The town of Nagymányok (SW Hungary) is spending HUF 490 million to convert an old briquette factory into a logistics base and add infrastructure to its industrial park, Mayor Béla Karl told state news wire MTI.

Klára Dobrev, the managing director of Altus Portfólió, has protested against a fine imposed on the asset management firm by the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) in a statement sent to state news agency MTI on Tuesday, accusing the central bank of making a politically motivated decision.   

The national day of Hungary, August 20, is celebrated every year with many events in Budapest. One is the Festival of Folk Arts (Mesterségek Ünnepe), a series of concerts and a craft fair.

Young Hungarians are aware of the necessity to save money for retirement, but do not act accordingly, at least not until the age of 40, a study by pension fund OTP Nyugdíjpénztár shows.

Hungaryʼs net external financing capacity - the combined surpluses of the current and capital accounts - was EUR 1.38 billion in the second quarter of 2018, state news agency MTI calculated, based on monthly preliminary data released by the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) on Tuesday.

Agricultural producer prices overall remained unchanged in June 2018 compared to June 2017, resulting from an increase of 3.5% in the average price of crop products and a decline of 5.6% in prices of livestock and animal products, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) reported on Tuesday.

Hungaryʼs government has discussed a ban on skyscrapers in Budapest to preserve the traditional profile of the capital. However, the ban would not apply to the planned office building of national oil and gas company MOL.

The Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) sold HUF 50 billion of discount three-month T-bills at auction on Tuesday, HUF 10 bln over its original offer of HUF 40 bln.   

Low water levels on the Danube have reduced freight capacity on the stretch of the river that runs through Hungary by two-thirds. High temperatures in August and drought have severely lowered the Danube water level, now at 93 centimeters in Budapest.

Forint liquidity of Hungaryʼs banking sector narrowed in July from a month earlier, which was mainly reflected in a decrease in the average stock of one-day deposits, the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) said in a report based on preliminary data on Monday.   

In June 2018, the volume of industrial output in Hungary grew by 4.2% year-on-year, according to a second estimate of data by the Central Statistical Office (KSH), confirming the headline figure released on August 8. Based on working day-adjusted data, production rose by 3.1%.

Real estate developer and investment company Wing Zrt. announced on Friday the sale of the MOM Park shopping mall and office property building complex in Buda. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed.

First-half net profit of Graphisoft Park, a listed company that owns and operates a business park in the north of the capital, climbed 26% year-on-year to over EUR 2.3 million, according to "pro forma" figures, an earnings report shows.

Lake Balaton continues to lead in terms of the most expensive waterfront holiday homes in Hungary, with an average price per square meter above HUF 270,000 in 2017, a recent study shows.

St. Stephenʼs Day on August 20, the celebration to mark the foundation of Hungary by its first Christian king, is celebrated each year with a spectacular fireworks display in the evening over the Danube in Budapest. This yearʼs edition will cost HUF 222 million, news portal 24.hu has learned.

Technological developments, digitalization and automation will significantly change the commercial real estate market, and players need to start preparing for this, says a study released by Deloitte.

Gross salaries rose on average by HUF 30,000-40,000 in May year-on-year, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) reported, cited by pro-government daily Magyar Idők. The highest raises were in the sector of public administration.

The volume of construction output was 28.2% higher in June 2018 than a year earlier based on raw data. Output increased in both main groups of construction; by 15.2% in the construction of buildings, and by 48.8% in civil engineering works. Based on seasonally and working day-adjusted indices, output rose by 7.2% in June compared to the previous month.

Austriaʼs Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) booked first-half after-tax profit of EUR 26 million at its business in Hungary, down 61% from the first half of 2017 as the release of provisions was lower, an earnings report released Thursday shows.   

Passenger numbers at Debrecen Airport (eastern Hungary) reached a monthly record of more than 45,000 in July, up 22% from the same month of last year. Meanwhile, the city of Debrecen is installing public digital displays offering tourist information.