Category: 3. Business

Gold lost ground in Pakistan on Friday as a pullback in international prices dragged the local market lower, while silver also retreated after its recent record run.

In the domestic market, the price of gold per tola fell by Rs. 900 during the day to close at Rs. 454,862. The rate for 10-gram gold slipped by Rs. 772 to Rs. 389,970, according to figures shared by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA).

A day earlier, on Thursday, gold had settled at Rs. 455,762 per tola after a rise of Rs. 2,200 during the session.

In the international market, the price of gold declined by $9 to $4,325 per ounce (including a premium of $20).

Silver also went down, with the price per tola dropping by Rs. 52 to Rs. 6,848 in the local market.

If you’re using public transport this year, make sure to read the below so you know exactly when and where everything is running.

Stagecoach

Monday 22 December & Tuesday 23 December

Normal weekday journeys will run on the following services:

3, 4 Morrisons to Cleethorpes Pier

5, 5S Grimsby to Immingham

5M Grimsby to Catch Training Centre

45 Cleethorpes and Grimsby to Immingham

9, 10 Hewitts Circus to Grimsby and Waltham

Saturday journeys will run on the following services:

1, 2 Victor Street and Grimsby to Europarc

6 Wybers Wood and Grimsby to Cleethorpes

7 Grimsby to Hewitts Circus

8 Grimsby to Scartho and Cleethorpes

11 Grimsby to Bradley Park and New Waltham

12 Grimsby and Cleethorpes to Waltham

20 Cleethorpes and Grimsby to Europarc

53 Grimsby to Lincoln

250 Grimsby to Hull 251 Grimsby to Louth

251 Grimsby to Louth

CHRISTMAS EVE Wednesday 24 December.

Normal Wednesday journeys will run on the following services:

5, 5S Grimsby to Immingham

5M Grimsby to Catch Training Centre

45 Cleethorpes and Grimsby to Immingham

9, 10 Hewitts Circus to Grimsby and Waltham

Except, some services will ­finish early.

The last bus that will run is:

9 Waltham to North Sea Lane               19:05

9 North Sea Lane to Waltham               19:12

10 Waltham to Hewitts Circus                19:35

10 Hewitts Circus to Waltham               19:35

45 Immingham to Cleethorpes Pier      19:50

45 Cleethorpes Pier to Immingham      20:04

Saturday journeys will run on the following services:

1, 2 Victor Street and Grimsby to Europarc

3, 4 Morrisons to Cleethorpes Pier

6 Wybers Wood and Grimsby to Cleethorpes

7 Grimsby to Hewitts Circus

8 Grimsby to Scartho and Cleethorpes

11 Grimsby to Bradley Park and New Waltham

12 Grimsby and Cleethorpes to Waltham

20 Cleethorpes and Grimsby to Europarc

53 Grimsby to Lincoln

250 Grimsby to Hull

251 Grimsby to Louth

An additional morning journey will run as follows:

3 Morrisons to Cleethorpes Pier                           05:00

Except, some services will ­finish early.

The last bus that will run is:

3 Morrisons to Cleethorpes Pier                           19:15 

3 Cleethorpes Pier to Morrisons                           19:35

4 Laceby Village to Cleethorpes Pier                   19:45

4 Cleethorpes Pier to Laceby Village                   19:55

8 Grimsby to Cleethorpes Pier                              19:25

8 Cleethorpes Pier to Grimsby                              19:45

20 Wybers Way to Cleethorpes Pier                    18:08

250 Grimsby to Hull                                                 17:30

250 Grimsby to Barton only                                   18:30*

250 Hull to Grimsby                                                 19:45

251 Grimsby to Louth                                              20:00

251 Louth to Grimsby                                              20:00

*Passengers wishing to continue to Hull should transfer onto the 2000 Service 350 from Barton to Hull.

CHRISTMAS DAY Thursday 25 December.

No bus services will run.

BOXING DAY Friday 26 December.

No bus services will run.

Saturday 27 December & Sunday 28 December .

Normal bus services will run.

Monday 29 December & Tuesday 30 December.

