Latest news with #Rubia
Fibre2Fashion
7 days ago
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Eurozone manufacturing grows for third straight month: S&P Global
The euro area manufacturing sector recorded its third consecutive month of output growth in May, reflecting stabilising demand and easing contraction trends, according to the latest HCOB PMI survey by S&P Global. The PMI rose to 49.4 from 49.0 in April, the highest since August 2022, edging closer to the 50.0 no-change mark. 'With output rising for three months in a row, historical patterns suggest there is a 72 per cent chance we will see another increase in the next month. Of course, one big risk on the horizon is the possibility of the US significantly hiking tariffs on EU imports. That could definitely cast a shadow over the outlook,' Dr Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank (HCOB), said commenting on the PMI data. Eurozone manufacturing grew for a third month in May, with the PMI rising to 49.4. Greece led, while Spain returned to expansion. France nearly stabilised; Germany remained weakest. Demand steadied, export orders improved, and business confidence hit a 27-month high. Input costs fell, aiding ECB rate cut prospects, says HCOB's de la Rubia. Notably, Greece led performance among monitored countries, with Spain returning to expansion after months of decline. France's manufacturing activity nearly stabilised, reaching a 28-month high, while Germany remained weakest, though its downturn softened. Demand conditions improved, with export orders nearing stability and backlogs of work declining at their slowest rate since June 2022. 'In May, Europe's industrial engines seemed to be running in sync. Production rose in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, suggesting that shared factors are driving the upswing. Among them is the US tariffs, which likely prompted US buyers to place orders early. That said, France has not benefited from this trend as much as its peers,' Rubia added. Purchasing activity, employment cuts, and inventory reductions were all moderated. Input costs dropped for the second straight month, at the fastest pace in over a year, prompting some firms to lower output prices. Business confidence strengthened significantly, reaching its highest level since February 2022 and surpassing the historical average. 'The ECB is getting some tailwinds for its expected interest rate cuts. The industrial sector has started cutting its sales prices again after two months of increases, giving the central bank some extra room to move on with its interest rate cuts. Lower energy prices, which have helped bring down input costs, are likely the main driver behind this shift,' Rubia said. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
I bought six holiday homes for my family for £5 on a popular European island that hits 33C in summer
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN has revealed how she bought six Italian homes for just a fiver in a quaint Italian village - and it's less than an hour from the seaside. Rubia Daniels bought the six houses for €1 (£0.85) each in the quaint town of Mussomeli in Sicily for herself, her daughter and her aunts. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Rubia bought six house in Italy for just €1 each Credit: SWNS 8 She then set out to renovate each of them - with three of the properties for herself, one for her daughter and two for her aunts Credit: SWNS Mussomeli is a historic hill town, located only 40 minutes from the sea, hitting temperatures of 33C in the summer and boasts multiple restaurants and bars where you can eat for less than €10 (£8.51). The town is also home to a medieval castle - the Castello Manfredonico. The castle was designed to protect the town from invading forces and was used as a residence for noble families. In recent years, the castle has undergone extensive restoration works allowing visitors to tour the walls, towers and courtyards. The 51-year-old purchased the houses in the historic destination, as part of a council scheme which encourages people to renovate abandoned homes. After admin costs, agency fees and the deeds, the cost of each property to was around €4,000 (£3,400) and for all six, she spent a total of a total of €24,000 (£20,500). Some of the buildings Rubia bought had fully collapsed roofs and infrastructural issues, such as no water or electricity. However, as a planning consultant by trade for 16 years, Rubia set out to break down the walls and renovate all six of the properties. The six homes are now nearly completed and she hopes her friends and family will move to Mussomeli area to work and retire. The houses are surrounded by the hills of the Sicilian countryside, with the Scivolandia waterpark a short drive away. I visited the tiny island that is Italy's best kept secret and you can avoid the summer crowds The park features two lagoons with six swimming