Trump imposes 10%-12.5% forced-labor duties on 60 trade partners covering 99.4% of US imports as global tariff expires
The White House launched a new set of duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% on goods from 60 trading partners, including the EU and China, just as its temporary 10% global tariff lapsed on Friday. The action, announced Thursday, keeps a tariff floor under virtually all US imports.
Barcelona's Zona Franca consortium posts €40.5M profit, accelerates DFactory tech hub expansion to 60,000 m²
The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona approved 2025 results with a 36.4% profit jump and detailed the timeline for quadrupling its DFactory Industry 4.0 campus, with the first new buildings set to open by year-end.
ECB holds rates at 2.25% but signals September hike as oil hits $100 on Iran war escalation
The European Central Bank left its deposit rate at 2.25% on Thursday but warned that a fresh jump in energy prices, with Brent crude touching $100 a barrel, could force another increase in September.
Judge extends Paramount-Warner Bros. deal freeze to mid-August as antitrust lawsuits mount
A federal judge extended the temporary restraining order blocking Paramount's $110-111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery for another 14 days, giving the company time to argue against a preliminary injunction sought by 12 states and the Writers Guild of America.
Varta creditors push for breakup, household battery unit to be spun off
A group of key creditors including Deutsche Bank plans to spin off Varta's household battery business, citing a mid-double-digit million euro liquidity gap and a lack of fresh investment.
ECB unveils 10 candidate designs for first full euro banknote redesign since 2002, opens public survey until 21 September
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde presented 10 proposed designs for a new series of euro banknotes on 23 July 2026, drawn from two themes: 'European culture' and 'Rivers and birds'. A public online survey runs until 21 September 2026.
Tesla's robotaxi miles shrink 36% as Musk tempers ambitions; stock plunges 14%
Second-quarter paid robotaxi miles fell to roughly 700,000 from 1.1 million in Q1, while Tesla reported negative free cash flow of $1.1 billion and missed profit forecasts. Elon Musk warned that scaling Optimus robots will be 'the hardest product to scale manufacturing.'
Trump expands ratepayer protection pledge to 200 entities as AI data center backlash grows ahead of midterms
Nearly 200 utilities, data center developers and Republican governors signed the voluntary 'Ratepayer Protection Pledge' at an EPA event, as rising electricity bills fuel bipartisan opposition to AI infrastructure.
Intel posts 25% revenue jump, beats Q3 forecast; capex raised to $20bn on AI boom
The chipmaker reported its fastest revenue growth in 15 years and raised its capital spending forecast by $2 billion, driven by surging demand for data center CPUs from agentic AI applications.
ECB unveils finalist designs for new euro banknotes with da Vinci, Beethoven, Callas; public vote open until 21 September
The European Central Bank presented 10 finalist designs for the next series of euro banknotes on 23 July, launching a public consultation that runs until 21 September. The proposals feature cultural icons like Leonardo da Vinci and Maria Callas, or rivers and birds.
ECB unveils new euro banknote designs, asks 358 million citizens to vote on culture vs nature themes
The ECB presented 10 design proposals for the next euro banknote series on Thursday, launching a public consultation that runs until 21 September. The two competing themes are 'European Culture' featuring historical figures and 'Rivers and Birds' showcasing nature and EU institutions.
ECB holds deposit rate at 2.25% as Strait of Hormuz crisis keeps Brent crude near $100 and September hike looms
The European Central Bank held its key interest rates on Thursday, pausing after June's first hike in three years, as it gauges the inflation fallout from the blocked Strait of Hormuz and Brent crude near $100.
ECB holds rates at 2.25% as energy shock from Middle East conflict clouds inflation outlook
The European Central Bank left its deposit rate unchanged at 2.25% on Thursday, judging that the full inflationary impact of the Middle East conflict and surging oil prices has yet to materialise.
Acea H1 net profit doubles to €454m on energy unit sale; guidance confirmed
Italian utility Acea posted a 101% jump in first-half net profit to €454 million, boosted by a €268.5 million gain from the sale of its energy retail unit, and confirmed full-year targets.
Ford and Geely to produce five vehicles at Valencia plant under new joint venture
The joint venture, 66% owned by Ford, will begin producing Geely's EX5 electric SUV and four other models at the Almussafes plant in 2028, securing over 15,000 indirect jobs.
