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Budget news — August 21, 2026

Publications tagged with Budget published on August 21, 2026 (UTC). This is a fixed calendar-day archive.

10 publications

  1. U.S.BudgetHealthcareFraud

    U.S. Employer Healthcare Costs to Rise 9.5% in 2027

    U.S. employer healthcare costs are expected to rise by 9.5% in 2027, according to insurance broker Aon. This increase, driven by higher medical use and spending on expensive drugs, will push the average cost per employee above $19,000. Workers' contributions are also set to increase, with out-of-pocket spending and payroll contributions totaling an average of $5,297 in 2027. The rise in costs is part of a sustained period of healthcare inflation, with employers exploring cost-management strategies to offset increases.
    7 sourcesSee all sources
  2. WorldRegulatorsMiddle EastBudget

    Fuel Prices Drop in Ukraine

    Ukrnafta and SOCAR have reduced fuel prices in Ukraine. Ukrnafta decreased the price of one type of gasoline by 3 hryvnia per liter, matching the price of regular A-95. SOCAR reduced prices on all types of gasoline by 0.50 hryvnia per liter and diesel by 1 hryvnia per liter. The average price of gasoline A-95 in Ukraine decreased by 10 kopecks to 80.05 hryvnia per liter, while diesel fuel decreased by 16 kopecks to 91.90 hryvnia per liter.
    4 sourcesSee all sources
  5. BusinessBudgetTaxTrade

    Beauty Industry Struggles: Business Liquidations Surge

    The beauty industry in Russia is facing a significant downturn. From January to July 2026, business liquidations in this sector increased by 52.5% to 12,300, while new registrations decreased by 16.1%. This is attributed to a rise in the tax burden, particularly the reduction of the VAT threshold, and the shift of masters to private practice or coworking spaces. Despite this, demand for beauty services has not vanished, with Russians spending 179.6 billion rubles on such services in January-June 2026, a 16% increase year-on-year.
    6 sourcesSee all sources
  8. BusinessNorth AmericaBudgetTax

    Latvian Parliament Approves 80 Million Euro Aid for airBaltic

    The Latvian Parliament (Saeima) has authorized the government to inject up to 80 million euros into the national airline airBaltic for financial stabilization. This includes converting 50 million euros in bonds and debt into shares, and purchasing additional bonds worth 30 million euros. The law also extends a 30 million euro bridge loan until December 31. airBaltic plans to reduce its fleet and apply cost-saving measures to secure long-term competitiveness.
    7 sourcesSee all sources
  9. PoliticsRegulatorsCorruptionMiddle EastBudget

    Malaysia: Minister Demands Explanation Over Mass SIM Card Registrations

    Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has summoned CEOs of telecommunications companies to explain allegations of mass registrations of SIM cards under single identities. The ministry suspects these numbers could be misused for online fraud. The issue was raised at the launch of the 2026 National Anti-Scam Awareness Campaign. The minister has not named any specific companies or revealed the exact number of registered SIM cards.
    8 sourcesSee all sources
  10. WorldMiddle EastBudgetLogistics

    Mortgage Payments Decrease in Moscow, Nationwide

    The share of mortgage payments in the income of Moscow residents has decreased from 80% to 67% over the year. In June 2026, the average monthly mortgage payment for an apartment in a Moscow new building was 262,500 rubles. Nationwide, the average mortgage payment decreased by 15.9% to 136,200 rubles, and its share of the average income of residents decreased by 16 percentage points to 62%. This was facilitated by a decrease in interest rates on housing loans. However, housing has not become more affordable as the cost of housing continues to significantly outpace wage growth.
    10 sourcesSee all sources