EU sanctions on Israel settlements: The UK, France and Canada moved to restrict trade tied to illegal Israeli settlements, with the UK targeting specific firms and services (construction, infrastructure, financing, real estate) and France saying it will end trade with settlements alongside other committed countries. Shipping competitiveness: Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Italy agreed to coordinate shipping policy in Europe and at the IMO, focusing on competitiveness and decarbonisation while accounting for economic impact. France fiscal pressure: Central bank chief Emmanuel Moulin said France is not in “catastrophic” danger but must cut its public deficit as growth forecasts soften. Italy growth outlook: Giorgia Meloni expects 2026 GDP growth around 1%, arguing Italy is holding up despite long-running productivity and energy-cost issues. UK momentum: Britain’s economy grew 0.4% in July, extending the first-half pace, with AI-linked strength in software development cited. Auto shake-up: Volkswagen approved “Future Plan 2030,” cutting 50,000 more jobs and reshaping European production amid weak demand and China-driven competition. Ukraine hit to the economy: Kyiv says Russian strikes are crippling key sectors and could push 2026 GDP down by 1.5 points. EU sanctions politics: France joined Slovakia in pushing to delist Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, adding friction inside the EU as sanctions renewal deadlines near. Gold storage shift: Dutch and French moves to repatriate gold from the US highlight central banks’ growing focus on crisis-ready, accessible reserves. Trade preferences: The EU told Pakistan it must reapply for GSP+ under tougher rules (32 conventions vs 27) to keep preferential access beyond the transition. AI arms race: Reports say China is pivoting toward AI agents that drive steep compute demand, while Europe’s AI compute build-out lags.