pools, a large lawn, restaurants and bars, an amphitheatre, beach volleyball court, six water slides for adults, six water slides for children and a children's pool. Her two aunts, Marilu Ferreira, 70, and Marua Fatima, 82, plan to move into their homes in Mussomeli permanently for the rest of their retirement. Rubia - who is originally from Brazil but has lived in San Francisco since 1996 - said: "We bought all six in April 2019. In June, I did all the paperwork and then got the deeds later that summer. "I packed six suitcases of all my tools and a generator, and then me, my husband and my brother-in-law, who was in Brazil, flew out to get the keys. "The house was fully collapsed, but now it's fully renovated and has a beautiful marble bedroom." She continued to explain that once the roof was fixed and water tight, the rest of the works fell into place. She added: "It's been my passion and I just have so much feeling for these houses and the community as a whole." Rubia believes her job made her adept to converting derelict properties, as she is "comfortable with the idea of transforming things and break walls". She said: "For example, my husband panics when he sees me eyeing up projects like this, but for me it's just a combination of excitement and joy. 8 She purchased the houses back in 2019 but since the scheme has become more popular Credit: SWNS 8 She is hoping to convert one of the properties into a wellness centre Credit: SWNS "But you have to see beyond the way a place looks at the start, and imagine how it's going to be in the end." In total, Rubia spent €60,000 (£51,036.60) renovating her first purchase in Mussomeli, with the intention that she will not have to do any more work to it "for 50 years". However, she hopes that she can renovate the other properties for under this budget. She said: "I want to convert one of them into a wellness centre, where people can come and do yoga and meditation and the like - it would be nice to give back to the community this way. "My daughter's one is almost done, we did a full remodel. I have a few changes still to make to mine, but it's my aunts which are the ones we're trying to move along the most now." The 51-year-old added that she was particularly happy that she bought the properties quite quick after reading an article about the project. 8 Her two aunts will move into a home each for their retirement Credit: SWNS 8 Her first property cost just over £50,000 to renovate Credit: SWNS She explained how now, at least 30 people are looking at one home and the scheme has grown in popularity. She continued: "When I first told my friends and family about it, they couldn't believe it. They thought I was kidding when I said I was going to buy six. "It can be intimidating, but you're getting the house basically for free and you can turn that into whatever you desire and it's just a really fun project - especially when your husband and entire family help out with the manual labour." Rubia sourced all the furniture locally - including the kitchen, flooring, mirrors, bath and sink. "We wanted to do it with the community in mind. We love it here - it's much nicer than California," she added. "People actually mean it when they ask you how you are, and it's this social aspect which really attracted me to the area. "Nobody is rushing around, everything is affordable. You can eat really well with very little money - a coffee and a croissant costs €1.50 (£1.28). "In California, it's a very stressful environment and everything is so superficial." A Brit also recently bought a house for 85p and turned it into a holiday home. 8 Rubia is renovating the properties using furniture only from the local community Credit: SWNS
The Irish Sun
06-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
I bought six holiday homes for my family for £5 on a popular European island that hits 33C in summer
A WOMAN has revealed how she bought six Italian homes for just a fiver in a quaint Italian village - and it's less than an hour from the seaside. Rubia Daniels bought the six houses for €1 (£0.85) each in the quaint town of Mussomeli in Sicily for herself, her daughter and her aunts. 8 Rubia bought six house in Italy for just €1 each Credit: SWNS 8 She then set out to renovate each of them - with three of the properties for herself, one for her daughter and two for her aunts Credit: SWNS Mussomeli is a historic hill town, located only 40 minutes from the sea, hitting temperatures of 33C in the summer and boasts multiple restaurants and bars where you can eat for less than €10 (£8.51). The town is also home to a medieval castle - the Castello Manfredonico. The castle was designed to protect the town from invading forces and was used as a residence for noble families. In recent years, the castle has undergone extensive restoration works allowing visitors to tour the walls, towers and courtyards. Rad more on Italy The 51-year-old purchased the houses in