UK food companies urged Prime Minister Burnham to intervene on costs as drought reduces supplies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the 20th that, given Kyiv’s position, there are currently no preconditions for a peaceful settlement of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He acknowledged Western support fatigue for Ukraine but warned against overstating it, saying a core group of European countries, notably the UK, are increasing direct involvement to counter that trend. Peskov added that dates for visits to Moscow by U.S. presidential envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner have not been set; both are welcome in Moscow as guests of President Putin and Russian counterparts.

Analysts say unprecedented shareholder-return programs at two major South Korean chipmakers are becoming a key driver of the won. If the firms raise won domestically for dividends and buybacks by selling dollars elsewhere, it could extend the won's recent rally — a 40-trading-day rebound since early July, the fastest since end-2022 — and this week the currency broke the 1,400-per-dollar level for the first time in over ten months. Hanwha Investment & Securities economist Choi Kyuho said companies must pay returns in won and may sell large dollar holdings to raise local currency. CITIGROUP added that if overseas equity investors repatriate proceeds, roughly half of the shareholder-return funds could be converted back into dollars, but overall the programs should be net positive for the won as firms convert more export receipts into local currency.