UK Industry: The Confederation of British Metalforming says the Budget offers no meaningful help with crippling energy costs, leaving manufacturers facing high bills and rising employment costs. Automotive Pressure: Volkswagen posted a €5.8bn third-quarter loss as sales in China plunged nearly 40%; meanwhile, Chinese carmaker Great Wall plans to build up to 50,000 vehicles a year at a Bulgarian plant from early 2027. UK car manufacturing, by contrast, had its strongest September in three years. European Production: Infineon’s planned 300mm gallium-nitride factory in Austria has secured EU funding, while Meala has tripled its European pea-protein manufacturing capacity. Factory Energy: Refresco is rolling out 21.5MW of rooftop solar across four UK sites, including an 8.5MW installation at Bridgwater expected to supply about 17% of the facility’s annual electricity needs.