
Germany's Evonik posts second-quarter core profit below market view
It posted a 12% drop in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to 509 million euros ($581.3 million) in the April-June quarter. This was below a 511 million-euro forecast by analysts in a Vara Research, opens new tab poll.
The group also said it expects adjusted EBITDA at the lower end of a 2 billion-2.3 billion euro forecast, provided the global economy does not weaken further.
Analysts' median forecast for 2025 core profit stands for 2.02 billion euros, according to Vara Research, opens new tab.
Evonik reported an 11% year-on-year decline in sales to 3.5 billion euros, mostly due to currency headwinds and the sale of its superabsorbents business, which was still part of the company through the second quarter of 2024.
The German chemicals sector, the country's third-largest, has been struggling for years with subdued demand, high energy costs, supply chain issues and an overall economic slowdown.
($1 = 0.8756 euros)

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The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Grocery price inflation falls slightly to 5% in August
Supermarket inflation fell slightly this month but remains 'well past the point at which price rises really start to bite', according to latest figures. Grocery prices were 5% higher than a year ago in the four weeks to August 10, according to market research firm Worldpanel by Numerator, which was recently renamed from Kantar. However, this was down from July's 5.2%, which represented a rise from inflation of 4.7% a month earlier and marked the highest level since January 2024. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel, said: 'We've seen a marginal drop in grocery price inflation this month, but we're still well past the point at which price rises really start to bite and consumers are continuing to adapt their behaviour to make ends meet. 'What people pay for their supermarket shopping often impacts their spending across other parts of the high street too, including their eating and drinking habits out of the home.' Mr McKevitt said casual and fast service restaurants especially had seen a decline in visitors over the summer, with trips falling by 6% during the three months to mid-July 2025 compared with last year. Despite the ongoing cost pressures, customers still appear to be seeking to include treats in their baskets, with sales of branded grocery items growing by 6.1% this month, ahead of own-label alternatives which were up by 4.1%. Branded sales mad up 46.4% of all grocery spending but were particularly popular across personal care, confectionery, hot drinks and soft drinks, where they accounted for more than 75% of money through the tills. Sales of premium own-label products also rose by 11.5% this period. Worldpanel's data also shows that more than half of households bought a box of frozen fish fingers over the last year, ahead of the product turning 70 in September. Mr McKevitt said: 'The humble fish finger remains as popular as ever and nearly one billion were sold in the past year, with more than half of households grabbing a box.' He added: 'The average home cook now spends three minutes less preparing the evening meal than they did in 2017 at just under 31 minutes. 'We can see this trend in the growth of things like microwaveable rice, ready meals and chilled pizza too, which have grown by 8%, 6% and 5% respectively.' Lidl and Ocado were tied for top spot as the fastest growing grocers over the 12 weeks to August 10, with sales at both retailers up by 10.7% compared to the same period last year. Tesco enjoyed its largest monthly share gain since December 2024 as its hold of the market rose by 0.8 percentage points to 28.4%, driven by sales growth of 7.4% compared to last year. Asda and Co-op both saw sales down on a year ago, by 2.6% and 3.2% respectively.


The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
We quit our £42K jobs to live for just £8 a day in a caravan – we'll never go back to a ‘normal' home or pay bills again
A COUPLE who quit their day jobs to live off-grid in a static caravan say it costs just £8.87 a day and has made their relationship stronger. Libby Ramsden, 25, and her partner, Ollie Blackwell, 26, made the switch to fully off-grid life in September 2023 to save money and allow them to leave their jobs and run their soap business. 