Author: Charlotte

The euro area economy has been more resilient to the effects of the conflict in the Middle East than previously expected. Real GDP growth surprised on the upside in the second quarter of 2026 and short-term indicators point to robust growth in the near term as uncertainty recedes, confidence improves and the energy supply shock stemming from the Middle East conflict is assumed to gradually ease.[1] The summer heatwave in Europe is expected to have had only a limited and temporary negative impact on economic activity. Over the medium term, domestic demand should continue to be supported by a recovery…

Barking and Dagenham Council’s Trading Standards team has highlighted the results of a summer programme of underage test purchasing operations, which saw the vast majority of local businesses comply with age-restriction laws.  Of the 71 premises visited, all successfully refused sales of alcohol and tobacco products to underage volunteers, although four businesses were found to have sold vapes illegally. The operations formed part of the council’s ongoing work to protect children and young people from accessing age-restricted products during the summer holidays. On 21 July, Trading Standards officers carried out test purchases for vapes at 20 premises, with two businesses…

Yet private equity-backed and hybrid buyers still accounted for around three-quarters of all announced transactions over the past year, and OPTIS Partners noted the pace has actually picked up among newer, smaller PE entrants positioning for the next wave of recapitalizations. Third Wave’s Palmer & Cay purchase was specifically called out as one of the half’s larger transactions, alongside Willis Towers Watson’s acquisition of Newfront. In other words: overall deal counts are down, but the sponsors already in the game, and the ones just arriving, are still writing some of the biggest checks. Source link

This year’s rise in bond yields has not been massive by historical standards.Still, it’s more alarming because it came at a time when bond yields were already so elevated compared with the prepandemic years. The 30-year Treasury reached a 19-year high of 5.3% on Aug. 17, standing 2.4 percentage points above its 2017-19 average. What’s behind the global bond selloff? Much ink has been spilled chalking it up to rising worries about the US government’s fiscal health. But we believe that shifting perceptions of the strength of the US economy and labor market have played a bigger role.The answer matters…

The overall mutual fund industry saw a decline in net inflow to Rs 41,353 crore in August compared to a staggering Rs 2.36 lakh crore in July. This was primarily driven by debt-oriented schemes, which experienced an outflow of Rs 8,127 crore as compared to an inflow of Rs 1.88 lakh crore in July. New Delhi: Equity mutual fund schemes attracted Rs 29,329 crore in August, marking the highest net inflow in four months, driven by strong investors interest in mid-cap and small-cap funds. This was nearly 19 per cent higher than Rs 24,697 crore inflow registered in July, according…

1 South Africa’s new energy vehicle market is moving beyond its early adoption phase, with sales rising 88% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2026, but the next stage of growth is likely to depend less on whether consumers can access an electric or hybrid vehicle and more on whether they trust its long-term economics. According to data from the Automotive Business Council, naamsa, 16,289 new energy vehicles were sold between January and July, already equivalent to 97.5% of all NEVs sold during 2025 and above the 15,596 units recorded in 2024. The figures point to a market that…

Savage said the expansion gives advisors “more choice and flexibility” while keeping the protection and legacy planning features that segregated funds carry.  Three of the new funds draw on Manulife Investment Management’s existing mutual fund and ETF strategies, which the insurer attributed to strong advisor demand, covering US equity, international dividend, and short-term bond mandates inside an insured structure:  Manulife U.S. Opportunities Segregated Fund  Manulife Smart International Dividend ETF Segregated Fund  Manulife Smart Short-Term Bond ETF Segregated Fund  Fidelity Investments Canada ULC supplies three more across Canadian, global, and balanced mandates:  Manulife Fidelity Canadian Growth Company Segregated Fund  …

[InTime News] Tighter restrictions on short-term rentals have failed to significantly increase housing availability or reduce rents in European cities where they have been imposed, an industry group said Thursday, warning against further curbs as the European Union considers measures to tackle its housing crisis. STAMA Greece, which represents short-term rental management companies, said any new restrictions under the European Commission’s proposed Affordable Housing Act should be based on reliable local data and an assessment of their economic impact. Citing data from the European Holiday Home Association, STAMA said rents per square meter in Barcelona have risen 72% despite a…

Portuguese economist Ricardo Reis is reported to have been removed from the race for the post of chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after criticising Donald Trump’s tariffs. According to the Financial Times, which cites three anonymous sources, Ricardo Reis had been lined up for the role, but the IMF is said to have backed away after learning of the economist’s views on US trade policy. Ricardo Reis, a professor at the London School of Economics, had warned that the tariffs could push up prices in the United States and trigger a new wave of inflation. Related Meanwhile,…

BANGKOK — Shares in Europe and Asia were mostly lower Thursday following a retreat on Wall Street as the price of crude oil again traded above US$100 a barrel. The future for the S&P 500 rose 0.2 per cent and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.4 per cent. In Germany, the DAX fell 0.2 per cent to 25,535.88. The CAC 40 in Paris edged 0.2 per cent higher, while Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.2 per cent to 10,651.40. The price of Brent crude jumped 3.4 per cent on Wednesday, surging above $100 a barrel for the…