Europe is resisting the widespread installation of air conditioners. This is due to environmental concerns, high energy costs, and strict municipal laws.
According to preliminary data, in the first quarter of 2026, Moldova’s current account deficit decreased by 17.1% compared to the same period last year, amounting to -806.2 million euros. This change was driven by a reduction in the foreign trade deficit.
The total assets of Moldova’s banking sector reached 189,899.0 million lei at the end of 2025, an increase of 11.5% compared to the previous period. This trend reflects confidence in the stability of the financial system and the banks’ ability to support the growth of the national economy, according to the annual report of the National Bank of Moldova.
In the EU, packages containing goods valued at less than €150 will no longer be eligible for the de minimis exemption—a provision that exempted very inexpensive shipments from customs duties and was actively used by platforms such as Temu and Shein.
Redefining the agency’s functions and restructuring it into a state-owned holding company—that is what will help eliminate gaps in the management of state assets.
In the coming decade, the number of central banks planning to reduce the share of the U.S. dollar in their reserves will exceed the number of those intending to increase it. According to the results of a survey of sovereign investors published by the London-based think tank OMFIF (Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum), against the backdrop of growing political risks associated with the U.S. currency, a clear trend toward reducing dollar reserves has been observed for the first time.
Concerns about Microsoft’s future stem from a market correction. In June 2026, the company’s stock suffered a historic decline: its market capitalization fell by $570 billion, marking the sharpest drop in a decade. Analysts attribute this to record spending on AI, an overheated market, and a slowdown in the growth of the cloud business.
Gas prices on European exchanges are rising again. On Monday, the price of July futures on the TTF hub rose by more than 3%. Prices recovered from their recent drop below $490 and are once again heading toward the psychological threshold of $500 per thousand cubic meters.
The Competition Council has begun reviewing a merger between the two companies to determine whether the resulting economic concentration in the fruit and vegetable processing market is compatible with a normal competitive environment.
The total volume of net remittances from abroad to individuals in May exceeded $170 million. Nearly 80% of these transfers were denominated in the euro. Such volumes of remittances have a multifaceted impact on macroeconomic indicators, serving as a key component of the balance of payments and a source of support for consumer demand.
The rise in global oil and food prices is indeed putting inflationary pressure on Moldova’s economy. However, the key risks facing the country right now are different: inefficient borrowing and rising budget expenditures—this is precisely what sets Moldova apart today.
Head of the Bilbao Port Authority (Spain), Iván Jiménez, believes that the European Union needs to postpone the implementation of an embargo on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to avoid the risk of excessive dependence on supplies from the United States. This was reported by the Financial Times.
Elon Musk, the world’s first trillionaire, celebrates his birthday on June 28. In 2026, he will turn 55. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, he has been interested in computers and entrepreneurship since childhood: at age 12, he created a video game and sold it to a computer magazine. Musk later moved from South Africa, became a Canadian citizen, and went on to build a career in the United States. On June 12, Forbes declared him a trillionaire with a previously unimaginable fortune of $1 trillion.
“Tit-for-tat” economic wars threaten global growth. The Financial Times reports on the views of outgoing IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchi regarding geopolitical fragmentation and the future of the global economy.
As of the end of May, Moldova’s total public debt had risen to 143.1 billion lei, compared with 122.1 billion lei a year earlier. Over the course of the year, the country’s debt burden increased by 21 billion lei. Nevertheless, according to estimates by the Ministry of Finance and the IMF, the current ratio of total public debt to GDP remains within a safe range (around 37–38% of GDP).
The state budget deficit at the end of May stood at approximately 7.7 billion lei. This represents an increase of 777.1 million lei (or 11.4%) compared to the same period last year. The Ministry of Finance reported this while summarizing the results for the first five months.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed a decline in energy and commodity prices following the conclusion of the U.S.-Iran agreement to cease hostilities and resume shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the IMF noted that it will take time for supplies to fully normalize and return to pre-conflict levels.
The European currency is rapidly losing value, having given up all the gains it made in the spring. Against the backdrop of a strengthening dollar, the euro could fall to $1.10. Investors are becoming increasingly convinced that falling oil prices and clear signs of a slowdown in the Old World’s economy are reducing the likelihood of another tightening of the European Central Bank’s monetary policy.
The world’s largest companies, as listed in the new annual Forbes Global 2000 ranking, have set new records for revenue, profit, assets, and market capitalization. According to the updated ranking, despite trade wars, geopolitical tensions, high energy prices, and inflation, global companies continue to demonstrate steady growth.
JPMorgan has sharply lowered its forecast for Brent crude oil prices over the next six quarters. The bank believes that falling demand is a more significant factor than the decline in inventories.
