According to The Information, Thinking Machines Lab is in talks for a valuation of about $40 billion.

Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill said a near-term bank rate increase would reduce the likelihood the Bank must adopt more aggressive tightening to curb inflation pressures from the Iran war. He said a timely, well-communicated rate rise does not necessarily signal the start of a prolonged, aggressive hiking cycle and can prevent harmful "catch-up" nominal dynamics that would make temporary inflation overshoots more persistent. Pill and two other MPC members voted to hike in July. Rate futures put the probability of a 25bp move at this month’s MPC slightly above 15%, while the November meeting is priced for a hike at more than 70%.

China CDC week 35 sentinel surveillance (Aug 24–30, 2026) shows outpatient ARI respiratory-sample positivity: influenza 17.7%, SARS‑CoV‑2 15.8%, rhinovirus 2.8%. SARS‑CoV‑2 positivity is declining and remains at a moderate epidemic level overall. Influenza activity has risen slightly, driven by B (Victoria) and A(H3N2) subtypes, with A(H3N2) share increasing. Southern provinces show fluctuating moderate influenza positivity; northern provinces remain at inter-epidemic levels. Positivity is highest in the 15–59 age group.