Business

French 10-year bond yields are climbing ever higher, showing a mounting concern for the country’s finances. But does the current pricing spell trouble for the country’s future debt servicing? ADVERTISEMENT According to the cost of servicing their debt, Cyprus, Spain and Croatia appear to be less risky investments in the bond market, than Europe’s second-biggest economy France. The Eurozone sovereign …

Cocoa and coffee saw some of the steepest price increases this year, exacerbated by falling supply and escalating global trade tensions. ADVERTISEMENT Coffee and cocoa are expected to be two commodities with some of the largest price hikes this year, after both products experiencing significant worldwide shortages.  Cocoa prices have jumped 167.89% year-to-date, whereas coffee prices have surged 68.42% this …

The cause of Sunday’s crash in which all 175 passengers and four of the six crew aboard the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flight remains under investigation. ADVERTISEMENT The value of Boeing shares took another knock on Monday with a 4% fall at one stage following the crash on Sunday of a Boeing 737-800 in what was the worst air disaster …

Construction cannot keep up with the booming demand in most countries pushing prices up almost everywhere except for China and France. ADVERTISEMENT Global house prices are expected to rise in the next two years, according to Fitch Ratings. “Nominal home prices will grow in the low to mid-single digits for most countries in each of the next two years,” read …

French stock indices like the CAC 40 have suffered this year, dragged down by a slow down in the luxury sector, as well as increasing fears about France’s political stability. ADVERTISEMENT French stocks could potentially be on track to experience their worst yearly performance since the global financial crisis of 2007-2008.  This has mainly been exacerbated by increased investor anxieties …

The Turkish economic confidence figures for this month pointed towards a brightening outlook for the country’s economy, boosted mainly by a growth in confidence among retailers and service providers. ADVERTISEMENT Turkey’s economic confidence index for December 2024 released on Monday morning, inching up to 98.8, from 97.1 in November, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute. This was mainly because of …

Spain’s inflation climbed to 2.8% in December, surpassing the 2.6% forecast, propelled by rising fuel prices and increased leisure costs. Core inflation reached 2.6%, signalling persistent pressures, particularly in services. ADVERTISEMENT Spain closed 2024 with an inflation surprise: consumer prices rose at a higher-than-expected annual rate of 2.8% in December, according to flash estimates from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) …

Europe will continue facing challenges in 2025 amid domestic political uncertainties and global events, such as Trump’s tariffs threats and China’s slowdown. These factors are likely to continue weighing on market performance, particularly in the car manufacturing and banking sectors. ADVERTISEMENT The European stock markets have broadly underperformed their global peers, particularly Wall Street throughout the year. Several factors have …

Efforts to raise pension ages have faced political backlash in Europe, despite economic arguments in their favour. One key question for governments: Why would people choose to work for longer? ADVERTISEMENT Across Europe, raising pension ages is a necessary – yet incendiary – conversation. As life expectancies increase, so does the ratio of pensioners to workers, ultimately resulting in mounting …

While January has not historically been a blockbuster month for European equity indexes, some individual equities offer compelling opportunities for investors paying attention to seasonal trends. ADVERTISEMENT January kicks off the trading year with a mix of anticipation and repositioning in financial markets. While European equity indexes often tread water during this month, a select group of stocks has a …