UN warns "supersized" El Niño phenomenon could deal major blow to global economy
The United Nations has warned that this year's El Niño weather phenomenon is unusually intense and could significantly impact the global economy, while UK cider producers are already feeling the effects of drought.
The United Nations has issued a warning that the El Niño weather phenomenon is currently manifesting in a "supersized", or unusually intense, form that could deal a serious blow to the global economy. The organisation notes that the effects of the phenomenon could be felt across multiple regions and economic sectors, adding further pressure to an already fragile global economy.
A concrete example of this impact is already visible in the United Kingdom, where drought conditions have affected cider producers. Industry representatives say a lack of rainfall has hurt apple harvests, the main raw material used in cider production, creating additional challenges for producers.
Major deals continue in the tech sector
Despite uncertainty in the wider global economy, significant investment activity continues in the technology sector. Chipmaker Nvidia has announced it is acquiring artificial intelligence company Hugging Face for $12.9 billion. The deal signals that investment in artificial intelligence is continuing regardless of broader challenges facing the global economy.
Both stories — on the El Niño impact and the Nvidia deal — were covered on 3 September 2026 by France 24's business programme, presented by Daniel Quinlan.
