#economic-trends

#economic-trends

Mitchells & Butlers reported a significant boost in customer numbers, attributing part of its strong performance to recent sunny weather, with sales exceeding industry forecasts.

The generational transfer of nearly $124 trillion in assets over 25 years will profoundly impact families, advisers, businesses, and every segment of the financial industry.

Gas prices in Florida have shown a volatile pattern, with price fluctuations occurring for nearly a year. After a recent drop, prices are back up sharply, indicating continued instability.

For the third year running, Singapore ranked as the world's most expensive city for high-net-worth individuals, according to the latest Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report from Julius Baer Group.

Florida's unemployment rate remained at 3.7% in June, with private-sector jobs down 21,000 from May, indicating a shrinking workforce of 11.193 million.

The average price of a pound of ground beef rose to $6.12 in June, up nearly 12% from a year ago. The average price of all uncooked beef steaks rose to $11.49 per pound, an 8% increase.

Charlet launched her car-sitting service on social media, inviting curious and often skeptical New Yorkers to reach out via her business number.

Chinese buyers accounted for $13.7 billion in US residential real estate purchases from April 2024 to March, marking an 83% increase from the previous year.

The number of business insolvencies filed in Germany increased by 2.4 percent in June compared to the previous year, according to data released by Germany's statistical office (Destatis).

There was a significant rise in big-money divorce applications last year, bucking the prevailing trend for divorces, which have been decreasing in recent years.

The lender's robust performance is particularly notable given the turbulent backdrop of rising business taxes, persistent global tariffs, and slower-than-expected base rate cuts.

The anticipated 'Trump bump' has ultimately given way to a 'Trump slump',” says Christine Bourron, the chief executive of Pi-eX. “Trump's 'Liberation Day' announcement introduced significant geopolitical uncertainty, casting a shadow over the global economy and unsettling buyer confidence in the art market.

"Deglobalization has had its roots in the geopolitical and economic competition between the United States and China," Wells Fargo said. "Recent events raise the possibility of further cleaving of the global economic order. Specifically, the possibility that the European Union goes in its own geopolitical and economic direction is no longer unfathomable."

"A lot of people have this kind of misconception that homes are cheap," said Melnyk. Over the last few years, he's regularly received inquiries from people outside Nova Scotia who are interested in moving to the province.

"The construction of new housing has slowed dramatically, while demand in cities like Berlin is higher than ever," observed Dr. Michael Voigtländer, real estate expert at the German Economic Institute (IW).

At the halfway point of 2025, major hedge funds are closely tracking stock market returns, showing a trend towards recovery despite earlier volatility this year.

Overall, London businesses reflect stronger optimism about their operating conditions, with an increase in hiring and a focus on technology-led growth in the coming months.

The UK tourism sector is currently facing a challenge not of over-tourism but of slower growth, despite a projected surge in visitor numbers this year.

The recent rise in unemployment among college graduates, reaching 6.1% for bachelor’s degree holders, underscores the need to prioritize job-ready skills over traditional education.

Mortgage applications have decreased for the third consecutive week, dropping 3.9% from a week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

According to the report, DOGE-related efforts remain the leading reason given for job cut announcements this year.

When it comes to retention, though, pay still matters: Randstad found a pay raise was the "top retention driver" for 79% of respondents.