Armenia’s rate rise, Brent’s fall, European supermarket cyberattacks
Armenia’s central bank increased its policy rate to 7% with inflation still above target. Brent crude settled 7.63% lower at $104.77 a barrel after talks raised hopes of an end to Middle East oil supply disruptions. Cyberattacks disrupted supermarket refrigeration across nine European countries, prompting an investigation by Belgian prosecutors.
Written by AveNews superintelligence (SI) from AveNews articles and their sources.
Table of contents
Economy
Armenia’s central bank raises policy rate to 7%
Armenia’s central bank raised its policy rate to 7% as inflation remained above its target. The bank plans to publish its Transparency Report at 18:00 Yerevan time.
Australia’s central bank raises cash rate to 4.85%
The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash-rate target from 4.6% as inflation remained above its goal. Lenders will decide whether and when to change mortgage rates, while the bank forecasts a slower return to its inflation target.
Armenia’s prime minister presents 2027 budget draft to committees
Armenia’s draft budget proposes new senior foster care and broader compensation for Soviet-era depositors. Lawmakers are examining the allocations before submitting written proposals and considering the bill in a plenary session.
Armenian exporters can recover EU duties, ministry says
Armenia’s ministry says exporters can recover duties paid after EU trade preferences took effect, following a delay in reflecting the relief in the customs system. The ministry has scheduled a system correction.
China’s central bank schedules third stock-market swap operation
China’s central bank scheduled bidding for its third stock-market swap operation on 3 November. It also changed a temporary lending scheme into a long-term mechanism to finance share buybacks and purchases.
Vietnam updates used electronics import ban from 1 January 2027
Vietnam’s updated import ban keeps many existing restrictions on used and refurbished electronics and sets out exceptions for certain printers and semiconductor equipment.
Markets
Brent crude settles down 7.63% at $104.77 a barrel
Brent crude closed sharply lower after talks raised hopes of an end to disruptions in Middle East oil supplies. A reported US strike on an Iranian island accompanied a small rebound in the next trading session.
Companies
Supermarket refrigeration problems hit nine European countries
Cyberattacks disrupted supermarket cooling across Europe, while UK food suppliers also reported incidents. Belgian prosecutors have opened an investigation and the UK’s cyber security center is monitoring affected organizations.
Updated since this editionSerbian court opens Alta Banka bankruptcy proceedings
Serbia has placed Alta Banka in bankruptcy, and its deposit insurance agency says it will begin payouts to insured customers within 7 working days.
EU Commission approves JD.com’s $2.5 billion Ceconomy deal conditionally
The EU’s conditional approval allows JD.com to proceed with its acquisition of Ceconomy, subject to compliance with the remedies offered.
Apple reports $114.48 billion in quarterly revenue, up 12%
Apple’s November 2 results beat revenue expectations, while its holiday-quarter outlook points to pressure from memory costs and constrained device supply.
Palantir revenue rises 96% as it raises annual forecast
Palantir’s third-quarter revenue rose 96% to $2.313 billion, and net income more than doubled. The company raised its annual forecast, although growth in the potential value of its US commercial contracts slowed.
Updated since this editionAlso today
Companies
Cali Fund receives just $7,085 against $1 billion annual goal
Portugal’s government selects Lufthansa for 44.9% of TAP Air Portugal
Anthropic posts $80.7bn first-half 2026 loss in public share-sale filing
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Virgin Media O2 plans thousands of job cuts, with total not finalized
Libya’s religious authority rules against Nike-logo clothing
Automaker GAC starts first overseas self-developed battery-pack production
UK financial regulator rules out car-finance payouts before 2027
Saudi Aramco earns $36.25 billion in quarterly net profit
EU court shields providers’ identities in VMware merger challenge
UK regulators seek views on credit-union rule changes
Control Resonant passes 1 million sales, Remedy says
Actor Mahesh Babu invests in PC and console studio Shortgun Games
ECCO Vietnam stops factory production, affecting over 1,600 workers
Disney prepares layoffs that could affect thousands, sources say
Squarespace cuts about 300 jobs, or roughly 19% of its workforce
Marvell agrees to acquire Lumentum in $115 billion stock deal
Reports on this date
AveNewsKyiv water outage, Sudan’s drone-death claims, Armenia’s rate rise
Kyiv’s water supplier says residents can collect drinking water from public wells while water service and the entire metro network are suspended. Sudan’s government has taken allegations about Ethiopian drone launch sites to two international councils. Armenia’s central bank raised its policy rate to 7% with inflation above target.
Daily report · covering
4 min51 sources
TechnologyEuropean refrigeration attacks, Marvell–Lumentum deal, Apple spyware alerts
Cyberattacks disrupted supermarket cooling across Europe, and the UK’s cyber security center is monitoring affected organizations after food suppliers also reported incidents. Marvell’s $115 billion agreement to acquire Lumentum requires shareholder and regulatory approvals. Apple’s warnings to users in 99 countries concern suspected targeting, not confirmed infections.
Daily report · covering
4 min42 sources
ScienceArmenia’s plastic retail limits, Congo Ebola trials, Cyclone Murasu
Armenia’s coming restrictions cover specified plastic bags, containers and tableware, while exempting certain packaging for goods sold by weight. Researchers have begun vaccine trials against the Ebola outbreak strain. Cyclone Murasu has made landfall near Ongole in India, with the weather department warning of heavy rain.
Daily report · covering
4 min36 sources
CultureSources say Disney plans job cuts across film and television
Disney’s chief people officer says involuntary reductions will continue into 2027, as people familiar with its plans describe another round across several divisions; the company declined to comment. London’s High Court rejected PPT’s request to block publication of sexual-misconduct allegations while allowing an appeal and temporary anonymity. Philippe Jaenada won the 2026 Prix Goncourt by six votes to three.
Daily report · covering
4 min32 sources
SportsJesús de Miguel’s death, Zverev’s No. 1 ranking
Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel died at 30 after a match collision; UEFA says its matches will observe a minute’s silence that week. Alexander Zverev has become men’s tennis No. 1 for the first time. Norway’s hockey association has ruled out playing Russia under current circumstances at the 2027 world championships.
Daily report · covering
4 min49 sources
PoliticsUkraine power disruptions, Sudan’s drone allegations, Congo’s Ebola outbreak
DTEK says Russian attacks stopped generation at three thermal plants, adding to Ukraine’s widespread electricity disruptions. Sudan’s government has taken allegations about Ethiopian drone launch sites to two international councils. Africa CDC’s latest figures put Ebola deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 5,372, as vaccine trials begin against a strain with no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Daily report · covering
4 min56 sources
