{"id":66053,"date":"2026-08-06T05:38:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T09:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T05:38:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T09:38:18","slug":"drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/","title":{"rendered":"DRC Imposes Export Ban on Critical Minerals; Eurozone Retail Sales Miss Estimates"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/#DRC_Shakes_Global_Battery_Supply_Chain_with_Export_Ban\" >DRC Shakes Global Battery Supply Chain with Export Ban<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/#Eurozone_Consumer_Spending_Stalls_in_June\" >Eurozone Consumer Spending Stalls in June<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/#China_Targets_Palo_Alto_Networks_in_New_Security_Probe\" >China Targets Palo Alto Networks in New Security Probe<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/#Climate_Pressures_Force_Nuclear_Curtailments_in_France\" >Climate Pressures Force Nuclear Curtailments in France<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/drc-imposes-export-ban-on-critical-minerals-eurozone-retail-sales-miss-estimates\/66053\/#Trump_Signals_2028_Succession_Plan\" >Trump Signals 2028 Succession Plan<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has banned all exports of copper and cobalt concentrates<\/strong> effective immediately, forcing miners to process minerals domestically to capture higher value.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Eurozone retail sales fell 0.3% in June<\/strong>, missing economist estimates of a 0.1% gain and highlighting persistent weakness in European consumer demand.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China has launched a formal security probe into Palo Alto Networks (<a href=\"\/stock\/PANW\">PANW<\/a>)<\/strong>, signaling escalating tech tensions and pressuring the company\u2019s shares in <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/movers\/premarket\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Premarket Movers\">pre-market trading<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>French utility EDF (<a href=\"\/stock\/EDF\">EDF<\/a>) warned of production cuts at its Golfech nuclear site<\/strong> starting August 12 due to high temperatures in the Garonne River, which limit reactor cooling capabilities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Donald Trump has privately endorsed Vice President JD Vance as the 2028 GOP heir<\/strong>, telling donors &quot;we need to elect&quot; him to ensure the continuity of the movement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DRC_Shakes_Global_Battery_Supply_Chain_with_Export_Ban\"><\/span>DRC Shakes Global Battery Supply Chain with Export Ban<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the world\u2019s largest producer of cobalt and a top-tier copper supplier, has issued a <strong>blanket ban on the export of copper and cobalt concentrates<\/strong>. The order, signed by the Ministers of Mines, Foreign Trade, and Economy, aims to mandate domestic refining and prevent the &quot;export of value&quot; to foreign smelters, particularly those in China.<\/p>\n<p>While the ban is effective immediately, the government has introduced a <strong>new tax on mining by-products<\/strong> using a <strong>55% valuation coefficient<\/strong> to further bolster state revenue. Major operators such as Glencore (<a href=\"\/stock\/GLEN\">GLEN<\/a>), CMOC Group, and Zijin Mining are expected to face significant operational shifts, though the Minister of Mines retains the authority to grant <strong>one-year &quot;strategic&quot; waivers<\/strong> on a case-by-year basis.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eurozone_Consumer_Spending_Stalls_in_June\"><\/span>Eurozone Consumer Spending Stalls in June<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Economic data released Thursday revealed a surprise contraction in <strong>Eurozone retail sales, which dropped 0.3% month-on-month in June<\/strong>. This figure fell well short of the <strong>0.1% growth expected by analysts<\/strong>, reversing a revised 0.4% gain in May. On an annual basis, sales grew by only <strong>0.7%<\/strong>, missing the <strong>1.0% forecast<\/strong> and suggesting that high interest rates continue to dampen household spending.<\/p>\n<p>The decline was led by a <strong>0.5% drop in food, drinks, and tobacco sales<\/strong>, while non-food products fell by <strong>0.4%<\/strong>. Germany and Finland recorded some of the sharpest monthly decreases, at <strong>-1.1% and -1.5% respectively<\/strong>, fueling concerns that the bloc\u2019s largest economies are struggling to find a growth floor.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"China_Targets_Palo_Alto_Networks_in_New_Security_Probe\"><\/span>China Targets Palo Alto Networks in New Security Probe<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Beijing has intensified its regulatory scrutiny of U.S. technology by launching a <strong>cybersecurity probe into products sold by Palo Alto Networks (<a href=\"\/stock\/PANW\">PANW<\/a>)<\/strong>. The move follows reports that Chinese authorities have instructed domestic firms to phase out Western cybersecurity software in favor of local alternatives to ensure &quot;national security.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Shares of Palo Alto Networks fell approximately <strong>2.2% in pre-market trading<\/strong> following the announcement. This probe is seen as a retaliatory or protective measure amid ongoing &quot;tech supremacy&quot; competition between the U.S. and China, potentially affecting other firms like Fortinet (<a href=\"\/stock\/FTNT\">FTNT<\/a>) and Check Point Software (<a href=\"\/stock\/CHKP\">CHKP<\/a>).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Climate_Pressures_Force_Nuclear_Curtailments_in_France\"><\/span>Climate Pressures Force Nuclear Curtailments in France<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>French energy giant EDF (<a href=\"\/stock\/EDF\">EDF<\/a>) has notified markets that <strong>production restrictions are likely at its Golfech nuclear plant<\/strong> starting Wednesday, August 12. A persistent heatwave has pushed the temperature of the <strong>Garonne River<\/strong> toward regulatory limits, preventing the plant from discharging cooling water without risking ecological damage.<\/p>\n<p>This marks the latest in a series of heat-related outages for EDF this summer, which have already seen over <strong>5 GW of nuclear capacity<\/strong> sidelined or restricted. With nuclear power providing roughly <strong>70% of France&#39;s electricity<\/strong>, these climate-driven curtailments are contributing to volatility in European power prices, which recently spiked toward <strong>\u20ac200 per megawatt-hour<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Trump_Signals_2028_Succession_Plan\"><\/span>Trump Signals 2028 Succession Plan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the political arena, former President Donald Trump has reportedly begun consolidating support for <strong>Vice President JD Vance<\/strong> as his successor. According to reports from <em>The Washington Post<\/em>, Trump told a group of donors that the party &quot;needs to elect&quot; Vance in 2028 to maintain the current administration&#39;s policy trajectory.<\/p>\n<p>While Trump has also praised Secretary of State <strong>Marco Rubio<\/strong> as part of a &quot;dream team,&quot; his private comments suggest Vance has secured the &quot;heir apparent&quot; status. Recent polling among GOP donors shows Vance leading other potential 2028 contenders with <strong>40% support<\/strong>, significantly ahead of Rubio\u2019s <strong>14%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has banned all exports of copper and cobalt concentrates effective immediately, forcing 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