Fiscal reversal: Italy can access cheaper loans than France
For the first time in two decades, Italy was now able to secure cheaper loans than France.
Finance
Latest reporting and analysis on finance.
Almost three million Germans are unemployed as economic slump drags on
As Germany’s economic malaise persists, the number of unemployed people has climbed by 7 per cent in June compared to a year before.
Tougher Belgian pensions rules backfire, as more people retire younger
Belgium’s effort to push people into working longer looks to be backfiring — at least in the short run.
Defeated Simion may be back if new coalition fails to grasp gargantuan deficit
The Brussels elite breathed a sigh of relief last month when Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan defeated conservative populist George Simion to become Romania’s new…
Family of late German industrialist must pay record €4 billion inheritance tax
The heirs of German business magnate Heinz Hermann Thiele have paid a record amount of almost €4 billion in inheritance taxes.
Police raid Société Générale offices in alleged tax fraud probe
Société Générale, the major French multinational banking and financial services company, has been raided by police as part of a high-profile alleged tax fraud…
Wealth consultancy points to exodus of millionaires from Western Europe
High-net-worth individuals have been turning their backs on Western Europe in favour of more attractive destinations.
German national debt to rocket with borrowing to double in 2025
German national debt looks set to climb to record heights this year, according to the country's latest budget.
Dollar shows no sign of being replaced, despite Middle East strikes
The US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites confirmed what markets had already priced in: Even amid war, volatility, and mounting distrust in Washington, the dollar…
Spooked by Middle East war, investors quietly return to Europe
Amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East, an unexpected trend has emerged: Investors are quietly moving their money back into European markets.
Majority of Swiss still support neutrality despite global tension
Almost nine out of 10 Swiss citizens say they supported their country's neutral stance.
Outdated rent grid renders 50% of Brussels rentals ‘legally abusive’
Half of all new rental contracts signed in Brussels were now officially considered "legally abusive" because the city’s rent control tool was based on years-old…
Ireland’s economic data ‘distort eurozone outlook as growth cracks emerge’
Ireland’s industrial production fell by 13.7 per cent in April, reversing a sharp 14 per cent surge in March.
Investor mood jumps in Germany, hinting at end to stagnation
A sharp rise in investor confidence has fuelled hopes that Germany’s long-running economic stagnation could be nearing an end — a potential shift that would…
DPG media, after cheap EU loan, gives €35 million to shareholders
Epifin, the holding company which controls DPG Media, has decided to distribute a €35 million dividend.
Ireland marks highest employment rise in sluggish EU labour market
Ireland has left the rest of Europe in the dust when it comes to job creation.
‘It’s the solar power’: Spanish TV exposes technicians’ internal conversations prior to blackout
Spain's Telecinco TV channel has accessed the internal exchanges of Red Eléctrica technicians which are under analysis by an investigative committee.
France rejects tax hike for ultra-rich; art forger sentenced for duping wealthy
France's Senate rejected a draft law to make the ultra-rich pay at least a 2 per cent tax on their fortunes, as the government sought to cut an alarming deficit.
EU swaps UAE for Monaco on list of financial high-risk countries
The European Commission swapped the United Arabic Emirates (UAE) for Monaco, in its recently updated list of third countries with "strategic deficiencies" in their…
ECB signs co-operation pact with China, pushing for policy reforms
The European Central Bank (ECB) signed a non-binding co-operation agreement with the People’s Bank of China and ECB President Christine Lagarde used the occasion…
Belgian finance agency warns debt to reach 120% of GDP
Belgium’s public finances have veered further off track, with official projections now pointing to a national debt load of 120 per cent of GDP by 2030 – a level…
EC wants to educate senior citizens in finance
The European Commission said it wanted to boost financial literacy among older Europeans — and saw pensions as the way to approach the issue.
OECD surprises with predicted return of Germany as Europe’s growth motor
In its new economic outlook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international NGO comprising 38 primarily Western countries, has…
European retirement ages are forced up after decades of political incompetence
On May 22, Denmark’s parliament passed a law raising the retirement age from its current 67 to 70.
AI could block fraud before it happens under EU plan, report says
European banks could soon use AI not just to catch fraud — but to stop it before their clients even hit “send”.
Amazon price rules anti-competitive: German regulator
Amazon's pricing rules are an abuse of its market power, Germany's competition watchdog said June 2, paving the way for possible demands for changes to its business…
Euro continues decline in share of global payments despite Trump tariff chaos
The US dollar is now used in nearly 50 per cent of global payments, the highest level in over 12 years, according to newly released data.
Czech Justice ministry under investigation for auctioning bitcoin gift from convicted drug dealer
The Czech Ministry of Justice is under investigation for accepting and auctioning a gift of over 480 Bitcoins from a convicted drug trafficker.
Dutch offshore wind boom could trigger huge household bill increases
Dutch consumers could pay three times as much for electricity after an ambitious offshore energy expansion, barring a massive change to the current financing model.
‘Green investing rules could be legally exploited to weaken EU firms,’ report warns
Hostile foreign powers no longer need hackers or armies to target the European Union — they can now do it with investment portfolios, shareholder votes and sustainability…