Italy's deputy economy minister said a planned tax increase on banks is intended to avoid affecting their capital ratios.

Demand for high-end industrial machine tools in China has surged this year on AI and new-energy sector demand. A Suzhou maker said a six-axis PCB drilling machine is in final pre-shipment testing; its 1H PCB equipment output rose sharply YoY, output of advanced-series machines already exceeds last year’s full-year level by more than twofold, and orders are booked through 2Q next year. Industry data: China’s machine-tool and tool sector 1H 2026 revenue 530.9 bln yuan, +7.6% YoY; total profit 19.6 bln yuan, +110.8% YoY.

Politico UK: Downing Street said Andy Burnham has told the cabinet he will soon write to ministers on the UK’s relationship with the EU.