Browsing: Business

– According to the Bank of Italy, the country’s economy is expected to expand by 1% in 2026. The central bank upgraded its forecast in its latest Economic Bulletin, issued on October 16, anticipating a slowdown to 0.7% in 2027

– European Union borrowing is projected to reach approximately €1 trillion by the end of 2027, according to the latest annual review from the European Court of Auditors. As of the end of 2025, EU borrowing stood at €738.9 billion,

– The World Trade Organization has upgraded its forecast for worldwide merchandise trade expansion in 2026 to 3.9 percent, more than doubling the 1.9 percent estimate issued in March. The upward revision reflects stronger trade activity in the first half,

– France and Germany have put forward a proposal for a new EU trade tool aimed at enabling quicker responses to significant market disruptions. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz introduced the initiative to European Commission President

– UK mortgage expenses increased once more in early October, with average five-year fixed rates reaching 6.00%, their highest since September 2023. The two-year fixed rates also rose to 5.98%, marking their peak since December 2023. Moneyfacts noted this increase

– Russia anticipates its 2026 grain harvest will reach approximately 140 million tonnes as farmers finalize their work for the season. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev reported that farmers had collected over 126 million tonnes by October 2, having threshed

– Euro area unemployment persisted at 6.4% in August 2026, the same as in July. According to Eurostat, the rate was 6.3% in August 2025. The European Union maintained a 6.1% unemployment rate for a second month running. One year

– In the second quarter of 2026, European Union house prices grew by 4.7% compared to the previous year. During the same period, rents rose by 3.0%, according to Eurostat. When comparing to the first quarter, housing prices increased by

– Russia has officially approved a comprehensive long-term coal industry plan, setting a goal of 662 million tonnes annual production by 2050, aligned with its projected scenario. This initiative extends the nation’s coal policies well into the middle of the

Moody Ratings sustained the European Union’s prime AAA credit rating with a stable outlook, pointing to the collective fiscal backing of net contributor nations that preserves the bloc’s premier standing in global debt markets. According to the rating agency, this