The global diamond market may take 2-3 years to recover, with prices unlikely to rebound quickly due to declining demand for natural diamonds and the rise of synthetics. Experts cite changing consumer preferences in the US and oversupply as key factors.
OPEC+ announced a 188,000 bpd production increase from August by seven member countries, including Saudi Arabia and Russia. This move follows signs of market recovery and easing tensions related to the US-Israel war on Iran, which had previously impacted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
French retailer Decathlon and Chinese investment group BA Capital have acquired stakes in British folding bike maker Brompton for an estimated £18m. The investment aims to fund expansion, leverage market knowledge, and provide liquidity for long-term shareholders, as the cycling market recovers from a post-pandemic slump.
CA Rudramurthy BV of Vachana Investments advises caution on fresh buying in the Indian market despite its sharp recovery. He suggests waiting for dips, particularly near 23,800 for Nifty, and avoiding IT stocks due to AI's impact on business models. He highlights NBCC and Eternal as potential stock picks for patient traders.
UK house prices increased by 3.8% year-on-year in April 2026, reaching an average of £270,000. Property transactions surged 53.2% from the previous year, indicating market recovery. The North East saw the highest annual growth, while London experienced the largest monthly rise despite annual declines.
Sollers Group CEO Nikolay Sobolev anticipates a recovery in the Russian automobile market during the second half of this year. He projects the market to reach approximately last year's level in 2026, with a key factor for this revival being a reduction in the key interest rate.
Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory saw a 39.4% year-on-year increase in EV sales in May, delivering 85,982 units. This growth aligns with a broader recovery in China's EV market, with total passenger EV sales rising 12% year-on-year.
Tesla and BYD reported significant sales increases in May, with Tesla's registrations in France jumping 655% and BYD's overseas sales rising 80%. This rebound supports a broader recovery in the European electric vehicle market, driven by policy support and consumer demand.
Hong Kong's property market is showing signs of improvement, with residential prices expected to rise in 2026 due to lower mortgage rates and demand from mainland China. Lived-in home prices reached a 28-month high in March, and overall home sales climbed significantly in April.
The competition could intensify at tenders for Hong Kong’s residential plots as developers replenish their land banks amid a recovering property market, with the tug of war testing their financial discipline as they bid for parcels at a “noticeable premium”, according to S&P Global Ratings, though some analysts believe that the return of confidence is warranted given robust demand for housing units. The credit-rating agency also forecast a relatively modest residential market recovery, which...
