Drought & Water Risk: Extreme heat and low river levels are hitting the region’s fish industry hard, with Hungary reporting near-total drought coverage and fears of mass fish deaths as ecosystems and businesses across the Danube basin take multi-million-euro losses. OFAC Sanctions Watch: The US Treasury’s OFAC extended operating licenses tied to Serbian oil group NIS, while also extending a license for Hungary’s MOL in talks over a potential sale of Gazprom Neft’s stake—keeping a complex transaction on track. Budapest Markets: The Budapest Stock Exchange’s BUX ended the week up 1.35% to 150,666 points, with trading volume nearly doubling and rate-cut expectations in focus after the National Bank cut the base rate to 5.50%. EU Rule-of-Law Deadline: Hungary faces an EU deadline to prove progress on anti-corruption and rule-of-law “milestones,” with asset recovery and governance reforms under close scrutiny. Energy & City Services: Budapest is winding down summer energy and water restrictions from 1 September as normal municipal operations return. Housing & Investment Lens: A Cordia comparison suggests Bucharest still looks cheaper for new homes than Budapest, but investor math is getting less straightforward as pricing and finishing norms diverge. Air Travel Growth: Wizz Air is expanding with eight new destinations/airports in the August 2026–July 2027 period, underscoring continued growth strategy from Hungary’s home market.