A Saturday service will run except for the following which will run a normal weekday service:

5, 5S Grimsby to Immingham

5M Grimsby to Catch Training Centre

45 Cleethorpes and Grimsby to Immingham

9, 10 Hewitts Circus to Grimsby and Waltham

An additional morning journey will run as follows:

3 Morrisons to Cleethorpes Pier                           05:00

NEW YEAR’S EVE Wednesday 31 December.

See Christmas Eve.

NEW YEAR’S DAY Thursday 1 January 2026.

No bus services will run.

Friday 2 January 2026.

Will run the same service level as 29th and 30th December.

Normal services will resume from Saturday 3 January 2026.

Local Stagecoach info 0345 241 8000

Christmas and New Year Customer Service opening times

0800 to 1800……….. Monday 22 December

0800 to 1800……….. Tuesday 23 December

 0800 to 1700 ……….Christmas Eve

Closed…………………Christmas Day

Closed ……………….  Boxing Day

0900 to 1700……….. Saturday 27 December

0900 to 1700……….. Sunday 28 December

0800 to 1800……….. Monday 29 December

0800 to 1800……….. Tuesday 30 December

0800 to 1700 ………..New Year’s Eve

Closed…………………New Year’s Day

0900 to 1700……….. Friday 2 January

Normal opening hours from Saturday 3 January

Contact

[email protected]

@StagecoachEMid

stagecoachbus.com/christmas-in-emid

Phone ‘n’ Ride

• 22 December from 6:30am to 6:30pm
• 23 December from 6:30am to 6:30pm
• 24 December from 7:30am to 5:30pm
• 25 December – CLOSED
• 26 December – CLOSED
• 27 December from 6:30am to 6:30pm
• 28 December – CLOSED
• 29 December from 7:30am to 5:30pm
• 30 December from 7:30am to 5:30pm
• 31 December from 7:30am to 5:30pm
• 1 January 2026 – CLOSED
• 2 January from 6:30am to 6:30pm

Dial a Ride

The office will be closed from 23/12/2025 to 05/01/2026 No bookings can be made between these times. Should passengers require a trip over the Christmas and New Year period, they will need to book at least 2-3 weeks in advance.

TransPennine Express

Wednesday 24th December

• Last services from Manchester Piccadilly to Cleethorpes – 18:57
• Last Services from Liverpool Lime Street to Cleethorpes – 17:56
• Last Services from Cleethorpes to Liverpool Lime Street – 17:26
• Last Services from Cleethorpes to Sheffield – 18:26

Thursday 25th and Friday 26th December.

No TransPennine Express services will run on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Saturday 27th December.

Services will start later with a reduced frequency on many routes.

Customer travelling over the festive and New Year period are advise the plan their journeys in advance by visiting www.TPExpress.co.uk.

East Midlands Railway

Wednesday 24th December

EMR trains run on Christmas Eve, but services will finish earlier than normal. The last trains usually depart between 7-9pm, depending on your route.

Thursday 25th and Friday 26th December

No services will run on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Saturday 27^th December

EMR services resume on 27th December, although a revised timetable may be in place. Some routes may be affected by engineering works, and trains may be less frequent than usual or start slightly later.

Wednesday 31 December

Due to New Years Eve early shutdown, EMR Regional will be running a reduced timetable in the evening.

Thursday 1^st January 2026

Trains do run on New Years Day but may start later and run less frequently

Customer travelling over the festive and new Year period are advise the plan their journeys in advance by visiting www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk.

Age UK

Grimsby Office – Closed Wednesday 24^th December to Sunday 28^th December re-opens Monday 29^th  to Wednesday 31^st December 10.00am to 2.00pm. Closed 1^st January 26 re-opens as normal from Friday 2^nd January 26.

Cleethorpes Office –  Closed Wednesday 24^th December to Monday 5^th January 26.

NELC are not responsible for inaccurate information.  Please check with the service provider before traveling.

