IRNA: Isfahan province deputy governor said no explosions occurred in the province tonight.

KPMG’s UK chief economist Yael Selfin said regular pay excluding bonuses rose 3.4% YoY in the three months to May, with little evidence recent energy-price increases have been passed into pay settlements. Weak hiring is weighing on workers’ bargaining power and private-sector wage growth remains below the level consistent with the Bank of England’s 2% inflation target. Selfin expects the BoE to keep rates unchanged at next week’s meeting and says energy-market developments will likely play a larger role in shaping the rate outlook over coming months.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a routine briefing that China has taken a stern position on the recent China–Philippines maritime incident and described the actions as deliberate provocation by Philippine military and police. Asked whether the incident would affect Beijing’s peripheral diplomacy or Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s agenda at ASEAN foreign ministers’ meetings in Manila, Lin said China’s neighboring-diplomacy policy remains unchanged and that East Asian cooperation platforms are not venues for bilateral maritime disputes. He urged the Philippines, as ASEAN rotating chair, to promote dialogue and cooperation rather than put political self-interest above regional peace and stability, adding that those behind the provocations are obvious.