Thailand plans to reduce biofuel taxes to decrease crude oil imports

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stated that with bond yields surging and borrowing costs reaching multi-decade highs, governments are facing "very difficult political choices," urging officials to control spending. Referring to recent turmoil in global bond markets, she noted that the energy price hikes triggered by the Iran war have pushed 10-year borrowing costs in the United States, Germany, and Japan to their highest levels in decades—and they are "still climbing." In recent months, the global bond market has experienced significant sell-offs. Investors are facing compounded pressures from ongoing conflict in the Middle East, interest rate hikes by major central banks, and increasingly burdensome public debts in many of the world's wealthiest countries. With the global debt-to-GDP ratio expected to soon exceed 100%, excessive fiscal deficits and the high cost of debt servicing have become "a major factor" affecting global economic health. She stated that fiscal consolidation plans "are now an urgent priority."

Shell (SHEL.US): Expects adjusted earnings from the marketing segment in the third quarter to be lower than in the second quarter. Performance of chemicals and product trading and optimization businesses in the third quarter is expected to be in line with the second quarter of 2026.

Shell (SHEL.US): Third-quarter integrated natural gas production is expected to be between 740,000 and 780,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

IMF President Kristalina Georgieva stated that the negative shock from energy supply and the positive shock from artificial intelligence demand have a highly uneven impact on the world.