UK Builders Suffer Biggest Downturn Since Pandemic, PMI Shows
S&P Global's construction purchasing managers' index dropped from 48.8 in June to 44.3 last month, the lowest since May 2020 when the sector was reeling from the first Covid lockdown. It was much worse than the steady reading expected by economists and well below the 50 threshold separating growth and contraction.
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Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ahold Delhaize agrees to sell 87 Romanian stores to Annabella
Food retailer Ahold Delhaize has agreed to offload 87 of its stores across 44 localities in Romania to local supermarket chain Annabella. The sale is a fulfilment of the company's obligations set by the Romanian Competition Council (RCC) in relation to Ahold Delhaize's acquisition of Romanian grocery retailer Profi Rom Food in January 2025. The divestment includes 82 stores operated by Profi and five by Ahold Delhaize's other supermarket brand in Romania, which is called Mega Image. The deal will be finalised by the end of 2025. Annabella has more than three decades of market presence in Romania and operates 118 stores across the country. Competition Council president Bogdan Chirițoiu was quoted by Romania Journal: 'Through this acquisition, Annabella will enter markets where it has not been present until now, such as Cluj, Bihor, Timiș, Bacău, Vrancea and Constanța, becoming a new competitor in the retail sector. Therefore, we have given our preliminary approval, with the final approval to be granted upon authorisation of the transaction.' In January 2025, Ahold Delhaize completed the acquisition of Profi from private equity company MidEuropa for an enterprise value of €1.3bn ($1.37bn). This acquisition has increased Ahold Delhaize's retail presence in Romania, where it operates close to 1,000 stores under the Mega Image banner. Profi operates 1,700 supermarkets and convenience stores. In the 12 months ending June 2024, it reported net sales of €2.7bn. In June 2025, Ahold Delhaize USA confirmed that a cybersecurity incident that took place on 5 November 2024 exposed the data of 2.24 million people. "Ahold Delhaize agrees to sell 87 Romanian stores to Annabella" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
CELEBRITY RIVER CRUISES TO OPEN DEPOSITS FOR INAUGURAL 2027 SAILINGS ON SEPTEMBER 3
Secure Priority Booking Access to be among the first to book a 2027 inaugural season vacation on Europe's iconic Danube and Rhine rivers MIAMI, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Be among the first to experience Celebrity River Cruises, as Priority Booking Access opens at 9 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Guests who place a fully refundable $500 deposit will receive early access to book a 2027 sailing ahead of the general public and be among the first to receive the highly anticipated itinerary and stateroom details. "We are excited to offer guests the chance to experience the first-ever Celebrity River Cruises vacations in 2027 with Priority Booking Access," shares Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. "Guests will enjoy the warm hospitality Celebrity is known for, on innovative ships, with land experiences unlike any other, as we set sail on Europe's iconic Danube and Rhine rivers." Guests will explore historic cities aboard Celebrity's fleet of transformative river ships that blend the elevated design and sophistication of Edge Series ocean ships with European charm. Discover the Danube and Rhine with Celebrity River Cruises fares inclusive of all meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, onboard experiences and one shore excursion each day. Guests will also have the option to add a pre- or post-cruise stay in Prague and Budapest when they open for booking in 2026. Celebrity River Cruises is a natural extension of Celebrity's premium offering that will bring its unique service-first approach to the river. Guests will get the keys to sail through the heart of culturally and historically significant cities, experience locally inspired cuisine and unique shore experiences – The Celebrity Way. With ships that will give guests 360 degrees of breathtaking views, every moment will be designed to immerse guests in the beauty of the journey. To join Priority Booking Access and place a fully refundable $500 deposit, please visit contact a Celebrity River Cruises expert at 1-833-474-8803, visit Future Cruise on board, or contact a trusted travel advisor. More information about Celebrity River Cruises, including destinations, fleet size, ship details, shore excursions and more, will be announced when we open for booking. Visit to sign up to receive information first and follow @CelebrityCruises on social media. Priority Booking Access provides access to the early booking window but does not guarantee a stateroom type, ship, or sail date. Full Priority Booking Access terms and conditions available at: About Celebrity CruisesCelebrity Cruises delivers an elevated premium vacation experience across their fleet of ocean and river ships traveling to over 300 destinations across more than 70 countries spanning all seven continents. Uniquely offering the intimate feel and thoughtful service of small ships, with the variety and excitement of bigger ones – guests can explore the world or get away from it for a little while. With every detail elevated beyond expectations, guests will never want to vacation any other way. An industry pioneer for more than 35 years, each Celebrity vacation offers experiences you won't find anywhere else. Celebrity Cruises is headquartered in Miami and is one of five cruise brands owned by Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL). Visit for more information, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Celebrity Cruises
Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Forbes
The Next Tech Supercycle Is Shaping The Future Of Financial Services
Some questions are always the same; it's the answers that change, as our understanding evolves when new knowledge and perspectives emerge. One such question is about the future of AI. The reference to Albert Einstein's famous quip on why some questions are timeless served as the opening statement at the recent SAP and SAP Fioneer Forum for Financial Services event presented by TAC Insights in Munich. It was meant to remind the audience of financial experts that AI is shaking up the world as they know it. The importance of continuous learning and adapting to new information, rather than relying heavily on past knowledge, has never been more important. 'At SAP, we see AI as the defining force of the next technology supercycle – one that will deeply transform how enterprises operate,' said Dominik Asam, CFO and member of the Executive Board, SAP SE, during his opening keynote. 'AI is a must-win area for SAP,' he emphasized. 'The transition to AI will determine success in enterprise tech, and the cloud is a prerequisite for AI to work at scale.' Asam noted that this AI wave is bigger than any previous supercycles such as mainframes, the internet, and cloud computing. AI isn't just a product – it's a platform technology, underpinning and enhancing other innovations, including automation, robotics, analytics, personalized customer experiences and autonomous systems Asam explained SAP's strategy to put AI first, integrating AI into every business process, transforming how people work and enhancing the productivity, profitability, and growth ambitions of its customers. This involves hundreds of AI features and agents embedded directly into SAP solutions, covering areas from supply chain management to customer experience. SAP's AI copilot Joule serves as the new user interface in the age of AI – embedded everywhere, from the SAP Business Suite to mobile devices and even integrated with third-party assistants. Asam sees financial services as one of the sectors most impacted by AI, and SAP is aligning its solutions accordingly. That's because financial services demand accuracy and auditability. AI must improve, not compromise, control functions. AI is already being used to detect anomalies in real time, automate reconciliation and reporting, and reduce compliance risk and audit failures. "In finance, you can't afford hallucinations. AI must beat the assurance level of a human," said SAP's CFO, highlighting AI's role in strengthening, not replacing, human oversight. However, Generative AI is only as strong as the data that powers it. One issue some financial institutions face is that their HR, finance, risk, and customer data are all housed in separate silos. SAP offers a seamless integration of applications, data, and AI in one ecosystem. With Business AI, financial institutions can enhance forecasting and planning. Now, for example, banks can use HR data such as attrition and recruiting to refine cost forecasts, and automate bottom-up budget models instead of relying on subjective, top-down estimates. This leads to faster and more objective forecasting. Joule for finance When it comes to Business AI for finance and spend management, it's all about efficiency. AI-copilot Joule partners with SAP Document and Reporting Compliance to translate complex e-invoicing errors into natural language. This way, error misunderstandings will be a thing of the past. Joule enhancements in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition will increase efficiency with proactive sales order fulfillment monitoring, direct fixed asset master data creation, and price adjustment suggestions. And for SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, Joule helps users with field logistics, cash management, contract analysis, and streamlines convergent invoicing processes. The first Joule agents are now available in spend management. 'Regardless of the use case, we are placing special focus on trust, explainability, and control,' said Asam. Last fall, SAP updated its Global AI Ethics Policy to ground it in the human-rights centered approach of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. 'We do this to deliver Business AI that drives relevant outcomes, activates reliable insights, and scales responsibly.' The bottom line SAP sees this supercycle as a chance to rewire the enterprise for agility, accuracy, and control. Financial services organizations that embrace AI with the right governance and integration strategy will: 'This is not optional – we work every day, day in and day out, to make sure businesses benefit from this tremendous opportunity,' Asam underlined. For SAP and its financial services clients, AI is a now-or-never moment. Many SAP customers in the financial service industry are heeding the call. During his keynote at the same event, Stephan Paxmann, Chief Innovation Officer, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW), corroborated Asam's view that AI is a now-or-never-moment. 'AI in fintech is already pervasively integrated, quietly reshaping our lives,' said Paxmann, expanding on the topic in a recent article on SAP BrandVoice. 'It's transforming financial services, not with sudden disruption, but through a gradual, pragmatic shift that empowers people, augments human tasks, and requires thoughtful, responsible integration—especially around data, usability, and trust.' In closing, both financial experts agree that AI is not just another tech trend – it's a tectonic shift. Those who understand and adapt early will be best positioned to ride the wave.