19 December 2025

• ECB wage tracker updated with wage agreements signed up to end of November 2025; forward-looking horizon extended to end of December 2026
• Forward-looking information indicates easing of negotiated wage growth, consistent with data published following October 2025 Governing Council meeting
• ECB wage tracker with unsmoothed one-off payments at 3.0% in 2025 and 2.7% in 2026

The European Central Bank (ECB) wage tracker, which covers active collective bargaining agreements, indicates negotiated wage growth with smoothed one-off payments of 3.2% in 2025 (based on a coverage of 49.5% of employees in participating countries) and 2.3% in 2026 (based on a coverage of 28.8%). The ECB wage tracker with unsmoothed one-off payments indicates negotiated wage growth of 3.0% in 2025 and 2.7% in 2026. The wage tracker excluding one-off payments indicates an easing of negotiated wage growth from 3.9% in 2025 to 2.6% in 2026. The headline ECB wage tracker is better suited to describing quarterly or monthly dynamics in negotiated wages as it smoothens one-off payments over time. Meanwhile, the ECB wage tracker with unsmoothed one-off payments is better suited to describing yearly dynamics, ensuring that one-off payments are not smoothed twice when constructing the yearly outcomes.

For 2026, the headline ECB wage tracker stands at 2.0% in the first quarter, 2.1% in the second quarter, 2.5% in the third quarter and 2.7% in the fourth quarter. The rise in the wage path over the course of the year is related to the dissipation of the mechanical downward effect of large one-off payments that were made in 2024 but not in 2025. The ECB wage tracker also suggests that there is less dispersion in negotiated wage pressures across the different euro area countries in 2026 in comparison with previous years.

The ECB wage tracker with unsmoothed one-off payments (3.1% in the first quarter, 2.5% in the second quarter, 2.4% in the third quarter and 2.7% in the fourth quarter) also reflects the more stable and less volatile outlook in negotiated wage growth for 2026 in comparison with previous years. The wage tracker excluding one-off payments stands at 2.8% in the first quarter, 2.6% in the second quarter, 2.5% in the third quarter and 2.7% in the fourth quarter, which also suggests more moderate negotiated wage dynamics than in previous years. The employee coverage in 2026 stands at 36.9% in the first quarter, 30.1% in the second quarter, 24.8% in the third quarter and 23.4% in the fourth quarter. See Chart 1 and Table 1 for further details.

Since the previous data release in November 2025, the ECB wage tracker has been expanded to retroactively include collective agreements in Finland from January 2015 onwards. The forward-looking horizon has been extended to the end of December 2026, providing some initial insights for the full year.

Overall, the ECB wage tracker may be subject to revisions, and the forward-looking component should not be interpreted as a forecast, as it only captures the information that is currently available for active collective bargaining agreements. Moreover, the ECB wage tracker does not track the indicator of negotiated wage growth precisely and deviations are to be expected over time. For a more comprehensive assessment of wage developments in the euro area, please refer to the December 2025 Eurosystem staff macroeconomic projections for the euro area, which indicate a yearly growth rate of compensation per employee in the euro area of 4.0% in 2025 and 3.2% in 2026.

The ECB publishes four wage tracker indicators for the aggregate of nine participating euro area countries on the ECB Data Portal.

What do the four different indicators show?

• The headline ECB wage tracker is a tracker of negotiated wage growth that includes collectively agreed one-off payments, such as those related to inflation compensation, bonuses or back-dated pay, which are smoothed over 12 months.
• The ECB wage tracker excluding one-off payments reflects the extent of structural (or permanent) negotiated wage increases.
• The ECB wage tracker with unsmoothed one-off payments is constructed using a methodology that, in terms of both data sources and statistical methodology, is conceptually similar to, but not necessarily the same as, that used for the ECB indicator of negotiated wage growth.
• The share of employees covered is the percentage of employees across the participating countries that are directly covered by ECB wage tracker data. This indicator provides information on the representativeness of the underlying (negotiated) wage growth signals obtained from the set of wage tracker indicators for the aggregate of the participating countries. Employee coverage differs across countries and within each country over time (more details can be found in Table 2).