8 8 8 They say it now costs them just £8.87 a day to live or £269 a month - including rent, council tax and heating. They live fully off-grid - with no TV or WiFi - and collect rainwater, use a log burner for heat and power their home with a tractor-driven generator. Libby worked as a laboratory assistant on a £24k salary, while Ollie was a farmer and tractor mechanic - earning £20k a year. The couple wanted their own space and lower living costs than the average rent and bills of £1k-a-month in their area - to enable them to start their company. Libby, business owner, from Silsden, West Yorkshire, said: "The best part is not relying on anybody at all. "Nobody dictates to us what our electric bills are, we are not tied to any contracts in any way. "We rely on ourselves. It's just the freedom to live how we want to live." Before going off-grid, both were living in normal houses with parents, paying them rent, and wanted to move in together cheaply. The idea came after their goat's milk soap and honey business, Herd and Hive, started to grow rapidly. Libby began making goats' milk soap after being given a goat named Mary by a neighbour - and her dad, Matthew, 53, started keeping bees as a hobby. I bought a 1997 static caravan for £5k & am transforming it into my dream tiny home with DIY & Dunelm buys When they combined the two at a market, they sold out and demand kept increasing. Six months later, they needed someone full-time in the business - and living inexpensively was the only way to make it work. Ollie's dad, Terry, 60, a farmer, offered to rent them a piece of land and they bought a static caravan for £11k - setting it up off-grid. They collect rainwater from a barn roof, filter it for the caravan and their animals, and run a tractor-powered generator for an hour each night to cook, shower and charge phones. Heating and cooking is done on a log burner. The couple are soon hoping to install solar panels, to reduce costs further. As they pay council tax, they get regular bin collections - and Ollie dug a septic tank so the couple have a flushing toilet. Libby said: "People think that because we live off-grid we are not connected to the world in any way or we live uncomfortably. "People think that we go to the toilet in a bucket and carry it out." 8 8 CHEAP COSTS The running costs of their unique off-grid home are just £8.87 a day, working out at £270 a month. Libby, who documents their off-grid journey on the TikTok account @herdandhive, said: "Before we moved we looked at renting, or getting a mortgage for a house and in the area that we live you're looking at anything up to £1,000 a month. "It was a no brainer if we wanted to quit our jobs." 8 Their day starts at 5.30am milking goats, feeding sheep, and caring for five rehomed donkeys before heading to their unit to make soap, jar honey and tend to bees. In the evening, they return to feed the animals again, light the fire, and run the generator for an hour before switching it off for the night. Libby said: "Most people in the evening will sit down and watch TV, we're not in that routine, so we feel a little bit more connected to each other. "We have a better relationship because we actually sit and talk in the evening. "It's definitely improved our relationship, we feel more connected to each other than if we had a lot more distractions in our life. "We don't have a TV so we generally read or keep each other company talking. "People love that we have no TV and no WiFi." But sometimes the couple do miss the ease of modern life. 8 Living costs before and after The couple's costs per month before Board to parents - £100 Food - £200 Total - £300 The couple's costs per month now they're off grid Land rent - £166 Council tax - £83 Tractor fuel - £20 Logs - £0 Rainwater - £0 Total - £269 Average costs for 'regular' living in the area Rent - £755 Bills - £200 Council tax - £83 Total - £1,083 TOUGH PARTS Libby said: "Sometimes I miss the ease of being able to flip a light switch on or plug your phone into charge, that type of thing. Just the ease of things. "Sometimes in winter I miss it when you've had a hard day but the benefits definitely outweigh it." Winter is the toughest time - the caravan is on top of a windy hill and keeping warm is a challenge - but the couple want to stay off-grid for good, eventually upgrading to a wooden chalet. "We do see ourselves living off grid forever," Libby said. 'We don't want to go back to living in a house and having bills to pay, but we definitely want to improve our off-grid life." 8 How much does it cost to live in a caravan? LIVING in a caravan can be an economical and flexible lifestyle choice in the UK. Here's a breakdown of potential costs: Initial Costs Caravan Purchase: £8,000 - £40,000 (depending on size, age, and condition) Caravan Insurance: £200 - £800 per year Ongoing Monthly Costs Pitch Fees: £150 - £600 (varies by location and facilities) Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water): £40 - £120 Maintenance and Repairs: £20 - £80 Internet and TV: £20 - £50 Gas for Heating/Cooking: £15 - £40 Other Potential Costs Waste Disposal Fees: £8 - £25 Transport Costs (if moving locations): Variable, depending on distance Optional Add-ons (Awning, Solar Panels, etc.): £400 - £1,600 (one-time) Sample Monthly Budget Pitch Fees: £400 Utilities: £80 Maintenance and Repairs: £40 Internet and TV: £40 Gas for Heating/Cooking: £25 Total: £585 Annual Estimated Cost Total Monthly Costs: £585 x 12 = £7,020 Insurance: £500 Maintenance and Repairs: £480 Total Annual Cost: £8,000 Tips to Save Off-Peak Pitch Fees: Look for lower rates during off-peak seasons. DIY Maintenance: Handle minor repairs yourself. Energy Efficiency: Invest in solar panels to reduce utility costs. While initial setup costs can be significant, ongoing expenses for living in a caravan can be relatively low, making it a viable option for those seeking an affordable and mobile lifestyle in the UK.


