All the day’s economic and financial news, as the CBI reports that UK manufacturing picked up in June * Latest: UK manufacturing orders jump,says CBI * Experts are still cautious, though Earlier: * Brent crude has hit a seven-month low, below $45/barrel * Markets ‘lose faith’ in Opec * Sugar, wheat, cocoa and coffee also falling 3.16pm BST THIRTY-ODD YEARS AGO, DAVID BRABEN WAS PUSHING BACK THE BOUNDARIES OF COMPUTER GAMING WHEN HE AND FELLOW CAMBRIDGE STUDENT IAN BELL CREATED ELITE. Today, he should be celebrating as Frontier Developments, the computer game developer he founded, posted sparkling financial results. Our ambition now is to build on this success, continue to invest in our franchises and scale up to create a self-publishing multi-franchise success story. Our third franchise, which is based on an enduring Hollywood movie IP of global renown, is scheduled for release in calendar 2018, and we will provide more details about this exciting project later this year.” 2.56pm BST FRESH PROTESTS AGAINST GREECE’S AUSTERITY PROGRAMME ARE TAKING PLACE TODAY, AS REFUSE COLLECTORS DOWN TOOLS AND DEMONSTRATE. Associated Press has the details: Thousands of striking Greek municipal workers marched through Athens on Thursday to press for better employment status, in the latest of a series of protests that have hindered trash collection in major cities. Authorities said that about 5,000 people took part in the demonstration. Protesters briefly scuffled with police, who used tear gas to prevent them from pushing into the parliament complex. No arrests were reported, while two protesters suffered respiratory problems from the tear gas. Earlier, some demonstrators had dumped trash outside the interior ministry building. Union officials want the left-led government to grant full-time, permanent state jobs to municipal workers employed on short-term contracts that have expired or are about to expire. Continue reading...