Business
UK solar capacity stood at 22.8 gigawatts as of the end of June 2026, marking a significant upward trend in deployment. According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, approximately 2.076 million installations are now active across the country. During June alone, developers added 27,391 systems, which contributed an additional 132 megawatts. These figures are provisional and could be revised as more projects are incorporated into the official dataset. The overall capacity encompasses rooftop arrays, commercial installations, and large-scale solar farms. This milestone also establishes a baseline before the implementation of upcoming plug-in solar regulations.
Canadian Economy Demonstrates 0.3% Growth in May, Indicates Second Quarter Rebound Ottawa, Canada / RankWire.AI / – On Friday, official data from the national economic tracker confirmed that the Canadian economy experienced a 0.3 per cent increase in May. This marks a continuation of the economic recovery into a second consecutive month and exceeds earlier government predictions. The monthly Gross Domestic Product figures published by Statistics Canada revealed that real output rose across 13 of 20 key industrial sectors, driven by widespread gains in goods-producing industries and steady demand in services. This growth surpassed the preliminary flash estimate of 0.1 per cent, bolstering momentum for the nation’s economic output following a revised growth rate of 0.6 per cent in April. National statistical agencies publish monthly economic growth reports across public sectors. (AI-generated image) The expansion in May was primarily driven by a 1.0 per cent rise in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector, marking its second consecutive month of growth. Increased activity at Alberta’s bitumen sites and the postponement of routine spring maintenance allowed for higher crude oil extraction volumes throughout May. Support services for oil and gas extraction jumped by 9.8 per cent, marking the seventh month in a row of growth in this area. Additionally, transportation and warehousing activities grew by 0.3 per cent, supported by higher pipeline throughput of natural gas for export and increased domestic freight movement. The real estate and
The price of Bitcoin dropped to $62,957.83, marking a 3.02% decrease over 24 hours, according to data from cryptocurrency exchange Binance. This decline is part of a larger sell-off driven by increased volatility in technology stocks, macroeconomic uncertainties, and changing expectations for monetary policy. The global financial environment saw a wave of risk aversion that pressured digital assets lower, with Bloomberg market data indicating that a rapid rise in long liquidations across derivative trading platforms coincided with shrinking spot trading volumes.
Belgium experienced an unexpected acceleration in consumer price growth, with the annual inflation rate climbing to 3.56 percent in July from 3.40 percent in June. This notable uptick surpassed forecasts, driven by ongoing price increases in utilities, recreation, and transportation. Energy products and commercial services were identified as the main contributors to July’s inflation increase, with energy inflation rising to 10.59 percent year-on-year and electricity prices growing by 7.90 percent. Increases in recreational activities, transportation, and hospitality services also played a significant role in the overall inflation rate, which rose to 5.17 percent in July.
Global comparable store sales rose 7.9 percent year-over-year during the quarter, supported by a 4.2 percent increase in customer transaction volume and a 3.5 percent rise in average ticket size. Within the primary U.S. domestic market, comparable store sales expanded by 7.9 percent, fueled by steady recovery in foot traffic and improved morning service throughput. Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share reached $0.85, comfortably exceeding the consensus analyst estimate of $0.65 from Yahoo Finance. Meanwhile, GAAP operating margin grew by 60 basis points to 10.5 percent, benefitting from sales leverage, efficiencies in supply chain operations, and tariff duty refunds during the quarter.
In a move to bolster economic and diplomatic relations with Central Europe, the United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held discussions with Slovak Republic Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava. According to coverage by Emirates News Agency, the talks focused on bilateral cooperation aimed at advancing a long-term economic strategy. Key topics included opportunities in clean energy transition, the transfer of advanced technology, and expanding frameworks for cross-border trade.