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Cyprus Industrial Turnover Rises In July As Local Demand Offsets Export Weakness

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 5, 2026

Cyprus’ industrial sector posted a solid gain in July 2026, with the Industrial Turnover Index rising 5 per cent year on year to 168.8 units, according to figures released Monday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat). The increase was driven by stronger domestic market activity, even as export turnover registered a sharp decline.

Over the first seven months of the year, the index rose 3.9 per cent compared with the same period in 2025, underscoring a steady, if uneven, expansion across the industrial economy.

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Manufacturing Leads The Gains

Manufacturing, the largest component of the index, reached 164.5 units in July, up 4.8 per cent from a year earlier. For January through July, the sector was up 3.9 per cent.

Within manufacturing, electronic and optical products and electrical equipment delivered the strongest annual performance. The category surged 85.3 per cent in July to 187.2 units, while remaining 11.7 per cent higher over the first seven months of the year.

Furniture, other manufacturing and the repair and installation of machinery and equipment also performed strongly, climbing to 190.6 units. Turnover in the category rose 38.4 per cent in July and 4 per cent in the January-to-July period.

Textiles, wearing apparel and leather products reached 155.9 units, increasing 12.1 per cent in July and 4.3 per cent over the seven-month period.

Wood and wood products, excluding furniture, stood at 205 units, up 6.2 per cent in July and 18.2 per cent for the year to date. Other non-metallic mineral products reached 188.6 units, rising 3.9 per cent in July and 1.9 per cent over the first seven months.

Basic metals and fabricated metal products increased to 184.5 units, with turnover up 3.5 per cent in July and 7.6 per cent between January and July. Food products, beverages and tobacco products advanced more modestly to 152.6 units, up 1.4 per cent in July and 2.9 per cent year to date. Rubber and plastic products rose to 160.6 units, gaining 1.5 per cent in July and 2.2 per cent over the period.

Some Industrial Segments Remain Under Pressure

Not all manufacturing segments shared in the improvement. Machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and other transport equipment recorded the steepest decline, falling 13.2 per cent year on year in July to 159.5 units. The category was also 1.1 per cent lower over the January-to-July period.

Refined petroleum products, chemicals, chemical products and pharmaceutical products and preparations also weakened, declining 10.1 per cent in July to 133.3 units. The category was marginally lower, by 0.3 per cent, over the first seven months of the year.

Paper and paper products and printing fell to 113.3 units, down 4.2 per cent in July and 2.7 per cent year to date.

Utilities And Resource Sectors Also Advance

Beyond manufacturing, water supply and materials recovery posted the strongest annual increase among industrial subsectors, with the index rising to 174.6 units. Turnover in the segment climbed 16 per cent in July and 12.8 per cent over the first seven months of the year.

Materials recovery reached 162.2 units, rising 20.3 per cent in July and 24.1 per cent during the January-to-July period. Water collection, treatment and supply stood at 185.6 units, up 12.9 per cent in July and 5.9 per cent year to date.

Mining and quarrying also expanded, reaching 209.4 units, with turnover up 7.4 per cent in July and 4.5 per cent over the seven-month period. Electricity supply recorded a more moderate gain, with the index at 184.7 units, up 3.4 per cent in July and 1.7 per cent from January to July.

Domestic Demand Outpaces Exports

The split between domestic and foreign demand was stark. The local market index rose to 175.3 units in July, up 7.4 per cent from a year earlier and 4.7 per cent over the first seven months of 2026.

By contrast, the export market index fell 8.6 per cent in July to 134.8 units and was 0.5 per cent lower for the January-to-July period. The divergence suggests that Cyprus’ industrial momentum remains supported primarily by internal demand, while external markets continue to weigh on performance.

As the year progresses, the data point to a sector that is growing, but not evenly. Domestic strength is cushioning softer export conditions, leaving policymakers and businesses to monitor whether the gap narrows in the second half of the year.

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Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.