Shop owners in Germany are worried about the upcoming Christmas season, expecting a slump in sales in price-adjusted terms, as double-digit inflation driven by energy prices forced people to shop less in the third quarter, the German Retail Association (HDE) says.

Regulators have revealed financial measures that would help the sector avoid a credit crunch Chinese property stocks and bonds rose sharply on Monday as banking regulators revealed a 16-step support package for the indebted sector.

Food inflation in Finland saw the biggest year-on-year increase of 15.7% last month, TASS reported on Monday, citing the latest data released by the country’s statistics center. The price surge, which is reportedly the steepest since Finland joined the European Union 27 years ago, has been attributed to “a rise of prices for fertilizers and…