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UK rents outpace house prices—but the gap is not a rental yield

The latest British data separate the monthly cost of housing from the price of acquiring a property.

Italian home-price growth slows: two readings of the 4% increase

Italian housing prices still rose in the second quarter. Slower growth is different from falling prices.

A small monthly dip in Dutch home prices: turn or pause?

August’s Dutch figures tell different stories depending on whether the comparison is monthly or annual.

Euro-area construction stops falling monthly, but remains below last year

July’s European figures indicate a pause in the monthly decline, not a recovery of previous output.

A new EU housing proposal: the distance between an announcement and practical help

The Commission targets areas under the greatest housing pressure. Its proposal should not be presented as an applicable final regulation.

Budapest asking rents rise again: what does the listings index measure?

August’s increase matters to home seekers, but it does not mean every existing tenancy became more expensive.

UK GDP rises: the same 0.4% tells two different stories

July’s monthly and three-month growth figures match numerically, but their comparison periods differ.

More than half of EU electricity is renewable: why that is not a price forecast

The generation mix matters, but an industrial buyer’s bill also depends on when and how it purchases power.

Hungarian construction falls 12.2%: why that is not a house-price forecast

July’s decline concerns construction output. Residential transaction prices measure a different market process.

US new-home sales estimate rises, but uncertainty remains wide

August’s US figures use an annualised rate. The monthly increase does not establish a turning point.

China’s property market moves in two directions: development and resale diverge

The first eight months’ data show why a single growth figure cannot describe the whole property market.

German business confidence improves: when does it become a Hungarian order?

September’s higher ifo reading is an encouraging signal, but sentiment and signed orders remain separate steps.

Hungary’s €244.6 million current-account deficit: what the new figure shows

Second-quarter external balance cannot be assessed from a minus sign alone: the current account and net lending measure different things.

Package holidays cost more while flights cost less: how can both be true?

Diverging August EU price indices show why travel costs cannot be reduced to a single number.

Hungarian industry grew, but not everywhere: inside July’s figures

Different sector paths sit behind the national industrial increase, an important distinction for suppliers.

Hungarian shops sold more: what does 4.9% growth tell us?

July’s retail data measure a change in sales volumes. They do not establish how profitable retailers were.

Hungary’s HUF 745,500 average wage: why the typical worker sees a different figure

The latest July earnings release uses averages and medians to answer different questions about Hungarian pay.

Hungary’s new inflation target: what changes in 2028?

The central bank is changing its longer-term benchmark. The announcement alone does not rewrite loan contracts or deposit rates.

Costlier euro funding: where the ECB’s rate move reaches Hungarian firms

Euro-area monetary policy can affect Hungarian companies, but the transmission depends on funding currencies and contract terms.

Dollar interest rates and forint returns: what investors should separate

The Fed’s September tightening changed the backdrop for dollar assets. Currency movements also shape a Hungarian saver’s outcome.

Pension saving by default: what would automatic enrolment change?

Participation rules for supplementary pensions are back in the European policy debate. No new compulsory EU-wide system has been announced.

Financial risk can sit in the cloud: a new warning from EU supervisors

Technology dependence and less transparent financing channels also shape the financial system’s vulnerabilities.

EU tariff relief for Armenian exports may open a sourcing route

The Council has adopted temporary measures; the terms for each product will determine the commercial opportunity.

Europe’s oil bill jumped while import volumes barely moved

The gap between import value and volume explains why counting barrels alone misses the cost pressure.

Brussels sees stable gas supply, with winter checks still ahead

The Commission’s assessment is not a price guarantee: supply security and procurement costs are separate questions.

More freight on EU roads: why tonnes do not tell the whole story

EU road freight volumes increased, but cargo weight alone cannot establish how well hauliers are doing.

EU duties on Chinese pea protein put food sourcing in focus

The definitive measure may affect cost planning for businesses that use plant-based protein.

