Friday quiz: JCB faces “hundreds of millions” in extra costs | Norway sells Cat shares | ING’s construction forecast

1) This week JCB chief executive Graeme MacDonald warned that the UK-based construction equipment manufacturer was facing “hundreds of millions of pounds” of additional costs. Why?

• A boom in data centres, rising gas exports and cuts to clean energy tax breaks are pushing up energy costs at its factories
• A spike in wages for skilled workers in the manufacturing sector
• A surprise move by the Trump administration expands the scope of its 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium components to cover all finished goods

2) French rental group Enygea Group was in the news this week after it acquired a Czech Republic based rival. What is the company’s main line of business?

• Global energy solutions
• Hydrogen gensets
• Portable toilet rental

3) Which logistics company has Nationwide Platforms partnered with for its haulage operations in the North of England and Scotland?

• Eddie Stobart Logistics
• WS Specialist Logistics
• Kuehne + Nagel

4) What does ING’s latest market report predict for the European construction sector in 2025?

• Strong growth led by residential construction
• No growth overall in the sector
• A sharp decline in infrastructure investment

5) Why did Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, managed by Norges Bank, sell its shares in Caterpillar this week?

• Falling share prices at Caterpillar
• Allegations that Caterpillar’s equipment was used in violations of international humanitarian law
• A strategy to diversify away from US companies

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