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Cyprus Current Account Deficit Widens To €1.3 Billion In Q1

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 6, 2026

Cyprus recorded a wider current account deficit in the first quarter of 2026, even as the European Union as a whole posted a stronger external balance, according to figures released by Eurostat on Friday.

Cyprus Deficit Reaches €1.3 Billion

Eurostat said Cyprus registered a current account deficit of €1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with €0.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and €1.0 billion in the same period a year earlier.

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The latest figures continue a volatile trend over the past year. After narrowing to €0.4 billion in the second quarter of 2025 and just €0.1 billion in the third quarter, the deficit widened again during the final quarter of the year before increasing further at the start of 2026.

EU External Surplus Strengthens

Across the EU, the seasonally adjusted current account surplus increased to €113.4 billion, equivalent to 2.4% of GDP, from €99.2 billion, or 2.1% of GDP, in the previous quarter. That also marked an improvement from the €104.9 billion surplus, or 2.3% of GDP, recorded in the first quarter of 2025.

According to Eurostat, stronger balances in services and primary income more than offset a weaker surplus in trade in goods.

Mixed Signals Across Key Accounts

Goods surplus declined to €66.7 billion from €89.0 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, while the services surplus rose to €52.1 billion from €43.9 billion.

Primary income recorded the sharpest improvement, shifting from a €4.3 billion deficit in the previous quarter to a €25.3 billion surplus in the first quarter of 2026.

Not all components were strengthened. The secondary income deficit widened to €30.7 billion from €29.4 billion, while the capital account deficit increased to €3.8 billion from €3.2 billion.

Largest Surpluses And Deficits With Trading Partners

The EU recorded its largest current account surpluses with the United Kingdom (€72.8 billion) and Switzerland (€38.7 billion) during the first quarter. Additional surpluses were generated with Brazil (€11.1 billion), Canada (€10.1 billion), Hong Kong (€6.9 billion), Russia (€3.5 billion), and Japan (€3.2 billion).

China remained the bloc’s largest source of deficit at €66.3 billion, followed by the United States (€15.8 billion), offshore financial centres (€1.5 billion) and India (€1.1 billion).

Investment Flows Remain Active

Investment activity also remained robust during the quarter. Direct investment assets increased by €27.1 billion, while liabilities rose by €30.4 billion, resulting in net direct investment inflows of €3.3 billion.

Portfolio investment generated net inflows of €128.8 billion, whereas other investment recorded net outflows of €123.1 billion.

Member State Performance Varies Widely

Based on available non-seasonally adjusted data, 16 EU member states recorded current account surpluses in the first quarter of 2026, while 10 posted deficits. Figures for France were unavailable.

Germany recorded the largest surplus at €61.8 billion, followed by the Netherlands (€26.3 billion), Ireland (€17.4 billion), Denmark (€9.2 billion), Spain (€8.9 billion), Sweden (€8.8 billion) and Austria (€7.3 billion).

Among countries with current account deficits, Greece posted the largest shortfall at €6.6 billion, ahead of Romania (€5.3 billion), Croatia (€3.4 billion), Bulgaria (€2.4 billion) and Cyprus (€1.3 billion).

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Irregular Meal Timing May Raise Heart Risk In Men, New Study Suggests

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 8, 2026

Eating breakfast at lunchtime or dinner during normal sleeping hours may seem like a minor weekend indulgence. New research suggests, however, that this type of irregular meal timing, described by scientists as “eating jet lag,” may be linked to higher cardiovascular risk in men.

A French study published in Communications Medicine found that each additional hour of eating jet lag was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% higher risk of coronary heart disease among men. No similar association was observed in women.

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Why Meal Timing Matters

Weekend schedules often differ from weekday routines, with work and school timetables shifting when people eat. Over time, researchers suggest, these changes may interfere with the body’s biological rhythms.

“This study suggests the importance of regular meal-timing patterns, beyond sleep and diet quality, in cardiovascular disease prevention,” the authors wrote.

Researchers followed more than 100,000 participants for 14 years, analyzing the timing of their first and last meals on working days and weekends between 2009 and 2023.

Risk Pattern Appeared In Men

Participants were grouped according to how their meal times changed between weekdays and weekends. One group ate earlier on weekends, another maintained similar schedules, and a third ate later.

Both groups with irregular meal timing showed higher cardiovascular risk than those with stable schedules, regardless of overall diet quality. The association was observed only among men.

Researchers proposed several possible explanations. Men generally have a higher absolute risk of cardiovascular disease, while women tend to have stronger morning-oriented routines that may influence how their bodies respond to changes in meal timing.

Circadian Rhythms May Explain The Link

One possible explanation is that irregular eating disrupts the body’s circadian system, which regulates many physiological functions over a 24-hour cycle.

Light is the main signal that sets circadian rhythms, but food timing also helps synchronize peripheral clocks in organs including the liver and heart. Eating in alignment with these rhythms is generally associated with better metabolic regulation, while irregular timing may disrupt that balance.

What It Means For Prevention

The findings do not prove that irregular meal timing causes heart disease. However, they add to growing evidence that when people eat may matter nearly as much as what they eat for long-term cardiovascular health.

If confirmed in larger studies, regular meal timing could become a useful target for public health interventions aimed at reducing chronic disease risk. For individuals, employers and schools, greater consistency in daily routines may be more than a lifestyle preference and could form part of a broader strategy to protect heart health.