Ford switches from Google to Apple Maps for next-generation EVs, starting with $30,000 pickup in 2027
The automaker will embed Apple's navigation directly into its Universal Electric Vehicle platform, feeding road data to its BlueCruise hands-free driving system.
Alphabet posts $112bn profit as cloud surges 82%, but record cash burn and $205bn capex plan rattle investors
Google parent reports $119.8bn revenue and 82% cloud growth, yet lifts capex forecast to $205bn and posts first negative free cash flow in nearly two decades, sending shares down 5% after hours.
Romania faces fuel supply strain as Kazakhstan halts CPC oil deliveries; interim PM says no shortages for two weeks
Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan assured that Romania will not face fuel shortages in the next two weeks, despite Kazakhstan suspending oil deliveries through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium after drone attacks near Novorossiysk. Rompetrol is seeking alternative routes, but a 10-15% production cut at the Petromidia refinery looms for August if no solution is found.
Peacock posts first-ever quarterly profit of $189 million on World Cup and Love Island USA boost
Comcast's streaming service Peacock reported a $189 million pre-tax profit for the April-June 2026 quarter, its first since launching in 2020, driven by FIFA World Cup coverage and the reality hit Love Island USA.
Impresa narrows loss as SIC swings to €2.3M profit; debt falls 18.6% in first half of 2026
Portuguese media group Impresa posted H1 revenue of €88M, with TV unit SIC reversing a year-ago loss, while group debt fell to €129.6M.
Ford takes 66% stake in Geely joint venture to build five models at Valencia plant from 2028
The US automaker will hold 66% of the venture, with Geely taking 34%, to produce two Ford SUVs, two Geely electric SUVs and a jointly developed crossover, all starting in 2028.
Poland's unemployment rate drops to 5.8% in June, but year-on-year jobless count up by over 100,000
Registered unemployment in Poland fell to 5.8% in June from 5.9% in May, but the number of jobless remains over 100,000 higher than a year ago, reflecting a labour market that is cooling without sharp deterioration.
Nestle to raise €3 billion from water business spin-off into Peranel joint venture with Platinum Equity
The Swiss food giant will transfer brands like Perrier and San Pellegrino into a 50-50 venture with US investment firm Platinum Equity, valuing the new company at €4.9 billion.
US judge temporarily blocks Paramount's $110bn Warner Bros acquisition after states' antitrust lawsuit
A federal judge in Oakland issued a 14-day restraining order, citing 'serious questions' about competition, while 12 states seek a longer injunction.
Atresmedia revenue hits €520m in H1 2026 as audience lead over Mediaset widens to 2.4 points
The Spanish broadcaster reported a 2.6% revenue rise to €520 million, driven by production and events, while Antena 3 extended its audience dominance to nine consecutive semesters.
Trump readies new tariffs on 60 countries as temporary duties expire, risking inflation ahead of midterms
With midterm elections approaching and the Iran war dragging on, the White House is preparing to impose fresh tariffs on 60 trading partners, using novel legal arguments to bypass a Supreme Court block.
TotalEnergies doubles Q2 profit to $5.4 billion as Middle East war lifts oil prices and reignites France's superprofits tax debate
The French oil major posted a net profit of $5.4 billion for the second quarter of 2026, up from $2.7 billion a year earlier, while adjusted net income reached $6 billion. The surge was fuelled by the three-month Brent average of $97 per barrel, a 45 percent year-on-year jump driven by the conflict in the Middle East and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
easyJet profits plunge 70% as Middle East war drives fuel costs higher, takeover battle continues
The British low-cost carrier reported pre-tax profit of £85 million for April–June, down from £286 million a year earlier, as fuel costs jumped £105 million and the Middle East conflict dampened bookings.
UniCredit beats profit forecasts, raises 2026 outlook, and signals Commerzbank control by year-end
UniCredit posted better-than-expected second-quarter earnings and raised its 2026 profit forecast, as CEO Andrea Orcel signalled the Italian bank is moving to take full control of Commerzbank by year-end.
Trump's Truth Social to charge up to $100,000 a month for early access to his posts
Trump Media & Technology Group will launch Truth API on August 1, giving paying traders a speed advantage on posts from the president and other top accounts, sparking ethics and conflict-of-interest criticism.