European retailers are warning of rising prices and weakening demand due to the protracted conflict in the Middle East. The situation is having a significant impact on fuel prices, logistics, and consumer sentiment.

The average price of residential real estate in Turkey has exceeded 5 million Turkish lira (about $109,000) for the first time, but high inflation continues to offset price increases and is putting pressure on the market.

Once tensions in the Middle East have de-escalated, prices will react in different ways to the “easing of international tensions.” Speculative pressure on energy resources will disappear, while food prices will remain high due to logistical challenges, market inertia, and a protracted recovery in production.

Apple is preparing to raise prices as it becomes increasingly difficult to offset the rising cost of memory chips—driven by the AI boom—using its own resources.

At its meeting on June 18, 2026, the Executive Committee of the National Bank of Moldova unanimously raised the base rate from 6.5% to 7% per annum. The reserve requirement ratios for funds raised in Moldovan lei and in convertible foreign currency were maintained at their current levels—18% and 26% of the reserve base, respectively.

The Egyptian pound has become the world’s best-performing currency following a sharp drop in oil prices resulting from the U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — a move that is expected to restore supplies and ease inflation fears, according to Bloomberg.

The dollar edged lower on Wednesday ahead of the first Federal Reserve meeting under Kevin Warsh’s leadership. Optimism over a temporary peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran is supporting risk appetite and reducing demand for the safe-haven currency.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept its key interest rate at 4.35% following a series of hikes, maintaining a cautious monetary policy stance amid ongoing inflationary risks.

The International Monetary Fund has released its April forecast for global inflation in 2026. Venezuela remains the clear leader at the bottom of the rankings, while deflation is expected in Costa Rica. At the same time, the gap between countries is enormous.

The lavender fields of Provence, which are one of the symbols of the region and of France’s tourism industry, are becoming unprofitable. This is forcing some farmers to switch to other types of agricultural production, including poultry farming and the cultivation of alternative crops.

Greece’s tourism sector is entering the new summer season amid strong demand for vacations and continued growth in accommodation prices. According to data from the analytics firm AirDNA, demand for short-term rentals in the country has risen by 9.3% compared to the same period last year. At the same time, the average rental price during the high season reached €174 per night, compared to €113 during the low season—a 55% increase, reports the Greek Reporter.

Democratic political strategist James Carville is best known for coining the slogan of Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign: “It’s the economy, stupid.” This holds true for this November’s midterm elections as well, and President Donald Trump’s Republican Party appears to be headed for a crushing defeat.

In the first quarter of 2026, Portugal (234), Italy (190), Spain (108), and France (105) recorded the highest number of strikes in the EU. The strikes were caused by issues in transportation, education, healthcare, and government agencies.

Galina Șelari, Ph.D. in Economics, appeared on the program “Expertise” that, when assessing the state of Moldova’s economy, it is necessary to look not only at the numbers but also at the presence of key factors that depend solely on the population and domestic resources—and in this sense, the Moldovan economy does not inspire confidence in the future.

Governments around the world are borrowing more money now than they did during the COVID-19 pandemic

Zurich has become the most expensive city in Europe in terms of housing costs, with the average price of apartments reaching €18,229 per square meter. This price is more than double that of Paris.

At its meeting on June 11, 2026, the European Central Bank (ECB) raised its three key interest rates by 25 basis points. This decision marked the first rate hike since September 2023 and was a response to inflationary pressures caused by the geopolitical crisis and the war in the Middle East. The ECB downgraded its forecast, expecting average inflation in 2026 to reach 3.0%. The baseline forecast for eurozone GDP growth in 2026 has been lowered to 0.8%.

The World Bank has lowered its global economic growth forecast for 2026 to 2.5%. This figure is the lowest since 2020, reflecting a general slowdown in economic activity. The revision is largely due to the risks and consequences of conflicts in the Middle East. The projected growth rates are significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels. In adverse scenarios, experts warn of the risk of growth slowing to as low as 1.3%.

Farmers across many European countries struggled this past winter and spring due to low purchase prices for last year’s potatoes, caused by a record surplus. However, in May and June, the situation began to improve. Prices for new potatoes are currently several times higher than those for last year’s crop.

Experts identified the reasons behind the decline in cryptocurrency prices, predicted future price trends, and discussed which events could influence market dynamics.