the historic destination, as part of a council scheme which encourages people to renovate abandoned homes. After admin costs, agency fees and the deeds, the cost of each property to was around €4,000 (£3,400) and for all six, she spent a total of a total of €24,000 (£20,500). Some of the buildings Rubia bought had fully collapsed roofs and infrastructural issues, such as no water or electricity. However, as a planning consultant by trade for 16 years, Rubia set out to break down the walls and renovate all six of the properties. Most read in News Travel The six homes are now nearly completed and she hopes her friends and family will move to Mussomeli area to work and retire. The houses are surrounded by the hills of the Sicilian countryside, with the Scivolandia waterpark a short drive away. I visited the tiny island that is Italy's best kept secret and you can avoid the summer crowds The park features two lagoons with six swimming pools, a large lawn, restaurants and bars, an amphitheatre, beach volleyball court, six water slides for adults, six water slides for children and a children's pool. Her two aunts, Marilu Ferreira, 70, and Marua Fatima, 82, plan to move into their homes in Mussomeli permanently for the rest of their retirement. Rubia - who is originally from Brazil but has lived in San Francisco since 1996 - said: "We bought all six in April 2019. In June, I did all the paperwork and then got the deeds later that summer. "I packed six suitcases of all my tools and a generator, and then me, my husband and my brother-in-law, who was in Brazil, flew out to get the keys. "The house was fully collapsed, but now it's fully renovated and has a beautiful marble bedroom." She continued to explain that once the roof was fixed and water tight, the rest of the works fell into place. She added: "It's been my passion and I just have so much feeling for these houses and the community as a whole." Rubia believes her job made her adept to converting derelict properties, as she is "comfortable with the idea of transforming things and break walls". She said: "For example, my husband panics when he sees me eyeing up projects like this, but for me it's just a combination of excitement and joy. 8 She purchased the houses back in 2019 but since the scheme has become more popular Credit: SWNS 8 She is hoping to convert one of the properties into a wellness centre Credit: SWNS "But you have to see beyond the way a place looks at the start, and imagine how it's going to be in the end." In total, Rubia spent €60,000 (£51,036.60) renovating her first purchase in Mussomeli, with the intention that she will not have to do any more work to it "for 50 years". However, she hopes that she can renovate the other properties for under this budget. She said: "I want to convert one of them into a wellness centre, where people can come and do yoga and meditation and the like - it would be nice to give back to the community this way. "My daughter's one is almost done, we did a full remodel. I have a few changes still to make to mine, but it's my aunts which are the ones we're trying to move along the most now." The 51-year-old added that she was particularly happy that she bought the properties quite quick after reading an article about the project. 8 Her two aunts will move into a home each for their retirement Credit: SWNS 8 Her first property cost just over £50,000 to renovate Credit: SWNS She explained how now, at least 30 people are looking at one home and the scheme has grown in popularity. She continued: "When I first told my friends and family about it, they couldn't believe it. They thought I was kidding when I said I was going to buy six. "It can be intimidating, but you're getting the house basically for free and you can turn that into whatever you desire and it's just a really fun project - especially when your husband and entire family help out with the manual labour." Rubia sourced all the furniture locally - including the kitchen, flooring, mirrors, bath and sink. "We wanted to do it with the community in mind. We love it here - it's much nicer than California," she added. "People actually mean it when they ask you how you are, and it's this social aspect which really attracted me to the area. "Nobody is rushing around, everything is affordable. You can eat really well with very little money - a coffee and a croissant costs €1.50 (£1.28). "In California, it's a very stressful environment and everything is so superficial." A Brit also recently 8 Rubia is renovating the properties using furniture only from the local community Credit: SWNS 8 Her daughter's home is also nearly complete Credit: SWNS
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Woman buys six Italian homes for £5 in beautiful town and has big plans for them
