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Wiesbaden – September 09, 2026 -- Germany's industrial production dropped 1.1% month-on-month in July 2026 on a seasonally and calendar-adjusted basis, according to preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Output was 1.6% lower than in July 2025 on a calendar-adjusted basis. June 2026 figures were revised down to flat growth (0.0%) from a preliminary +0.2%, leaving output 0.5% below the prior-year month.

Automotive output collapses 9.2% on production pause

The July decline was driven primarily by the automotive industry, where output fell 9.2% versus June on a seasonally and calendar-adjusted basis. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) attributed the drop to a multi-week production halt.

LONDON – September 09, 2026 -- ACG Metals Limited has signed a binding agreement to acquire 100% of mining licence 60926 covering the Keşkek gold project from Meta Nikel Kobalt Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. for total cash consideration of US$7.85 million, securing a new oxide ore source located 70 km from its Gediktepe mine in Türkiye.

China – September 09, 2026 -- More than 300 senior executives, government officials and civil-society leaders gathered at a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) summit to launch a dozen sustainability-driven partnerships aimed at accelerating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Pudu Robotics' PUDU D7 semi-humanoid robot has been named an Honoree in the Best in IFA Next & Emerging Technologies category of the IFA Innovation Awards, marking the machine's first European showcase at IFA 2026 in Berlin.

D7 combines dual-arm manipulation with 20 kg payload capacity for industrial use

The robot is built for industrial, warehouse, retail and hospitality settings, capable of handling materials, picking items from shelves, replenishing inventory and transporting goods between work areas. It carries a payload of up to 20 kg (44.1 pounds) and operates at heights up to 2 meters (6.6 feet), allowing it to work across varied storage systems.

Frankfurt am Main – September 09, 2026 -- Thirty percent of German small and mid-sized companies (Mittelstand) with foreign business expect their cross-border revenues to decline over the next three years, according to a new KfW Research study, with 6 percent forecasting a sharp drop. Roughly 24 percent anticipate growth, while 47 percent expect no change.

The findings stem from a January 2026 survey conducted before the outbreak of the Iran conflict, meaning sentiment may have since deteriorated further.

LONDON – September 09, 2026 -- A&S Resources Limited has secured $6 billion in financing from the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) to build a 1,350-km railway linking its mineral assets in the Central African Republic (CAR) to international export markets via Cameroon.

Railway will connect landlocked CAR to Cameroon's Kribi deep-water port

The dual-track, heavy-cargo railway is designed to carry 250,000 tonnes of freight per day, with capacity expandable to 300,000 tonnes. It removes a critical infrastructure bottleneck that has constrained mining development in CAR, a landlocked nation with no direct rail access to seaborne export routes.

Guangzhou – September 09, 2026 -- More than 1,500 food and beverage exhibitors from China and abroad gathered at the 2026 SIAL West Asia International Food Exhibition, which opened September 3 at the Guangzhou Poly World Trade Center Expo and spans 60,000 square meters.

Exhibition positions Guangzhou as gateway between China and ASEAN markets

Co-organized by Comexposium, Beijing Aibo SIAL Exhibition Co., Ltd., Guangzhou International Convention & Exhibition Group, and Beijing SIAL Exhibition Co., Ltd., the event is branded the "First Stop for Entering the Bay Area and Going Global." It operates as a flagship event under Guangdong province's "Trade Nationwide" and "Trade Global" initiatives, running through September 5 across 14 specialized zones covering imported foods, snacks, dairy, beverages, seasonings, and fresh products.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Pudu Robotics unveiled the European debut of its PUDU D7 semi-humanoid robot at IFA 2026, showcasing a portfolio that has already shipped more than 130,000 units across 85 countries and 1,000 cities.

PUDU D7 wins IFA Innovation Award honor in embodied AI category

The next-generation robot, designed to perceive surroundings, interact with people and manipulate objects, was named an IFA Innovation Award Honoree in the IFA NEXT & Emerging Tech category. At the Berlin booth, D7 performs live demonstrations including taking photos with visitors, self-perspective selfies, heart-hand gestures and object pickup on request.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- While thousands of exhibitors at IFA 2026 promote smarter devices and AI-driven gadgets, U.S.-based Xcotton is using the Berlin trade show to sell brands on a different proposition: what happens to a customer relationship after the checkout button is clicked.

Xcotton offers shipping, product and insurance-backed protection for e-commerce merchants

Xcotton operates as a post-purchase protection platform, enabling online merchants to bundle shipping protection, product protection and insurance-backed coverage into the buying experience. The company positions these tools as a way to offset delivery risk -- lost, delayed, stolen or damaged shipments -- that can trigger refunds, replacement costs and customer-service workload as order volumes scale internationally.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- ToolDance unveiled its flagship X1 Smart Desktop CNC Mill at IFA 2026 in Berlin, targeting engineers, makers, and small manufacturers with a machine that delivers ±0.01mm positioning repeatability.

X1 spindle reaches 24,000rpm while retaining torque for roughing operations

The X1 is built around a 1,500W permanent magnet synchronous motor spindle that maintains torque at low speeds for heavy material removal and scales up to 24,000rpm for finishing passes. Its three-axis work envelope measures 400 x 265 x 180mm, sized for fixtures, molds, machine plates, and multi-part production runs. The machine accepts tool shanks up to 10mm, widening the range of cutters available for larger jobs, and supports both dry and flood-coolant machining across metals, wood, and engineering plastics.