5.4 $ billion
Q2 2026
6 $ billion

War-driven price environment

The earnings surge was fuelled by a sharp rise in oil and refined-product prices following the resumption of hostilities between the United States and Iran. The conflict entered its twelfth consecutive day on Thursday, with crude benchmarks climbing as markets priced in supply disruption risks. TotalEnergies benefited from both higher upstream crude realisations and exceptionally strong refining margins, which offset a decline in profits from its gas division. The company's integrated model, spanning production, refining and trading, amplified the price tailwind.

Support independent Pollar

Supporter and Founder memberships keep every article free to read, and add offline reading, audio, and a sponsor-free brief.

See membership tiers

Shareholder returns and debt reduction

Flush with cash, TotalEnergies said it would continue its share buyback programme, with up to $1.5 billion earmarked for the third quarter. The board also declared a second interim dividend of €0.90 per share for the 2026 financial year, matching the first interim payment and representing a 5.9% increase over the total dividends paid for 2025. The Wall Street Journal reported that the company is prioritising debt reduction, using the windfall to strengthen its balance sheet.

Government response in France

The French government, meanwhile, is grappling with the domestic fallout of higher pump prices. Energy Minister and government spokesperson Maud Bregeon acknowledged the uncertainty on Tuesday.

The situation is extremely uncertain.

— Maud Bregeon

Industry Minister Roland Lescure said on Franceinfo that a state fuel subsidy scheme for heavy drivers would remain in place until the end of August. Around 3 million French citizens are eligible, but only 1.2 million have applied so far, according to the government.

## Outlook TotalEnergies did not provide specific forward guidance in Thursday's statement, but the ongoing conflict suggests elevated hydrocarbon prices may persist. Analysts will watch for any supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil flows. The company's strong cash generation and low debt levels position it to maintain shareholder payouts even if prices moderate later in the year.

Paris
Patrick PouyannéMaud BregeonRoland Lescure
ParisMaud BregeonRoland LescurePatrick Pouyanné

8 sources

  • TotalEnergies Q2 profit up 67% on higher oil price, strong refining margins
    Reuters·4h ago
  • Lucros da TotalEnergies duplicam para 4,8 mil milhões de euros no 2.º trimestre
    RTP - Rádio Televisão Portuguesa·3h ago
  • Les profits de TotalEnergies s'envolent, portés par les prix élevés du pétrole
    LesEchos.fr·3h ago
  • TotalEnergies double son bénéfice net au 2e trimestre, à 4,7 milliards d'euros
    Franceinfo·3h ago
  • TotalEnergies : le bénéfice net du géant français a doublé au deuxième trimestre, porté par la hausse des prix liée à la guerre au Moyen-Orient
    SudOuest.fr·4h ago
  • TotalEnergies Uses Cash From War-Induced Price Rises to Cut Debt
    The Wall Street Journal·4h ago
  • 5,4 milliards de dollars en trois mois : TotalEnergies dévoile un résultat net en forte hausse au second trimestre
    Le Figaro.fr·5h ago
  • TotalEnergies Profit Jumps 68% as War Upends Energy Markets
    Bloomberg Business·5h ago

Get Pollar Weekly

The week in news, every Friday. Free.

Free. No ads. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from Politics & Economy
Diplomacy·from Jul 22·upd. 2h ago
© ANSA.it

US and Saudi Arabia sign civil nuclear deal allowing uranium enrichment, raising proliferation fears

The agreement, signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, gives US companies a central role in building reactors and could lead to an enrichment plant, but omits snap inspection protocols.

Read article
Government·from Jul 19·upd. 5m ago
© Al Jazeera Online

India's 'Cockroach' protests spread nationwide as Modi breaks silence with fast-track courts pledge

Tens of thousands of young protesters camped in New Delhi on Thursday after a week of clashes, as the movement demanding the education minister's resignation over exam paper leaks drew support from Bollywood to Sikh temples and food donations from across the globe.

Read article
Business·from Jul 22·upd. 2h ago
© Franceinfo

EU clears Paramount's $110bn Warner Bros bid with conditions, but US court pause remains

The European Commission approved the $110 billion acquisition on Wednesday, requiring Paramount to exit its film distribution venture with Universal within 13 months, while a US federal judge's temporary halt and a UK review still threaten the timeline.

Read article