أسعار النفط تقترب من 100 دولار للبرميل بعد هجمات الولايات المتحدة على إيران وضرب الحوثيين لناقلات في البحر الأحمر

2h ago 12.42 CEST Google fined €890m by EU for search and app store competition violations Dan Milmo View image in fullscreen An external view of Google Italia's headquarters in Milan, northern Italy. Photograph: Matteo Bazzi/EPA Google has been fined a total of €890m (£760m) by the EU for breaches of online competition laws by its search and app store services. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said Google had broken the Digital Markets Act by giving priority to its own services such as shopping and hotel deals in search results over those of its rivals. It also infringed the DMA by preventing app developers from steering consumers towards cheaper offers on websites or alternative app stores. Google has been fined €460m for the search-related breach and €430m for the app store violation. The commission has ordered Google to treat third-party services that appear in its search results in a “fair and non-discriminatory manner” and allow app developers to make offers outside Google’s app store. You can read the full story from Dan Milmo and Lisa O’Carroll here: EU fines Google €890m for competition breaches over search and apps Read more Share

3h ago 11.56 CEST Ford and China's Geely to share US carmaker's Spanish factory View image in fullscreen Regional President of Valencia Juan Francisco Perez Llorca (left), Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (second from left), president at Ford of Europe Jim Baumbick (right) visit the Ford factory in Almussafes, near Valencia on 23 July 2026. Photograph: José Jordan/AFP/Getty Images Ford and Chinese carmaker Geely have agreed to join forces to build cars for both brands in Valencia, Spain, in the latest example of carmakers in Europe paving the way for Chinese rivals. American carmaker Ford has long struggled in its European operations, and negotiated with Geely for months over the partnership. The joint venture, two-thirds owned by Ford 34% owned by Geely Auto, will begin operations in the first half of 2027, with the first new vehicles scheduled to roll off the line in 2028. The companies said the collaboration would maximise use of the Spanish plant, lowering the costs per vehicle. The plant has operated since 1976, when it built the original Ford Fiesta. It will build the Ford Kuga crossover, Bronco SUV and another crossover, plus two Geely SUVs. Jim Baumbick, president of Ford Europe, said: double quotation mark This partnership shows how automakers are strengthening Europe’s industrial base, but we can’t do it alone. What we’ve achieved in Valencia, with the ongoing support of Spain’s national and regional governments, is a masterclass in public-private partnership that sets the benchmark for the rest of Europe. Alex Nan, vice president of Geely Auto Group, said: double quotation mark This JV with Ford in Europe reflects our commitment to open, collaborative product development as part of our growth strategy, deepening our local presence and commitment to customers in Europe. We are dedicated to delivering vehicles that European customers will choose on merit: on industry leading features, on high-quality and on actively contributing to Europe’s green future. Put simply: we are building cars in Europe, for Europe, alongside a trusted partner. EU carmakers pave way for Chinese rivals as balance in market shifts Read more Share

3h ago 11.20 CEST The threat of higher oil prices is not just a problem for oil users: higher inflation could push central banks to raise interest rates as well. Analysts led by Henry Allen, at Deutsche Bank said the seven-week high for oil: double quotation mark has also fuelled speculation about more rate hikes. For instance, futures are currently pricing in a 36% probability of a Fed rate hike as soon as next week, and bond yields jumped as well, with the US 30-year real yield (+0.4 basis points) closing at a post-2008 high of 2.93% yesterday. Higher inflation would be a headache for Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh, who was appointed by Donald Trump to lead the US central bank on the understanding that he was in favour of cutting interest rates – not raising them to counter an oil price surge caused by Trump himself. Share

4h ago 10.58 CEST The Houthi attacks off the coast of Yemen targeted Saudi Arabian tankers, but two Chinese vessels carrying Saudi oil appear to be trying to exit the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Reuters reports. From Reuters: double quotation mark Two Chinese supertankers carrying a combined 4 million barrels of Saudi Arabian oil are exiting the Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Thursday, shipping data showed, even as a Saudi vessel came under attack in the region. The ships’ attempt to transit the strait will clearly test how tightly the Houthis will impose the naval blockade on Saudi Arabia they announced on Monday. The ships in question are the Singapore-flagged VLCC Xin Long Yang, and the Chinese-flagged VLCC Cosnew Lake, the report said. VLCC stands for very large crude carrier. After the blockade was announced the tankers u-turned in the middle of the Red Sea between loading oil at Yanbu in Saudi Arabia and passing through the strait by Yemen. Their progress will now be watched closely by traders for signs of whether armed Houthi groups will strictly enforce the blockade. Share

