Browsing: Business

EU unemployment held steady in April, with jobless totals down from March and youth unemployment easing in the latest labour data.

S&P Global’s Italy manufacturing PMI rose to 52.9 in May, marking the strongest sector reading since April 2022 as output and orders improved.

Portugal recorded 2.3% annual GDP growth in the first quarter of 2026, as domestic demand offset a weaker external trade contribution.

IEA projects global energy investment at $3.4 trillion in 2026, led by electricity, clean energy, grids, storage, gas and coal spending.

EU goods imports reached €627.8 billion and exports hit €640.5 billion in Q1 2026, leaving a €12.7 billion surplus, Eurostat data showed.

UNCTAD projects global growth to slow to 2.6% in 2026 as trade, energy, food and finance pressures weigh on the broader world economy.

The EU fertiliser action plan seeks to secure supply, aid farmers with costs and reduce import dependence through domestic production.

Rosstat data showed Russia’s April inflation easing from March, with food prices lower on the month and services up 9.9 percent yearly.

The euro outpaced the U.S. dollar in extra-EU primary goods trade in 2025, leading exports and imports excluding petroleum for the EU.

Germany’s industrial production fell 0.7% in March 2026, led by declines in energy and machinery output, underscoring weakness in Europe’s largest economy.