State Administration for Market Regulation summoned Sam's Club China headquarters over repeated food-safety incidents.

XTB analyst Kathleen Brooks said a US‑Iran peace agreement to end the Middle East conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz would pressure oil prices lower and ease inflation risks. The development arrives ahead of the Bank of England's rate decision; investors broadly expect the policy rate to remain at 3.75%. Markets will watch voting splits and BoE communication for signals on future moves. London Stock Exchange data shows markets have fully priced a 25bp hike in December.

According to the New York Post, President Trump warned France could trigger a new trade fight if it does not drop its 3% digital services tax, threatening 100% tariffs on all French champagne and wine if the levy remains. He said he had directly told President Macron to cancel the tax; the U.S. market accounts for roughly one-fifth of French wine sales, over $2bn annually. France’s 3% digital services tax, effective since 2019, targets gross revenues from digital services and applies to companies including Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Apple, hitting U.S. tech firms because it is levied on revenue rather than profit.