• Number of sale contracts for houses in the USA declined by 12.2% while market was expecting only 2% decrease. Slump is a result of interest rates rise and mortgage market crisis. • Global volume of direct foreign investments will reach a record level of USD 1.47bn this year, according to Economist Intelligence Unit estimate. This means 10.5% y/y growth. Next year, investments should decline due to market shake ups. • OECD lowered its forecast for US GDP growth to 1.9% from 2.1%. Eurozone should reach 2.6% growth (2.7% previously) and G7 countries 2.2% (2.3% previously). • Czech Statistical Office estimates this year’s cereals harvest to reach 6.36mt of which 3.91mt falls to wheat while previous estimate was 6.25mt. Potatoes harvest is estimated to reach 0.75mt. • Hungary’s industrial production in July increased by 12.1% after June’s growth of 8.9%.