For media queries, please contact Benoit Deeg, tel.: +491721683704

Notes

• The ECB wage tracker is the result of a Eurosystem partnership currently comprising the European Central Bank and nine euro area national central banks: the Nationale Bank van België/Banque Nationale de Belgique, the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Bank of Greece, the Banco de España, the Banque de France, the Banca d’Italia, De Nederlandsche Bank, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and Suomen Pankki – Finlands Bank. It is based on a highly granular database of active collective bargaining agreements for Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Finland. The wage tracker can be used to help assess wage pressures in the euro area.
• The wage tracker methodology uses a double aggregation approach. First, it aggregates the highly granular information on collective bargaining agreements and constructs the wage tracker indicators at the country level using information on the employee coverage within each country. Second, it uses this information to construct the aggregate for the euro area using time-varying weights based on the total compensation of employees among the participating countries.
• Given that the forward-looking nature of the tracker is dependent on the underlying collective bargaining agreements database, the wage signals should always be considered conditional on the information available at any given point in time and thus subject to revisions. This is particularly relevant at the turn of the year as many agreements are signed or renewed in the first quarter in some countries.
• The results in this press release do not represent the views of the ECB’s decision-making bodies.

Transitioning to renewables is critical when it comes to confronting the climate crisis, and Germany is seeing this advance at the household level. 

Small solar devices that can be plugged into household sockets are growing ever more popular in the country, with more than 1 million installed in the past three years. 

The modules are usually about 2 square meters (21.5 square feet) in size, with up to four included in a minisystem, and easily installed on areas such as balconies, where they work as safely as other household appliances — only in reverse. The electricity flows from the solar module via an inverter through the household socket back into the power grid. 

Increasingly, these systems also include battery storage, meaning that excess electricity can be saved for later use.  

Electricity from your own balcony

The rapidly falling cost of solar power and battery storage is a major climate success story of recent years, helping renewables overtake coal for the first time in global electricity generation in 2025.

The plummeting prices have filtered down to the household level in Germany. The price of solar panel systems for balconies has halved in the last two years, with small models available from around €200 ($233) and large ones that include storage costing under €1,000 ($1166). In Germany, they generate electricity for less than half the cost of electricity from the grid.

According to the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW), the purchase usually pays for itself within four to seven years. After that, the electricity households generate for themselves is free. 

Solar modules can keep working for over 30 years, and the batteries “can be expected to have a service life of 10-15 years,” said Volker Quaschning, professor of renewable energy systems at HTW. With four modules and storage, about half of the electricity requirements of a two-person household in Central Europe can be covered. 

Germany leading the pack

“Most plug-in solar devices are still sold in Germany, far ahead of the rest of the world,” says David Breuer, managing director of Yuma, a German-based company selling plug-in solar devices. 

Though sunnier regions elsewhere have the potential to generate far more electricity, in Germany falling prices, improved technology and political support have helped drive a solar balcony boom. 

Since 2023, private solar installations in the country have been exempt from VAT, and, since autumn 2024, tenants and apartment owners have been allowed to install solar modules on their balconies themselves. 

Devices with a module output of up to 2,000 watts are permitted in most EU countries, and the devices are allowed to feed up to 800 watts of electricity directly into the residential grid. This limitation protects the power lines in the home from overload, making it safe to use.

Interest is now spreading to other countries, including many in the EU, as well as Brazil, the United States and Japan.

“We just had a delegation from Tokyo visiting. They want to introduce plug-in solar devices and were gathering information about technical safety,” Thomas Seltmann, an expert on plug-in solar devices at the German Solar Industry Association, told DW. 

Reducing energy costs 

Germany is aiming to be climate-neutral by 2045. Plug-in solar devices could cover up to 2% of electricity demand by then, Claudia Kemfert, head of the Energy, Transportation, Environment Department at the German Institute for Economic Research, told DW. So far, most solar power in the country comes from rooftop installations, followed by large solar parks.

For many customers, a plug-in system for the balcony is just the beginning. “They are a gateway to other measures such as larger photovoltaic systems or the purchase of an electric car or a heat pump,” says Christoph Kost, head of energy systems analysis at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, a German research organization. 

