The UK is introducing a tourist levy: the government has stated that it will allow mayors to charge visitors for overnight stays. There is no set upper limit on the levy, but it is expected to amount to less than 5 per cent of the cost of accommodation.
Experiences have become a business, and cities are turning them into money. Culture, entertainment and the creative industries attract tourists, professionals and capital, becoming a significant source of revenue for the city’s economy.
Investment in long-term assets has virtually ground to a halt, whilst construction volumes have fallen by 11 per cent, accompanied by a catastrophic drop in the amount of residential floor space brought into use. Life in the capital is described in figures by official statistics in the latest publication, ‘The socio-economic situation of the municipality of Chișinău in January–June 2026’.
A new economic study by Anthropic on AI suggests that the economy could become significantly wealthier. However, employment in certain occupations will decline, the wage gap will widen, and an ever-greater share of the wealth created will go to capital owners.
Tea remains the most widely consumed beverage after water, ahead of coffee and other ready-to-drink beverages. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), global tea production totalled 7.3 million tonnes, whilst the sector’s value stood at around $19.5 billion.
According to the annual survey by Ipsos and Secours populaire français, around 29 per cent of Europeans say they are living in precarious circumstances, whilst 73 per cent fear they will be unable to pay their fuel bills.
UBS advises investors to choose gold over platinum due to the growing surplus of the latter on the global market. Demand for platinum is weakening, which is putting pressure on its price.
Global public debt has approached 100 per cent of global GDP and continues to rise. The International Monetary Fund warns that the debt burden has reached levels not seen since the Second World War, whilst high interest rates are making debt servicing increasingly expensive.
In its September report, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised its forecast for global wheat and maize production in the 2026/27 marketing year: upwards for the former and downwards for the latter.
European households may have missed out on €1.17 trillion by favouring bank deposits over investment funds, according to calculations by analysts at the ING banking group.