Rubia Daniels, 51, paid just one euro for each of her six homes in Mussomeli, Sicily, in April 2019 and has been renovating the properties ever since. Now she is hoping to move there. A woman snapped up six Italian homes for just £5 each and is now planning to move her family there. Rubia Daniels scored a real estate hat-trick in Mussomeli, Sicily by taking advantage of a local council initiative encouraging the refurbishment of derelict houses, securing three properties for herself, one for her daughter, and another two earmarked for her aunties' golden years. "Buy your dream for €1 in the fabulous town of the Sicilian hinterland, just a few kilometers from the enchanting beaches and the historic temples of Agrigento," the initiative's website reads. "In Mussomeli you will live the ancient Sicily, the real Sicily. Mussomeli is the city of the Manfredi's Castle and traditions. In Sicily you will not only buy a house, but you will have the chance to experience our culture, our traditions, the slow and relaxed life of one of the most peaceful and safe lands in the world. Already 100 people have bought a house, what are you waiting for?" READ MORE: Inside the 'Mini Maldives' of Europe with stunning beaches and crystal clear waters While initial costs were a mere euro per house, adding admin fees, agency charges, and property deeds bumped the price to 4,000 euros (£3,400) each, totalling a neat 24,000 euros (£20,500). Some of these fixer-uppers came with fully caved-in roofs and were lacking essentials like water and electricity—nothing that Rubia, a seasoned planning consultant with 16 years under her belt in construction, couldn't tackle. After tearing down walls and executing renovations, several of her bargain buys are nearing completion, ready to welcome family and pals to join her in establishing roots in Mussomeli. Eager to capitalise on the scheme, Rubia was among the first to leap at the opportunity, juggling the paperwork to sign off on three abodes for herself and process acquisitions for her adopted offspring and two aunts. Her aunts, Marilu Ferreira, age 70, and Marua Fatima, age 82, have their sights set on spending their retirement days blissfully in their very own Sicilian havens. Rubia, originally hailing from Brazil but calling San Francisco home since 1996, reminisced: "We bought all six in April 2019. In June, I did all the paperwork and then got the deeds later that summer. "I packed six suitcases of all my tools and a generator, and then me, my husband and my brother-in-law, who was in Brazil, flew out to get the keys. The house was fully collapsed, but now it's fully renovated and has a beautiful marble bedroom. "Once the roof was fixed and water tight, the rest of it sort of fell into place from there. It's been my passion and I just have so much feeling for these houses and the community as a whole." Rubia is confident that her profession equips her well for the challenge of transforming a dilapidated property into a stunning Italian abode. She said: "I'm very comfortable with the idea of transforming things and breaking walls. When I see something fully collapsed, I can already see what's going to look like, which is not for everybody. "For example, my husband panics when he sees me eyeing up projects like this, but for me it's just a combination of excitement and joy. But you have to see beyond the way a place looks at the start, and imagine how it's going to be in the end. And my 'one euro' home is exactly the way I imagined it, and I'm proud because it was a small investment." Rubia invested a total of 60,000 euros in renovating her first acquisition in Mussomeli, with the aim that she won't need to undertake any further work 'for 50 years'. However, she hopes to refurbish each of the remaining properties within this budget. "My daughter's one is almost done, we did a full remodel. I have a few changes still to make to mine, but it's my aunts which are the ones we're trying to move along the most now," she continued. The reaction from her social circle was one of disbelief initially: "When I first told my friends and family about it, they couldn't believe it. They thought I was kidding when I said I was going to buy six. It can be intimidating, but you're getting the house basically for free and you can turn that into whatever you desire and it's just a really fun project – especially when your husband and entire family help out with the manual labour." For Rubia, keeping things as local as possible has been key. "We sourced all the furniture locally, everything is from that little town – the kitchen, the flooring, the mirrors, the bath and sink. But we wanted to do it with the community in mind. We love it here – it's much nicer than California," she said. "People actually mean it when they ask you how you are, and it's this social aspect which really attracted me to the area. Nobody is rushing around, everything is affordable. You can eat really well with very little money – a coffee and a croissant costs €1.50. In California, it's a very stressful environment and everything is so superficial."
