Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran with significant force, leading to a surge in global oil prices and a decline in Asian stock markets.

The European Union is moving to regulate financial influencers on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to mitigate risks associated with digital financial advice.

Central banks, including the Fed and the ECB, are maintaining current interest rates as they navigate the delicate balance of avoiding stagflation and preventing costly monetary policy errors.

Portugal and Spain have announced a joint bid to develop an AI gigafactory, with an investment of €8 billion, aiming to enhance their technological capabilities and position in the global innovation market. The project will establish infrastructure in both countries, with Sines in Portugal as a key location, and is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Southern Europe's role in AI development. This initiative reflects a significant political and economic collaboration between the two nations, focusing on equitable resource distribution and fostering a competitive edge in the digital economy.

The piece argues that Europe must produce clear, coordinated leadership to carve an autonomous path between China and the United States. It calls for an urgent common strategy centred on economic levers — investment, industrial policy, trade and activation of EU instruments — combined with political unity to protect strategic autonomy and ensure Europe remains a meaningful global actor. Without decisive economic-focused leadership, Europe risks strategic irrelevance.

The EU–India trade agreement creates a “rare opportunity” to expand Portuguese agri‑food exports, with olive oil singled out as the main beneficiary. The Federation of Portuguese Agri‑food Industries said there are “absolutely favourable conditions for olive oil exports” and described the pact as an unprecedented chance for the sector. To convert the opportunity into sustained growth, industry representatives stress the need for investment in production capacity, market development and compliance with buyer standards, while monitoring regulatory and logistical challenges that could affect competitiveness.

Europe can only realise its AI ambitions by ramping up investment not just in compute and networks but in trusted, advanced connectivity. Success depends equally on policy — harmonised rules, interoperable standards, cross‑border data governance and targeted financing — alongside technology, infrastructure, skills and public‑private partnerships to accelerate deployment and adoption.

Portugal's Foreign Minister backed a European countermeasure, echoing Macron's proposal to give the EU the power to limit imports or block investments from countries that use coercive economic measures. In response to threats from President Trump — notably over Greenland — the European Parliament has suspended ratification of a bilateral trade agreement that would have removed US tariffs, a move supported across the political spectrum and by the 27 member states. The shift signals growing EU unity on trade defence and calibrated reciprocity in US–EU economic relations.

The Draghi Report's ambitions force Europe to confront uncomfortable realities: it is falling significantly behind global competitors. The analysis argues that the ‘race’ has been underway for years and that closing the gap requires urgent, active policy choices — including structural reforms, targeted investment and a renewed focus on competitiveness across the single market.

António Costa says this is a historic agreement between the European Union and Mercosur and rejected criticism that it favours Europe. According to the President of the European Council, it is a trade agreement but also one on investment.

Galp and Moeve have entered detailed talks to combine their refining operations and filling-station networks, a complex transaction that is likely to be lengthy and closely scrutinised. The Portuguese Communist Party has already criticised the proposed deal and the government will have a role in the approval process, raising political as well as regulatory stakes. The transaction will test Brussels’ evolving approach to competition and regulation in the energy sector, with implications for pricing, investment and market structure in Portugal.

Julien Jarjoura, an investor based in Switzerland, has acquired Claire’s European business, preserving roughly 200 jobs in Portugal and maintaining the brand’s retail footprint across Europe. The purchase effectively separates the continental operation from insolvency proceedings affecting Claire’s in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland, stabilising local employment and stores while broader group restructuring and creditor processes continue.