1. Eurozone Grew More Than Expected In The Second Quarter
2. Mandatory Vaccination Or Testing Is Becoming More Common In The US
3. Amazon Reports Its Third Consecutive $100 Billion Quarter, But Still Falls Short Of Forecasts

Eurozone Grew More Than Expected In The Second Quarter

Because of the loosening of coronavirus limitations across the continent, the eurozone economy grew faster than projected in the second quarter. According to Eurostat data, the Eurozone economy grew by 2 percent in the April-June period as economies reopened. The expectation was 1.5% annual growth.

The regional economy contracted by 0.3 percent in the first quarter of the year. The most significant growth rates were seen in Italy and Spain.

The economy is expected to grow even faster in the next quarters. The European Central Bank expects a 4.6 percent growth in the regional economy by the end of the year.

France grew by 0.9 percent in the second quarter, while Germany rose by 1.5 percent.

Again, according to the data released today, regional inflation climbed to 2.2 percent in July, exceeding the forecasts. The expectation was 2%.

Although this figure is above the ECB target, officials believe that the rise in inflation is temporary.

The unemployment rate in the region fell to 7.7 percent in June. This was recorded as the lowest figure in a year.

The European economy was held back by lagging vaccinations in the first half of the year but has since made solid progress. The emergence of the more contagious delta version, on the other hand, has prompted forecasts that it will slow, but not stop, the economic recovery.

Mandatory Vaccination Or Testing Is Becoming More Common In The US

In a written statement, the Pentagon press office stated that the Department was acting quickly to fulfill President Joe Biden’s commitment to defeating Covid-19.

“According to the President’s guidance, all military and civilian Ministry of Defense personnel will be required to vaccinate,” the statement said. Staff who are unable or unwilling to do so will need to wear masks, observe physical distancing rules, comply with regular testing and be subject to official travel restrictions.”

US President Joe Biden stated that millions of federal employees must be vaccinated or use masks, take weekly tests and maintain social distance against the coronavirus cases that have increased in recent weeks.

At a press conference at the White House, Biden unveiled his new plan of action to vaccinate more Americans and slow the spread of the Delta variant.

Emphasizing that the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths are preventable, Biden said, “Currently, too many people who say ‘I wish I had the vaccine’ are dying or watching the death of a loved one. This is an American tragedy. People who don’t have to die.”

Biden announced that unvaccinated federal employees in the country must complete their vaccinations; otherwise, they will have to have Covid-19 tests every week, wear masks and maintain social distance.

Biden also urged state and local governments to provide $100 from the Coronavirus Relief Package fund to encourage vaccination, noting that small and medium-sized businesses will receive reimbursement if they allow their employees and family members to get vaccinated.

Amazon Reports Its Third Consecutive $100 Billion Quarter, But Still Falls Short Of Forecasts

Although the revenue of American e-commerce giant Amazon reached 113.1 billion dollars in the second quarter of this year, an increase of 27 percent compared to the same period last year, it fell short of market expectations.

Amazon announced its balance sheet for the April-June period.

According to the company’s statement, Amazon’s revenue climbed by 27% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, hitting 113.1 billion dollars. The company’s net sales in the same period of the previous year were recorded as $88.9 billion.

During a telephone interview, Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky blamed the company’s business during the Covid-19 lockdowns on difficult year-over-year comparisons. In mid-May of last year, Amazon saw growth rates jump to between 35% to 45%, he said.

“We’re starting to lap that, and that’s why you see some of the growth rate coming down,” Olsavsky said, adding that Amazon expects to see slower growth continue for the next few quarters.

Despite this increase, the company’s sales were forecast to hit $115.2 billion in the second quarter, falling short of market estimates.

During this time, Amazon’s net profit increased to $7.8 billion. The company’s net profit for the same period the previous year was $5.2 billion.