Germany: Inflation reaches highest level since January 2024.
The conflict in Iran has significantly increased the cost of living in Germany. According to initial estimates from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), in April, the surge in energy prices pushed the German inflation rate to 2.9%, its highest level since January 2024. Ruth Brand, president of Destatis, stated: “The new rise in energy prices, due to the conflicts in Iran, has fueled inflation for the second consecutive month. Consumers are particularly feeling the constant pressure on fuel prices.”
eBay rejects merger offer from GameStop
On May 12, e-commerce giant eBay officially announced the rejection of a $56 billion acquisition offer from the video game retailer GameStop. eBay stated that the offer was unfeasible and unappealing. Although GameStop is a well-known brand in the American gaming community, its scale is significantly smaller than that of eBay.
Indian Prime Minister calls for urgent measures to protect foreign exchange reserves
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a series of urgent measures, ranging from fuel savings to restrictions on imports and foreign travel, to preserve the country’s foreign exchange reserves. This call comes amid a global surge in energy prices, which is putting considerable pressure on India’s foreign exchange reserves. To save fuel, the Prime Minister has urged citizens to prioritize telecommuting and online meetings, similar to measures widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Main gas plant in the United Arab Emirates to fully recover next year
The Habshan plant, the main supplier of natural gas in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will only fully recover next year. This indicates that the restoration of some of the region’s most critical infrastructure, damaged by the conflict in the Middle East, will take a long time. Adnoc Gas Plc, the operator of the Habshan plant, stated that the facility is currently operating at around 60% of its capacity, with the goal of reaching 80% by the end of the year and full capacity in 2027.
China warns of imported inflation risk due to Middle East conflict
The People’s Bank of China (PBC, the central bank) has warned of increased imported inflation risk due to rising oil and commodity prices, linked to the conflict in the Middle East. The PBC stated that key price indicators have recently continued to recover slowly, with consumer prices rising by 0.9% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year. Despite economic growth of 5% during this period, exceeding forecasts, the PBC acknowledged that China still faces many internal structural challenges and the recovery momentum needs to be consolidated.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/diem-tin-kinh-te-the-gioi-noi-bat-ngay-1252026-20260512202314823.htm
