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South Korea’s record June current account surplus was powered by strong semiconductor exports. The total current account surplus for the first half of the year reached $191.01 billion, setting a new record for January to June periods. This compares with $47.87 billion during the same span in the previous year. The six-month total also beat South Korea’s earlier full-year record of $123.05 billion in 2025. The data highlight the remarkable growth in exports during the first half, with semiconductors playing a crucial role in boosting overseas sales.

Eurozone manufacturing output accelerated in July while new orders and exports stayed weak. The survey’s output index rose from 51.7 to 52.9, reaching its peak since March 2022. Production growth outpaced the overall manufacturing conditions, but companies relied heavily on work received in previous months. New orders grew only marginally and lagged behind the pace of production. Export orders declined once more, with decreases in France, Spain, Italy, and Austria outweighing gains elsewhere in the currency zone.

The European Union has launched the Scaleup Europe Fund with a target of €5 billion, aimed at strategic technology firms. The European Commission finalized the legal procedures for the fund on August 4, integrating it into the European Innovation Council Fund. Managed by EQT, the fund now has the authority to make independent investments on market terms. The Commission anticipates initial investments will be made within the next few weeks, with ongoing efforts to raise additional capital toward reaching the €5 billion goal.

OECD inflation eased to 4.2% in June as energy price growth slowed across member economies. Energy prices largely contributed to the monthly slowdown. The OECD energy inflation rate dropped four percentage points to 11.7% year on year, down from 15.8% in May. Out of the 37 countries with available data, 24 experienced a decline in energy inflation, although 10 saw increases. Six countries still reported rates exceeding 15%. Despite the broad retreat, energy continued to be a significant factor in annual price growth, although it contributed less to the overall headline inflation.

The UK’s economy remains out of recession, yet new forecasts indicate mounting pressure from global energy disruptions. EY increased its growth projection for 2026 to 0.9%, up from 0.8% in May, while maintaining its baseline estimate for 2027 at 1.2%. This outlook assumes the Strait of Hormuz reopens by September with reduced tanker traffic. EY’s worst-case scenario predicts 0.5% growth this year and a 0.2% decline in 2027. UK economic growth continues as inflation, hiring and investment pressures remain.

U.S. equities saw strong gains on Monday, with technology stocks leading the way and crude oil prices falling sharply. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 693.38 points, or 1.32%, closing at an all-time high of 53,178.41. The S&P 500 gained 1.48%, reaching 7,600.50, just shy of its record. The Nasdaq Composite surged 2.13% to 25,913.90, outpacing other major indexes. The market’s rally began August with broad-based gains across both large-cap and small-cap stocks.

UK solar capacity reached 22.8 gigawatts at the end of June 2026, reflecting a significant upward trend in deployment. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero reported approximately 2.076 million installations nationwide. Developers added 27,391 systems during June, resulting in 132 megawatts. These latest monthly figures are still provisional and subject to revision as additional projects are incorporated into the official data. The overall capacity includes rooftop arrays, commercial systems, and large-scale solar farms, serving as a baseline before the upcoming plug-in solar regulations take effect.

Canadian Economy Achieves 0.3% Growth in May, Signaling Second Quarter Rebound Ottawa, Canada / RankWire.AI / – Confirmed by official national economic data released on Friday, the Canadian economy expanded by 0.3 per cent in May, marking a continuation of the country’s broader economic recovery into a second straight month and surpassing earlier government predictions. The monthly Gross Domestic Product figures published by Statistics Canada reveal that real output rose in 13 of 20 primary industrial sectors, driven by widespread gains in goods-producing industries and sustained demand in services. This actual increase exceeded the preliminary flash estimate of 0.1 per cent growth, providing positive momentum for the national economy after a revised growth of 0.6 per cent in April.

A wave of risk aversion swept through global financial markets, driving digital assets lower as Bitcoin breached the $63,000 mark. Data from cryptocurrency exchange Binance indicates that the leading token by market capitalization fell 3.02% over 24 hours to reach $62,957.83. This latest drop extends a multi-session sell-off fueled by volatility in tech equities, macroeconomic headwinds, and recalibrated monetary policy expectations. Furthermore, Bloomberg market data reveals that tightening spot trading volumes coincided with a rapid acceleration in long liquidations across derivative trading venues.

London, England / EuroWire / – On Wednesday, the UK government announced a commitment of £8.4 billion ($11.2 billion) toward advancing the Dreadnought-class nuclear submarine project. This funding aims to secure the country’s ongoing at-sea nuclear deterrent capabilities by enabling faster construction of four next-generation submarines. An official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that this financial package will boost the building process across multiple vessels while also supporting thousands of skilled jobs and apprenticeship programs over the next decade. This strategic procurement is a significant capital investment to ensure continuous maritime defense through the middle of this century.