4h ago 10.33 CEST Oil prices jump 4% after attacks on tankers near Yemen Oil prices have jumped by 3.7% this morning as the backlash from the US war in Iran appeared to spread to the Red Sea. The price of futures for Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, rose by 3% on Thursday to reach as high as $97.45 per barrel, approaching the $100 mark for the first time since May. View image in fullscreen Oil prices have surged back to almost $100 a barrel as the US-Israeli war on Iran showed no signs of abating. Photograph: Refinitiv The price of futures for the North American benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, also rose by 4% as high as $89.85, the highest in more than a month. It came as the US launched a 12th consecutive night of strikes against Iran, while the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen attacked Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea – threatening to choke another global oil export route. Houthis claim strikes on two Saudi tankers as US attacks on Iran widen Read more Online trading platform Saxo said the attacks prompted more vessels to divert from the Bab el-Mandeb strait by Yemen, “creating what analysts describe as a two-chokepoint problem for oil”. The other chokepoint is the strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed in an effort to put economic pressure on Donald Trump to stop the US and Israeli attacks. Share

5h ago 10.07 CEST View image in fullscreen A Toby Carvery pub on the Daleside Road East in Nottingham. Photograph: David Sillitoe/The Guardian Pubs and restaurants company Mitchells & Butlers had other things on its plate this summer: the British heatwaves hit its sales. The FTSE 250 company said that sales were flat in the three months to 18 July because of “several extended periods of extreme heat also had an adverse impact on trading” at its restaurants such as Toby Carvery and Miller & Carter, in a trading update published on Thursday. Its sales comparison with last year was affected by Easter falling in the previous quarter, but food sales fell by 2.4% – even as drinkers seeking a sunny pint helped drink sales to rise by 2.6%. The football world cup also helped on some days. That left the business flat overall for the quarter. For reference, here is M&B’s list of pub and restaurant brands: Harvester, Toby Carvery, All Bar One, Miller & Carter, Premium Country Pubs, Sizzling Pubs, Stonehouse, Vintage Inns, Browns, Castle, Nicholson’s, O’Neill’s, Ember Inns, Ego Restaurants and Pesto Phil Urban, M&B’s chief executive, said: double quotation mark Our business has performed with resilience during a quarter characterised by unusual weather patterns. The strength of our diversified portfolio has moderated the impact of external factors and together with the continued success of our investment programme and Ignite initiatives we remain confident in delivering our full-year expectations. The company reported its trading up to 18 July before it had time to respond to the announcement on business rates. Share

5h ago 09.35 CEST Back on the business rates cuts, and pub landlords are – perhaps unsurprisingly – very happy. But lobbyists never stop: now they want the one-year relief to be made permanent. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: double quotation mark For years and years, pubs have paid a disproportionately higher rate which has ground down their ability to keep the doors open, so we’re delighted that after working with Andy Burnham’s team prior to his election as Labour Party leader, he has swiftly acted on our concerns and provided new backing to our nation’s pubs as he promised. The local has and always will be more than just a place to get a pint; it creates jobs, it’s our nation’s living room, it’s the anchor of the high street, so this sorely needed discount will be celebrated by pubs up and down the country. We now look forward to working with Government to deliver permanent business rates reform so we can keep the pub in its rightful place; at the heart of our communities.” Ash Corbett-Collins, chair of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: double quotation mark This is a brilliant start to the new Prime Minister’s tenure, living up to the statements that he’s made before about pubs, pints and people. Our business rates system is grossly unfair to pubs and social clubs, bricks and mortar businesses that are also vital social institutions for their communities and desperately needs reform. As always we need to see the details at the Budget, but another year of rate relief will provide vital breathing space to publicans in England, while the work to review the rating system for hospitality businesses presumably continues. Share

5h ago 09.14 CEST Britis