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Inflation

Economy

Japan passes biggest ever budget at €664bn amid spending push

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Business

Egg prices soar to four times overall EU inflation ahead of Easter

Egg prices, both consumer and wholesale, are on the rise across Europe. Egg inflation significantly outpaces overall inflation in most European countries.

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Nigeria worshippers mark Easter with Lagos street procession

Nigeria marked Good Friday with hundreds of Catholic faithful marching through Lagos in a public reenactment of the Stations of the Cross, linking Christ’s suffering to the country’s economic pain.

Economy

Iran war slashes Germany's growth outlook by 50%, with deficit at 4.2%

Germany's top economic institutes say the Iran war is exposing structural weaknesses that predate the conflict — and warn that without reform, the country risks permanently underperforming its growth potential.

Economy

Eurozone inflation jumps to 2.5% amid Iran war: Will ECB hike rates?

Consumer prices jumped at their fastest monthly pace since October 2022, driven almost entirely by the energy shock from the Iran conflict. Economists are split on whether Frankfurt will pull the trigger.

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Business

European real wages near pre-COVID levels, but Iran crisis poses risks

The post-pandemic surge in inflation across Europe reduced the purchasing power of advertised wages in major economies. In some countries, wages have now caught up, but in others they still lag behind.

Economy

Spain's inflation jumps to 3.3% as Iran war drives energy costs higher

Spain's consumer prices have risen at their fastest rate since 2024, reaching 3.3% year-on-year in March, driven by surging energy costs linked to the ongoing Iran conflict, according to the Spanish national statistics agency.

Economy

Is Europe sleepwalking into its worst gas crisis since 2022?

European gas prices have surged 70% and storage is running low. Supply disruptions, rising inflation and the prospect of ECB tightening are raising fears of a repeat of the 2022 energy crisis.

Economy

OECD cuts eurozone growth forecast as energy prices surge

The OECD said Thursday it was cutting its eurozone growth outlook and forecasting higher inflation for 2026 after the Middle East war caused energy prices to skyrocket.

Economy

Iran war energy shock puts ECB on alert — Lagarde vows timely response

The Iran war has sent oil and gas prices surging and rate hike bets rising, but ECB chief Christine Lagarde says the eurozone is far better placed to absorb the shock than it was when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Economy

Iran war has 'material impact' on inflation, ECB's Lagarde warns

ECB holds rates, warning Middle East tensions and oil risks could push inflation higher. Baseline sees 2.6% in 2026, but energy shocks could lift it to 3.5% or 4.4%, depending on how long supply disruptions persist.

Economy

ECB keeps rates steady as rising energy prices fuel inflation concerns

The European Central Bank (ECB) kept its key policy rates on hold on Thursday, as fresh spikes in oil and gas prices threaten to derail recent progress in reducing inflation.

Economy

Bank of England holds rate at 3.75% amid Iran war inflation fears

The Bank of England has held its main interest rate at 3.75% in the wake of rising oil and gas prices following the start of the Iran war.

Markets

Markets on edge as ECB prepares to set interest rates

European markets have opened lower as investors await the European Central Bank’s rate decision, with a sharp rise in gas and oil prices fuelling fresh inflation concerns.

Economy

Fed projects one rate cut, sees limited Iran war impact

Federal Reserve officials say the war in Iran is likely to push up inflation this year, while having little impact on economic growth.

Economy

Iran raises minimum wage by 60% as war decimates household budgets

The Iranian regime has announced a 60% increase in the minimum wage as the country grapples with the ongoing war and record inflation.

Economy

Why is chocolate so expensive — and where have prices risen most?

Chocolate prices rose 18% across the EU in 2025 — the highest increase of any food item — as drought in West Africa drove up cocoa costs. But the impact has varied widely across Europe.