Nafta, produktivita, nálada investorov a nákup zlata

WORLD

• US diesel prices hit record highs, pressuring the Fed. Energy Secretary Chris Wright admitted the US may fail to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, potentially requiring destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities. This situation, alongside rising diesel prices, pressures the Fed chair ahead of the September meeting.

EUROPE

• EU labor productivity rose 0.9 percent in Q2 2026. Slovenia, Denmark, and the Baltic states led growth, while Ireland, Romania, and Italy saw declines.
• EU service production fell month-on-month in June, but rose in Slovakia. While both the Eurozone and EU saw service production decline, Slovakia recorded an opposing trend and achieved higher year-on-year growth.
• Eurozone investor sentiment climbed to its highest level since February 2022. The Sentix index rose to 5.1 points in September, reflecting improved investor confidence, including in Germany.

SLOVAKIA

• PS MPs propose limiting submission of statements when contacting entities outside public administration. The e-Government Act amendment, effective January 2027, will allow banks and insurers to verify data directly in state registries, reducing administrative burden for clients.

GOLD

• China’s central bank accelerated gold purchases despite rising prices. PBOC added the most gold to its reserves since 2023 in August 2026, even as gold prices surged due to dollar weakness and inflation fears.
• Sugar prices surged sharply in August. The rise stems from changing expectations about global supply, with damage to European sugar beet crops during the summer heatwave being a key factor.
• ACG Metals agreed to buy the Keşkek gold license for 7.85 million USD. ACG Metals acquires the Keşkek gold project mining license in Turkey, with the first payment contingent on regulatory approval expected in October 2026.

STOCKS

• (No news).

CRYPTO

• Crypto transaction volume in the MENA region reached 350 billion dollars. The Israel-Iran conflict increased demand for bitcoin as an alternative financial instrument, contributing to a significant rise in crypto transaction volume in the region.
• Malone Lam, alleged organizer of a 245 million dollar bitcoin theft, will appear in court. The case is the first major RICO charge in the crypto theft space and comes as the Department of Justice dismantled its specialized crypto crime unit.
• Hunter Biden announced the LAPTOP meme coin, sparking ridicule in the crypto community. Reactions to the new meme coin are overwhelmingly critical and mocking, with similar tokens from Trump and Melanie losing most of their value.
• Brazilian banks expanded crypto offerings, but do not hold it on their balance sheets. Itaú, Nubank, and others began offering cryptocurrencies to clients following new regulations from the Central Bank of Brazil, but do not hold cryptocurrencies on their own balance sheets.

REAL ESTATE

• (No news).

Translated from the Slovak original and checked automatically: every figure must match the source, or this version is not published.