The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
The death of the joint bank account – how under 35s are ditching them and how to manage money with your loved one
SETTING up home with a loved one is exciting but as well as picking out a new sofa, you'll need to manage bills and a household budget together. Young couples are turning their back on shared bank accounts and instead finding new ways to divvy up joint costs. 1 In the past, couples often set up a shared bank account which can then be used to pay for any joint expenses from food shopping to council tax. Both will have a debit card for the account and can pay in as well as withdraw cash. But over the last six years, the proportion of joint current accounts held by under-35s has steadily dropped from 18% to 14%, while the number of joint accounts grew overall from 12.4million to 13.9million, according to exclusive figures from credit agency Experian for The Sun. Joint bank accounts can be a convenient way to pay household bills, but they also financially link both partners in the eyes of lenders – meaning one person's bad money habits can damage the other's chances of getting credit. The other downside are potential issues over control. Dr Nisha Prakash, a lecturer in financial management from the University of East London, says: 'The younger generation values financial independence and autonomy. 'Typically, a joint account holder can withdraw the entire amount from a joint account without the other person's consent." Here's how you can fairly share household finances without a shared bank account. Make a budget Communication is key - talk about how much each person has to contribute towards bills and other expenses. Draw up a rough budget of how much total costs are expected to come in at each month. You will need to think about whether to include food shopping and other items in the costs. Consider if you are going to split bills equally or whether one person earning more is going to pay a higher proportion of costs. For example, if one person is earning 70% of the combined household income, decide whether they also cover 70% of costs. It's a good idea to agree these things at the outset to avoid disagreements. Divvy up bills One way of managing budgets is to share out the responsibility of bills between you. Vicky Reynal, author of Money on Your Mind: the Psychology behind your Financial Habits, says: 'With more dual-income households, couples are finding ways to coordinate finances as equals in ways that do not necessarily require a joint account. "For example, one pays the internet and the other the electricity.' This way you could take ownership of the service. For example, making sure you're on the best tariff as well as being the one to sort out any provider issues that may arise. You can try to split so that you'd both pay a similar amount each month in respective bills or have one transfer cash where there is a shortfall. Split fairly Apps such as Splitwise allow you to keep track of shared expenses. Each person can add an expense. For example a food shop or a bill they have paid. The app then keeps a running total and works out who owes what. You could do that at the start or end of each month, week or even daily depending on what suits your circumstances. Decide on savings goals Consider whether you want to set up a pot for savings for joint events such as holidays or Christmas. You should also consider getting an emergency fund together to cover joint and unexpected costs such as a broken boiler. This should be three to six months of your total outgoings, then it can act as a financial buffer in case either of you are suddenly out of a job. You can create 'jars' to save and spend from together through app-based savings provider HyperJar. It's easier to set up and not as formal as a joint bank account. You can also set up a joint savings account through most financial providers, and means you don't have to link all your income and outgoings to the account. Just look for the best interest rate so that your money works as hard as possible. If you have a one year savings goal, Cahoot Simple Saver pays 4.55% for a year and can be opened as a joint account. And remember to do with someone you trust, as one person can usually withdraw the entire amount. Joint account If you do decide to get a joint account together, make sure you pick the right bank and account type. Look for low fees, a high interest rate on cash kept in the account and easy access via an app and online. Remember to find out if both account holders are equally responsible for any overdraft. A three-account system can work well for couples. This is a joint account for shared expenses while each person keeps their own personal account. It's a good idea to review account statements together and use alerts so both parties know when the money leaves the account or when it gets credited. Remember that either party can withdraw the amount without consent, unless you specifically request dual approval. How to effectively manage your money Kara Gammell, finance expert at MoneySuperMarket, gives tips on how to get a handle on your finances so you have more left for saving, Analyse your spending If you're struggling to get a grip on your finances, the way to start is to do a proper inventory. Try Emma, the money management app, which uses open banking to combine information from all your bank accounts, savings accounts and credit cards, plus investments. The app then highlights any wasteful subscriptions and costly debt and helps streamline your savings. What's more, it analyses your personal finances and recommends ways to conserve money so that you can get on track financially more easily than ever. If you want to have a deep dive into your spending habits, go through your bank statement at the end of each month and give every purchase a rating of one, two or three. Mark with a 'one' any purchases that didn't make you feel good; give a 'two' rating to things that felt 'sort of good but indifferent'; and mark with 'three' any purchases that you would make all over again in a heartbeat. You'll be surprised by what you learn. Monitor your credit report From overdrafts to loans, credit cards, mobile phones and mortgages, it can be hard to keep track of your finances, and it can be all too simple to find yourself in the dark about how much debt you have in total. But this information forms your credit score, which is used by lenders to determine whether you'll be offered competitive rates and offers for financial products, or even whether you will even be accepted when you make an application. I use MoneySuperMarket's Credit Score tool, which is a free credit report tool that lets me see all my account balances in one place. I'm automatically notified when my credit report is updated monthly, which can be a huge help in avoiding any financial problems from spiralling and means I always know what my overall financial situation is. The tool also suggests ways to improve your credit score, so you're more likely to be offered competitive interest rates, which helps you save money in the long run.