Moment of the week: UniCredit ups its Commerzbank stake
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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
£40m Liverpool Star ‘Expected' to Join Bundesliga Side This Summer
Harvey Elliott's Future at Liverpool and the RB Leipzig Link Liverpool fans are bracing themselves for what could be a significant summer transfer decision regarding Harvey Elliott. Following the arrival of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, the club has opened the door for Elliott to leave, with the potential transfer fee expected to be in the region of £40-50m. With Arne Slot now entering his second season after a stunning Premier League debut campaign, the squad is evolving rapidly, and Elliott's future is at the forefront of speculation. RB Leipzig Emerges as a Leading Destination Dave Davis spoke to Trev Downey for Anfield Index and offered insight into the growing expectation that RB Leipzig could be Elliott's next destination. 'A lot of people expect it to happen. Leipzig have got the player on board too,' Davis explained. He further added, 'Spurs were in the mix but they have now pivoted away from him and part of that is because Elliott seem very much sold on the RB Leipzig project.' The German club, renowned for developing young talent, has seen the departure of Benjamin Sesko and is preparing for Xavi Simons to leave. This creates the perfect opening for Elliott to potentially become their next big star. Davis highlighted, 'Perhaps he can be their next big star,' pointing to Leipzig's ongoing commitment to nurturing young, elite players. Financial Considerations and Transfer Logistics Liverpool are reportedly considering offers in the region of £40m with a sell-on clause or £50m upfront. 'Whether it's £40m with a sell on clause or £50m upfront, they have the money to do the deal after their player sales,' Davis revealed. For a club balancing ambition and financial prudence, this fee range makes Elliott an attractive asset for both parties. It is also important to recognise the strategic implications of this move. With Elliott potentially departing, Liverpool would have the resources to further strengthen their squad, possibly reinvesting in areas aligned with Slot's tactical vision. Meanwhile, RB Leipzig can integrate Elliott into a team structured for European competition, providing him with the platform to continue developing at the highest level. Implications for Liverpool's Squad Dynamics Elliott's potential exit is not simply a transactional matter. His departure could reshape Liverpool's midfield options and offer opportunities for other emerging talents. The arrivals of Wirtz and Ekitike indicate Liverpool's intent to remain proactive in the transfer market while maintaining a blend of youth and experience. As Davis noted, the anticipation around Elliott's move is shared both across Europe and within Liverpool. 'The suspicions are across Europe and at Liverpool that Harvey Elliott will end up at RB Leipzig this summer,' he said. This consensus reflects the growing likelihood of the transfer and highlights the broader interest in Elliott's career trajectory. Liverpool supporters will watch closely over the summer, weighing the potential loss of a promising young talent against the club's evolving strategy under Arne Slot. Whether he moves to RB Leipzig or remains at Anfield, Harvey Elliott's next step promises to be a defining moment in his career.
Epoch Times
7 hours ago
- Epoch Times
AfD Tops Poll as Germany's Most Popular Political Party
Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the most popular party in the country, according to a poll released on Aug. 12. The poll, conducted by the Forsa Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis on behalf of RTL Deutschland, showed that 26 percent of Germans would vote for the AfD. The AfD, an anti-mass immigration party, came second in Germany's national parliamentary elections, earning nearly 21 percent of the vote. The new polling puts the right-wing party ahead of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's mainstream conservative bloc, the Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU). The CDU/CSU slid to 24 percent, its worst result since the 2021 federal election. Germany's manufacturing sector, the largest in Europe, has had two years of contraction and is expected to broadly stagnate in 2025, according to an EU Commission macroeconomic forecast. Only 14 percent of poll respondents said they expected the economic situation to improve, while 62 percent anticipated a deterioration, which it said was 'the highest pessimism level' of the current year. Germany is also struggling with the loss of affordable Russian gas, historic Volkswagen plant closures, and fierce competition from cheaper Chinese electric vehicles. The country has gone through a major population change, with its net population increasing by more than 3.5 million between 2014 and 2024, driven entirely by migration. During this period, the number of German citizens fell by 2 million to 71.6 million, while the foreign population grew to 13.1 million from around 7.5 million, Statistics Office data showed. In 2015, under Chancellor Angela Merkel, more than 1 million refugees, many of them from Syria, as well as Afghans and Iraqis, arrived in Germany. One hundred days after Merz's election as chancellor, his approval ratings have fallen to a record low, with 67 percent 'dissatisfied' with his work. The poll said that 'dissatisfaction' is particularly pronounced among supporters of the AfD, at 95 percent. In February's general election, Merz fell short of forming a majority government, as is often the case in German politics, and, after lengthy negotiations, formed a coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). At the time, Merz ruled out the party forming a government with the AfD. Forty-three percent of respondents said they expected the CDU/CSU/SPD coalition to end early. AfD's policies include strong support for traditional marriage between a man and woman, the preservation of national independence in the face of the European Union's increasing power, the preservation of German culture amid 'European integration' and Islamization, and border security, including the expulsion of illegal immigrants. Last year, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk deepened his support for the party, defending it against accusations of extremism and championing its policies as the nation's best path forward during challenging times. Robin Brooks, a senior fellow in the global economy and development program at the Brookings Institution, said in an Aug. 13 X post that 'Germany is in real trouble.' 'Its political center refuses to confront immigration, which is the issue driving relentless AfD growth. Instead, the political center name-calls AfD voters. Dereliction of duty,' he said. Despite gaining considerable proportions of the vote, populist parties such as the AfD in Europe are frozen out of governing in coalitions by political opponents who regard them as extremist. In Austria, conservatives, Social Democrats, and liberals formed a coalition in March to block the anti-immigration and euro-skeptic Freedom Party from taking power, even after it won an electoral victory with 29 percent of the vote in September 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron on June 9, 2024, called a surprise snap parliamentary election following his centrist Renaissance party's poor performance in European Parliament elections, when the populist and nationalist party National Rally (RN) performed very strongly. RN has increased its voter share ahead of the French presidential elections, which are scheduled to be held in or about April 2027, and recently polled at 35 percent.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
