1. Brazil: Coffee exports expected to reach record levels: On May 20, the Brazilian Coffee Industry Association announced that the country’s coffee exports could reach a historic level in the 2026-2027 campaign, thanks to a strong recovery in production and continued strong international demand. Exports for this new campaign could reach around 50 million bags of 60 kg, or around 3 million tonnes, thus exceeding previous records.
2. Eurozone: Economic activity is contracting at its fastest rate in more than two and a half years: Economic activity in the euro zone contracted in May 2026 at its fastest pace in more than two and a half years, as soaring living costs, fueled by conflicts in the Middle East, weakened demand for services and pushed input cost inflation to its highest level in three and a half years.
3. The United Arab Emirates complete 50% of the pipeline around the Strait of Hormuz: The CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, announced on May 20 that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had completed almost 50% of a second oil pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. This new pipeline will double ADNOC’s export capacity via Fujairah, a port located in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz. Its commissioning is planned for 2027.
4. South Korea extends fuel tax reduction program until July 2026: The South Korean Ministry of Finance announced the extension of the fuel tax reduction program for two more months, until the end of July 2026, in the face of rising inflationary pressures following the Middle East crisis. The measure was announced by Finance Minister Koo Yun Cheol during a meeting with relevant ministries on May 21, dedicated to the government’s efforts to curb price rises.
5. The EU moves closer to ratifying a trade deal with the United States: The European Union (EU) is close to finalizing the ratification of a trade deal with the United States, almost 10 months after the signing of the principle document between the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the US President, Donald Trump, at Turnberry, in Scotland.
6. United States: Gasoline prices likely to reach record highs this summer 2026: U.S. consumers are facing the highest gasoline prices since 2022, and the cost of fuel is expected to continue to rise sharply as the peak summer season approaches. According to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), as of May 20, the national average price of gasoline had reached $4.56 per gallon, an increase of more than $1.40 compared to the same period last year and more than 50% since the start of military operations led by the United States and Israel against Iran at the end of February 2026.
7. New energy storage capacity installed in the United States hits a record: U.S. energy storage system developers have reached a new record installed capacity of 9.7 GWh in the first quarter of 2026.
8. Goldman Sachs: Global oil stocks fall at record pace: Global inventories of crude oil and petroleum products are falling at a record pace this month, according to Goldman Sachs, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East limits supplies. In a recent report, Goldman Sachs analysts indicate that tangible stocks have fallen by 8.7 million barrels per day since the beginning of May, a record figure. This rate is almost double the average rate of decline recorded since the start of the conflict.
Source : https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/diem-tin-kinh-te-the-gioi-noi-bat-ngay-2152026-20260521212300927.htm
