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Cyprus Industrial Producer Prices Rise 2.3% As Energy Costs Climb

Cyprus recorded one of the EU’s largest monthly increases in industrial producer prices in July 2026, as energy costs pushed prices higher across the bloc. Industrial producer prices in Cyprus rose 2.3% from June, giving the country the fourth-largest monthly increase among EU member states, according to first estimates from Eurostat.

Cyprus Ranks Near The Top In Monthly Gains

Ireland recorded the strongest monthly increase at 4.3%, followed by Spain and Italy at 3% each. Cyprus ranked fourth with its 2.3% rise. By contrast, industrial producer prices fell most sharply in Estonia, down 3.3%, followed by Finland at 1.6% and Sweden at 1.1%.

Energy Drives Higher Producer Prices

Across the euro area, industrial producer prices increased 1.6% month on month in July, while the EU recorded a 1.4% rise. Energy was the main driver, with prices increasing 5.6% in the euro area and 4.7% across the EU.

Euro area capital goods prices rose 0.3%, while intermediate and durable consumer goods were unchanged. Non-durable consumer goods declined 0.1%, leaving industrial producer prices flat when energy was excluded.

EU data showed a similar pattern. Intermediate goods rose 0.1%, capital goods increased 0.3%, and durable consumer goods gained 0.2%, while non-durable consumer goods fell 0.2%. Excluding energy, industrial producer prices increased 0.1%.

Annual Producer Price Growth Remains High

Industrial producer prices in the euro area were 5.8% higher in July than a year earlier, while the EU recorded a 5.6% increase. Energy remained the largest contributor to annual growth, rising 12.9% in the euro area and 12.5% across the EU. Euro area intermediate goods increased 6.3%, capital goods 2.6% and durable consumer goods 2.9%, while non-durable consumer goods fell 0.7%.

Across the EU, intermediate goods rose 6%, capital goods increased 2.4%, and durable consumer goods gained 2.8%. Non-durable consumer goods declined 0.9%, while industry excluding energy increased 3%.

Ireland Leads Annual Increases

Ireland posted the largest annual increase in industrial producer prices at 14.8%, followed by Lithuania at 12.9% and Bulgaria at 12.5%. Luxembourg was the only EU member state to record an annual decline, with industrial producer prices falling 7.3%.

The July figures show that industrial price pressures remain uneven across Europe, with energy costs continuing to play the largest role in the broader increase.

LVMH Revenue Rises, But China Weakness Continues To Weigh On Luxury Giant

A Softer Quarter Exposes The Limits Of Luxury’s Recovery

LVMH, the world’s largest luxury group and parent of Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine and Hennessy, reported revenue of €18.5 billion in the three months to the end of September, underscoring both the scale of its business and the pressure building across parts of the luxury market.

The company’s revenue rose 1.2% year on year in the third quarter, following a 0.1% increase in the second quarter and a 5.9% decline in the first. The trajectory points to stabilization, but not yet to a convincing rebound.

Organic Growth Misses Expectations

Organic sales growth, which strips out currency effects and portfolio changes, slowed to 1% in the third quarter from 3% in the previous quarter. That result fell short of market expectations and reinforced concerns that the luxury cycle remains uneven.

For the first nine months of the year, LVMH generated sales of €57.1 billion, with organic growth of 2%.

In its statement, the company highlighted the breadth of its portfolio, saying that diversification continues to provide resilience in an uncertain geopolitical and economic environment. That remains one of LVMH’s defining strengths: when one category weakens, another can help offset the downturn.

China Remains The Key Pressure Point

LVMH said sales performed well in the United States, Europe and Japan, but conditions in China remained less favorable. That matters because the country has long been one of the most important growth engines for global luxury brands.

The fashion and leather goods division, LVMH’s most closely watched unit, saw organic sales fall 5% as weaker demand in China weighed on performance. Deutsche Bank said the decline was steeper than the roughly 2% drop expected by analysts.

The segment had delivered its first organic sales gain in two years in the previous quarter, making the latest retreat a notable setback.

Brand Equity Faces A Test In China

The quarter also highlighted the reputational risks facing global brands in China. Louis Vuitton drew criticism after suing local tea company Molly Tea over logo copying. Although the company won the case, the dispute sparked social media backlash and boycott calls, adding another layer of pressure to an already fragile environment.

For a company built on scarcity, aspiration and brand discipline, perception is an asset as valuable as inventory. In a market as digitally connected as China, that asset can shift quickly.

Mixed Performance Across The Portfolio

Not every division weakened. LVMH’s selective retailing business, which includes Sephora, posted an 8% organic sales increase. Watches and jewellery, along with wines and spirits, both recorded 6% organic gains.

That broad mix is precisely what has historically given LVMH an advantage over rivals: it can absorb softness in one category without relying on a single growth driver.

Analysts See A Longer Recovery Ahead

Deutsche Bank analysts said the results could lead to further cuts in earnings forecasts for the second half of 2026 and 2027. They added that it is difficult to see what could improve investor sentiment in the near term.

Still, the bank framed the weakness as cyclical rather than structural. In its view, recovery is taking longer because Chinese demand remains subdued, but the problem does not appear to reflect a permanent deterioration in the brand franchise. Analysts said ongoing brand initiatives are beginning to show results, though improvements are likely to remain gradual.

Investor Pressure Continues To Mount

LVMH’s share price has fallen nearly 40% since the start of the year. In September, L’Oréal overtook the group as France’s most valuable listed company, a symbolic shift that captures how sharply sentiment has changed.

Shares in LVMH were down more than 1.6% in Paris around 10 a.m. CEST following the release.

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