Iraq Bulletin

Category : Business

Business

South Korea heat wave drives fresh food prices higher

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Fresh vegetable prices have surged in South Korea as prolonged extreme heat reduced shipments and damaged farm output nationwide. Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. data showed spinach at 1,978 won per 100 grams on Aug. 7, up 152.3% from a month earlier. Ten cucumbers cost 8,313 won, an increase of 54.8%. Blue lettuce rose 41.7%, while a zucchini climbed...
Business

EU Commission signs contract to expand IRIS2 satellite constellation

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Under the terms of the revised agreement, the main satellite constellation will grow from 282 planned orbital units to 348 active spacecraft. The expanded network architecture integrates 330 satellites positioned in higher low Earth orbit alongside 18 spacecraft deployed in medium Earth orbit, with optional orbital elements reserved for specialized mission support. The implementation agreement confirms the definitive timeline for...
Business

OECD inflation eases to 4.2% as lower energy rates take hold

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Headline inflation across OECD economies eased to 4.2% in June 2026 from 4.6% in May, ending three straight monthly increases. The measure tracks annual changes in consumer prices across the group’s member countries. Inflation declined in 20 economies, increased in six and remained stable or broadly stable in 12. Nine OECD countries recorded inflation at or below 2%, including three...
Business

Oil prices fall as Brent and WTI reach three-week lows again

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The latest slide followed a sharp Tuesday retreat that exceeded the 4% decline reported earlier in the session. Brent settled 5.3% lower at $79.36 a barrel, its first close below $80 since July 13. WTI settled 5.7% lower at $75.77. Both contracts reached their lowest closing levels in three weeks. The Tuesday losses extended Monday’s drop, when Brent fell 7%...
Business

Oil prices swing after Brent tops $90 on supply strains

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Oil prices surged on July 29, pushing Brent crude above $90 a barrel as renewed Middle East fighting and tighter U.S. inventories lifted global benchmarks. Brent futures settled at $90.74, up $6.65, or 7.9%. West Texas Intermediate gained $5.20, or 6.6%, to $84.46. Both contracts posted their strongest daily advances in several weeks. The contracts had already gained more than...
Business

UK solar capacity reaches 22.8 GW before plug-in launch

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UK solar capacity reached 22.8 gigawatts at the end of June 2026, with about 2.076 million installations nationwide. Developers added 27,391 systems during June, contributing 132 megawatts. The capacity total covers rooftop arrays, commercial systems, and large solar farms, setting a baseline before new plug-in solar rules take effect....
Business

India commits 84084 crore rupees to offshore energy security

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The financial framework allocates capital across four principal program pillars to transform the upstream petroleum landscape. According to official disclosures issued by the Prime Minister's Office, the government designated 28,534 crore rupees specifically for offshore seismic data acquisition, processing, and high-resolution interpretation. This data segment includes 12,000 crore rupees for basin-wide two-dimensional seismic surveys, 12,534 crore rupees for three-dimensional seismic...
Business

Canadian economy grew 0.3% in May report

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The actual monthly output gain exceeded the national statistical agency preliminary flash estimate of 0.1 per cent growth, providing momentum for national economic output following revised growth of 0.6 per cent recorded in April. The monthly economic expansion was led primarily by a 1.0 per cent rise in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector, marking its second...
Business

Gold prices fall on strong dollar ahead of central bank meeting

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Precious metal values declined during Tuesday trading sessions as a stronger United States dollar increased purchasing costs for international buyers while financial institutions awaited the outcome of a critical central bank meeting. Official market reports published by Emirates News Agency confirmed that gold slips as firm dollar weighs; focus turns to Fed meeting perspectives across global commodity exchanges. Spot gold...
Business

Senate crypto bill faces pushback over conflict of interest rules

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Ethics Watchdogs Demand Total Ban on Official Crypto Holdings Regarding enforcement, the oversight groups stated that ethics rules require independent administrative authority to remain effective beyond individual presidential terms. The organizations urged Congress to grant investigating authority to the Attorney General under an extended statute of limitations while allowing private actors and state attorneys general to pursue legal remedies against...