“Plug-in solar devices enable people to become part of the energy transition themselves, reduce their electricity costs and make themselves less dependent on energy price fluctuations,” Kemfert said. 

Get advice before buying

It is important to be well-informed before buying, said Tobias Otto, from the German Solar Energy Association, which provides independent advice.

This should start with considering first how many modules will fit on a balcony, terrace or roof and at what angle they can be installed, as well as how the sun hits the location. 

For those with three to four modules, a battery storage unit with intelligent control is often worthwhile. This means electricity demand can be measured at the meter or at sockets and then ensures the battery supplies the exact amount needed. “Without such measuring devices, the storage system cannot usually be controlled effectively,” Otto told DW.

Some battery-powered plug-in devices also have an emergency supply that helps in the event of a power failure. Many can also be set up outdoors, although they do consume power themselves when placed in very cold or warm temperatures. 

Experts also advise sticking to reliable suppliers. “There’s a lot of dodgy stuff on offer,” Seltman said. “We therefore recommend buying from specialist retailers.”

This article was originally written in German.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting Lithuania’s green transition and capital market innovation with a €50 million landmark investment in the country’s first green asset backed securitisation, originated by ILTE, Lithuania’s national development bank, as part of a €112 million issuance.

This pioneering transaction is the first true sale green securitisation in the Baltic states, setting a new benchmark for sustainable finance. Backed by ILTE’s portfolio of performing energy-efficiency loans, the notes have achieved a AAA rating from two leading international agencies and have been listed on the Nasdaq Vilnius exchange.

By transforming energy-efficiency loans into investable securities, the transaction introduces innovative market-based instruments and shows the strength of Lithuania’s recently reformed securitisation framework. It also creates a replicable model for attracting long-term institutional capital, boosting investor confidence and accelerating the development of the region’s capital markets.

The proceeds of the bond issuance will unlock ILTE’s capital, enabling it to significantly expand lending for energy-efficiency upgrades in multi-apartment buildings nationwide. This will support Lithuania’s ambitious goal of renovating 10,000 buildings by 2030. The initiative will benefit local small and medium-sized enterprises and create jobs, as well as delivering tangible environmental gains by reducing energy consumption and cutting CO₂ emissions.

The EBRD’s participation sends a strong signal to the market, introducing a novel green business structure that recycles capital for further investment in the renovation of buildings. The Bank’s expertise in securitisation structures and its targeted policy engagements in Lithuania have been instrumental in making this transaction possible, reinforcing ILTE’s capacity to diversify funding and deploy new energy-efficiency loans.

The EBRD’s Head of the Baltic States, Tomas Kairys, said: “This issuance is a milestone not just for ILTE, but for Lithuania and the entire Baltic region. By backing this pioneering securitisation, we’re sending a clear signal to investors at home and abroad: Lithuania’s capital market is growing in both size and sophistication. We look forward to supporting more innovative green issuances that deepen and strengthen the region’s financial markets, and we are pleased to continue our successful cooperation with ILTE to ensure that Lithuania’s building modernisation programme keeps expanding.”

Dainius Vilčinskas, the CEO of ILTE, said: “This issuance sends a clear signal to foreign investors that Lithuania’s capital market is open and reliable for long-term investments, and for us it marks a new stage of development. We have succeeded in attracting strong international investors and implementing a securitisation structure that has not previously been used in the Baltic states. The funds raised will significantly expand financing for the renovation of apartment buildings and ensure that modernisation projects move forward faster and more efficiently.”

ILTE, Lithuania’s national development bank, is a longstanding partner of the EBRD, supporting the country’s strategic economic objectives and sustainable growth. Working directly, through ILTE Group companies, and in cooperation with other financial market participants, the institution focuses on improving access to financing for businesses, the public sector, and clients in agriculture and fisheries. ILTE plays a key role in attracting private capital to support domestic enterprises, investing in projects that drive innovation, enhance competitiveness, promote sustainability and strengthen energy efficiency.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Lithuania and the Baltic states. To date, the Bank has invested more than €2 billion in the country across 151 projects.