By Wojciech Kosc in Warsaw Poland’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) improved 2.1 points to 43 in September (chart) but still lingered below the 50-point mark separating contraction from growth for a fifth consecutive month, the economic intelligence c…
Hungary agrees on deferred payments with Gazprom for winter gas deliveries
By Tamas Csonka in Budapest Hungary’s MVM has reached an agreement with Russia’s Gazprom on making deferred payments for gas for the winter period, the state utility company announced on October 3. The agreement helps ease pressure on Hungary’s widenin…
Iran’s supreme leader blames US, Israel for unrest in first comments on protests
By bne IntelIiNews Iran’s supreme leader has blamed the US and Israel for the protests that have swept the country for more than two weeks. In what were his first public comments on the unrest—which has morphed into anti-regime demonstrations, but was …
First official results from Bosnian elections put nationalists ahead after exit polls predicted losses
By Denitsa Koseva in Sofia The first preliminary results from Bosnia & Herzegovina’s central election committee, CIK, show the country’s leading nationalist politicians did better than exit polls indicated immediately after the elections on October 2. …
ISTANBUL BLOG: Suicide attack in Turkey awakens ghosts that promise violence ahead of elections
By Akin Nazli in Belgrade The People’s Defence Forces (HPG), a unit of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in Turkey’s Mediterranean city of Mersin. The claim was outlined in a statement released by …
Orban faces perfect economic storm of his own making
By Tamas Csonka in Budapest Hungary’s radical right-wing leader Viktor Orban is struggling to cope with the country’s unfolding cost of living crisis, a task made much harder because of his pre-election spending spree and his isolation inside the Europ…
Turkish official inflation calculated at 83% y/y for September
By Akin Nazli in Belgrade Official consumer price index (CPI) inflation in Turkey amounted to 83% y/y in September, following on from the 80% announced for August, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK, or TurkStat) said on October 3 (chart). The Sep…
EU members still fail to see eye to eye on gas price cap
By bne IntelliNews EU member states met again on September 30 to discuss imposing a price cap on gas imports, but there is still little consensus on what form the measure would take. Energy ministers from the 27 states approved levies on energy firms’ …
Bulgaria’s populist Gerb wins snap general election on record-low turnout
By Denitsa Koseva in Sofia Bulgaria’s former ruling Gerb party is heading towards victory in the October 2 snap general election with between 23% and 25% of the vote, well ahead of reformist Change Continues that got around 19% on a record-low turnout …
Poll shows Putin’s popularity took hit in September but remained as high as 77%
By bne IntelIiNews Since the war in Ukraine started Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating has shot up and has remained consistently between 82-83%, according to the independent pollster the Levada Centre. However, in September it took its …