Von der Leyen said the EU economy has withstood shocks from the Middle East war and is performing better than expected, but related pressures are weighing on households. She said clear fiscal choices are necessary and reviving the European economy is the EU's top priority.

The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) said on the 16th that Middle East tensions, rising production costs and extreme weather linked to El Nifio are driving higher food inflation in the UK. IGD forecasts food inflation could peak at about 3.9% this year and may approach 7% in 2027, with projected food price rises of 2.9–3.9% in 2026, 5.6–6.6% in 2027 and 5.3–6.3% in 2028.

Beijing's Zhongguancun aims to be a world-leading science park by 2030, according to a planning document issued by the Beijing municipal committee's education, science and talent work leading group. Key targets by 2030 include enterprise R&D expenditure as a share of value added of about 9.0%; 110 world-class technology firms; 105 unicorns; park operating revenue of 13.5 trillion yuan; and strategic emerging industry revenue of 8.1 trillion yuan.