Gold Rush 2.0: Ultimate safe haven in face of geopolitical fragmentation
Gold continues to be a key safe-haven asset resulting in sustained upward pressure on prices.
Gold continues to be a key safe-haven asset resulting in sustained upward pressure on prices.
Only half of the CEE countries saw an increase in turnover among the top 500 companies, revealing disparities in economic performance.
While the US economy looks set for a soft landing, the eurozone continues to face many uncertainties, particularly in the industrial sector.
Despite €3 billion mobilised through the European Battery Alliance created in 2017, only 3% of the investment needed in the battery supply chain has been made.
In the first 6 months of 2024, 68,223 new companies were registered, this being the lowest value in recent semesters, including the first semester of 2019.
Nine countries experienced a higher number of insolvencies, and three countries recorded a decrease (Bulgaria, Croatia and Latvia).
Construction and real estate sectors are among the most cyclical sectors. Sensitive to changes in the labour market, prices and the interest rate, they are currently under strain.

The EU unemployment rate rose slightly to 6.0% in 2025, up from 5.9% in 2024, according to new data covering people aged 15-74 in the labour force, according to Eurostat.
Romanians spent €63 million in cinemas in 2025, a record level for the local market, reflecting a 7% increase compared with 2024, while the number of admissions remained stable at 11.2 million, according to data from the Romanian Film Center analysed by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.
The rapid development of online commerce in recent years has transformed locker networks from an alternative delivery solution into an essential component of Romania's logistics infrastructure, according to representatives of Keba Romania, a provider of infrastructure and technology solutions for logistics, banking services and electric mobility.
Romania's National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis (CNSP) has cut its 2026 economic growth forecast by 0.9 percentage points to just 0.1%, down from the previous 1% projection, citing current macroeconomic conditions.
Enexus, a renewable energy development and construction company, entered 2026 with 210 MW under active construction across Romania, while securing an additional 195 MW pipeline with an estimated value of approximately €150 million.