US Conference Board Present Situation Index (Aug) 121.2, prior 114.9.

Volkswagen CEO said closing factories would be a last and most costly option.

Zhongkuang Resources said Zimbabwe temporarily suspended lithium concentrate export permit approvals in Feb 2026 to curb smuggling and encourage local processing. The company obtained an initial 200,000-tonne export quota in April and a further 300,000 tonnes in July, and says it has ramped logistics despite African land transport constraints and port congestion. As of the disclosure date, Bikita lithium concentrate transport has returned to normal and supply is sufficient to meet the company’s domestic refining feedstock needs.