U.S. FACTORY PURCHASES SLOWED SHARPLY IN JULY, DRIVING GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN SLOWDOWN: GEP GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN VOLATILITY INDEX
U.S. manufacturers slash purchases after front-loading inventories during the 'tariff pause' Asia factories slow, driven by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan manufacturers Europe's fragile recovery stalled in July as German growth weakened ahead of tariff agreements CLARK, N.J., Aug. 13, 2025 /CNW/ -- Global supply chain activity fell in July as U.S. manufacturers sharply tapered purchases of materials and components after building inventories in June ahead of the end of the 'tariff pause,' according to the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index, a leading indicator tracking demand conditions, shortages, transportation costs, inventories, and backlogs based on a monthly survey of 27,000 businesses. The index dropped to -0.35 from -0.17 in June, signaling increased spare capacity worldwide. The U.S. was the main driver, with North America's index falling to -0.33 from -0.06. The reversal follows a surge in June when U.S. factories front-loaded orders to beat anticipated tariff changes. In July, U.S. manufacturers sharply tapered purchases of inputs — materials, components and commodities — signaling expectations of slowing demand going forward. "When we remove companies' front-loading inventories and rerouting goods to avoid tariffs, the underlying picture points to slowing manufacturing demand worldwide," said John Piatek, vice president, consulting, GEP. "The July data shows a clear pullback in orders, with U.S. manufacturers preparing for lower demand going forward." REGIONAL KEY FINDINGS Asian factory purchasing activity remains slightly below trend due to growing weakness in Japan and South Korea. Data was mostly collected prior to these two countries striking double-digit tariff agreements with the U.S. Taiwanese factories also saw an accelerated downturn, weighing on the broader region. Notably, after declining in the two previous months, China's factory buying volumes rose in July. Europe industrial recovery slipped: Its index dropped to -0.30 from 0.01. Germany's rebound slowed, highlighting the fragile nature of the continent's industrial recovery. U.K.: Index declined to -0.58, from -0.41, signaling that the U.K.'s supply chains continue to experience an elevated level of spare capacity. Interpreting the data:Index > 0, supply chain capacity is being stretched. The further above 0, the more stretched supply chains < 0, supply chain capacity is being underutilized. The further below 0, the more underutilized supply chains are. CATEGORY KEY FINDINGS INVENTORIES: Safety stockpiling eased, indicating limited concern over supply bottlenecks or price surges. LABOR & TRANSPORTATION: Staffing capacity and transportation costs were stable, with no signs of inflationary pressure from these sources. For more information, visit Note: Full historical data dating back to January 2005 is available for subscription. Please contact economics@ The next release of the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index will be 8 a.m. ET, Sep. 11, 2025. About the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index is produced by S&P Global and GEP. It is derived from S&P Global's PMI® surveys, sent to companies in over 40 countries, totaling around 27,000 companies. The headline figure is a weighted sum of six sub-indices derived from PMI data, PMI Comments Trackers and PMI Commodity Price & Supply Indicators compiled by S&P Global. A value above 0 indicates that supply chain capacity is being stretched and supply chain volatility is increasing. The further above 0, the greater the extent to which capacity is being stretched. A value below 0 indicates that supply chain capacity is being underutilized, reducing supply chain volatility. The further below 0, the greater the extent to which capacity is being underutilized. A Supply Chain Volatility Index is also published at a regional level for Europe, Asia, North America and the U.K. For more information about the methodology, click here. About GEP GEP® delivers AI-powered procurement and supply chain solutions that help global enterprises become more agile and resilient, operate more efficiently and effectively, gain competitive advantage, boost profitability and increase shareholder value. Fresh thinking, innovative products, unrivaled domain expertise, smart, passionate people — this is how GEP SOFTWARE™, GEP STRATEGY™ and GEP MANAGED SERVICES™ together deliver procurement and supply chain solutions of unprecedented scale, power and effectiveness. Our customers are the world's best companies, including more than 1,000 Fortune 500 and Global 2000 industry leaders who rely on GEP to meet ambitious strategic, financial and operational goals. A leader in multiple Gartner Magic Quadrants, GEP's cloud-native software and digital business platforms consistently win awards and recognition from industry analysts, research firms and media outlets, including Gartner, Forrester, IDC, ISG, and Spend Matters. GEP is also regularly ranked a top procurement and supply chain consulting and strategy firm, and a leading managed services provider by ALM, Everest Group, NelsonHall, IDC, ISG and HFS, among others. Headquartered in Clark, New Jersey, GEP has offices and operations centers across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. To learn more, visit About S&P Global S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) S&P Global provides essential intelligence. We enable governments, businesses and individuals with the right data, expertise and connected technology so that they can make decisions with conviction. From helping our customers assess new investments to guiding them through ESG and energy transition across supply chains, we unlock new opportunities, solve challenges and accelerate progress for the world. We are widely sought after by many of the world's leading organizations to provide credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help the world's leading organizations plan for tomorrow, today. Media Contacts Derek Creevey Joe Hayes S&P Global Market Intelligence Director, Public Relations Principal Economist Corporate Communications GEP S&P Global Market Intelligence Email: Phone: +1 646-276-4579 Phone: +44-1344-328-099Email: Email: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE GEP View original content to download multimedia: 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