ECB daily EUR/HUF reference rates, 2026-09-21–2026-09-25. Context chart; the vertical axis does not start at zero.

Markets

US labour-market week: JOLTS on Tuesday, employment report on Friday

The official US calendar lists two important releases for the week. For Hungarian investors, the dollar’s value in forints matters alongside share prices; Friday’s reference exchange rate provides context only.

28 Sept · Briefing

World

Swiss voters reject stricter neutrality rules

The provisional official final result shows 70.15% voting no; the initiative failed to win a majority in any canton.

Bangkok flood holiday announced; Thai exchange plans Monday trading

The special holiday covers 28–29 September; the exchange has indicated normal operations for 28 September.

Catania flight suspension extended until Monday noon

Continued ash emissions from Etna have extended the suspension until 12:00 on 28 September.

Stricter EU rules on green marketing claims apply from 27 September

New EU consumer-protection rules begin applying on 27 September. The change also affects sustainability claims made by businesses in Hungary.

World

Five men also arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act in RAF Fairford case

The five men initially arrested over suspected explosives offences have also been arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act; no charges have been announced.

The Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest, 15 August 2015. Archive illustration; resized photograph.

Broader KATA eligibility, higher monthly tax: Magyar outlines plans

Hungary's prime minister wants to reopen KATA to entrepreneurs billing companies. In Szolnok, he promised a wealth-tax launch on 1 January 2027; the detailed rules will be decisive.

27 Sept · Explainer

Partners approve expansion of Azerbaijan's Absheron gas field

SOCAR confirmed the partners' final investment decision on 26 September.

Romania's budget deficit narrows as interest costs rise

Romania's January–August 2026 deficit was RON 59.42 billion, down from RON 86.36 billion a year earlier.

Entrance to the employment department of the Somogy County Government Office in Balatonboglár, 2018. Archive photo.

Hungarian unemployment at 4.7% as job searches grow longer

KSH counted 229,000 unemployed in August, a rate of 4.7%. Three-month data show fewer people in work and a rising share of those searching for more than a year.

Aerial view of the Autoport Bremerhaven vehicle export terminal, June 2019. Archive photo.

Carmakers drag down German export expectations in September

The ifo export expectations index fell from 9.8 to 8.0 points. Carmakers once again expect exports to decline, while machinery makers have become more optimistic.

Frankfurt skyline across the Main. Archival illustration, 2017; resized photograph.

Eurozone business loan growth slows

Annual growth eased to 4.2% in August. That alone does not establish a turning point in investment.

26 Sept · Explainer

A panel discussion at Web Summit in Lisbon, November 2018. Archive photo.

Technology & AI

Lisbon prepares for Web Summit in November

Web Summit 2026 takes place on 9–12 November.

The Europa building in Brussels, where the European Council meets, July 2024. Archive photo.

World

European Council to meet on 15–16 October

A Brussels meeting on Europe’s diplomatic calendar.

Technology & AI

AI transparency is now a business issue in Europe

New requirements affect chatbots and artificially generated content.

26 Sept · Explainer

A container ship at a container terminal in the Port of Rotterdam, October 2016. Archive photo.

Nearly three quarters of EU goods imports arrive by sea

In 2025, 73.3% of the weight of goods imported from outside the EU came by sea, but only half of their value. Air is the reverse: little weight, a fifth of import value.

Frankfurt’s business district across the Main, 2017.

Housing and competitiveness on Europe’s regional map

Eurostat has published its 2026 regional yearbook.

The European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt, July 2019. Archive photo.

How do policy rates reach business borrowing?

Central-bank rates influence several parts of the economy.

26 Sept · Explainer

Shoppers in Budapest’s Great Market Hall, December 2010. Archive photo.

Hungarian inflation at 1.3% in August as food prices fall

Consumer prices rose 1.3% year on year, according to KSH. The average hides wide differences: food and gas got cheaper, while services rose 5%.