In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the German government pledges flood aid, insurers count the costs of extreme weather and opioid suits are close to settlement. In RETAIL & CONSUMER TRENDS, Northern Ireland faces difficulties, Next raises profit forecasts, Wickes benefits from a summer boom, property sales keep rising, Royal Mail continues to benefit from e-commerce and Netflix may have to make acquisitions. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Bridgepoint has a strong debut and Julius Baer puts in a solid performance. In EV NEWS, wBHP does a deal with Tesla for Nickel and a study shows that EVs are now cheaper to run than conventional cars. AND FINALLY, I bring you American Woman vs Ribena...