Business

The ECB sees rising trade frictions and regulatory barriers as risks to eurozone growth, with US trade policy uncertainty and global demand slowing. While inflation is easing, policymakers remain cautious, with no pre-commitment to rate cuts. ADVERTISEMENT The European Central Bank (ECB) has warned that rising trade frictions and regulatory hurdles could weigh on euro area growth, just as uncertainty …

The German bank is seeking to bolster its financial strength as Italy’s UniCredit vies for a takeover. ADVERTISEMENT Commerzbank announced on Thursday it would cut 3,900 full-time positions by 2028 in a bid to boost its financial stability. The bank nonetheless added that hiring will take place in other “selected areas”, meaning the global number of full-time employees will remain …

Honda and Nissan announced in December they were planning on holding talks to set up a joint holding company while Mitsubishi said later it was considering joining the group. ADVERTISEMENT Japanese car makers Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi have revealed they are dropping plans to merge. The car makers revealed the news in a joint statement following Honda and Nissan’s announcement …

Tesla’s stock retreated sharply, erasing most of the gains from the Trump-led surge. BYD’s partnership with DeepSeek to develop its autonomous vehicle poses the biggest threat to Tesla’s competitiveness. ADVERTISEMENT Telsa’s stock is down 17% this year and slumped 33% from its all-time high in December last year, making it the biggest loser among the US tech giants, or so-called …

Pensions in the EU amount to some three-fifths of late-career work income. In many European countries, this rate falls below 50%, making it increasingly challenging for pensioners to maintain a decent standard of living. ADVERTISEMENT In many European countries, pension income is significantly lower than pre-retirement earnings from work. This makes it difficult for many older people to maintain their …

US inflation rose more than expected in January, shaking markets and pushing Fed rate cut expectations to December 2025. The euro fell, US Treasury yields jumped, and European stocks erased gains. Analysts warn inflation remains sticky, sparking policy uncertainty. ADVERTISEMENT A higher-than-expected January inflation reading in the United States rattled financial markets on Wednesday, prompting investors to reassess their expectations …

The Dutch brewer will buy back €1.5 billion of its shares over the next two years after recording better-than-expected revenue growth. Heineken nonetheless warned of “ongoing macro-economic challenges”. ADVERTISEMENT Heineken shares rose by more than 12% on Wednesday as the firm announced an organic 5% rise in net revenue for 2024, which came in at €29.96bn. Operating profit, meanwhile, came …

Strong performance in the US as well as Europe contributed to robust worldwide electric vehicle sales in January but China saw softer growth. ADVERTISEMENT Worldwide sales of EVs in January this year hit 1.3 million, representing a jump of 18%, on the same month in 2024, electric vehicle (EV) research house Rho Motion has revealed. Despite the rise, this was …

The Merchant Hotel’s new tipple has been described as a “masterpiece of Irish whiskey” – but is there a market at €1,200 a pop? ADVERTISEMENT A hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has launched a cocktail worth £1,000 (€1,200) which it has described as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”. The new offering, the Midleton Foret de Troncais, is described as “a masterpiece of …

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among the leaders who have hit back at US tariffs. He called them “unjustified” and vowed swift retaliation. ADVERTISEMENT Countries across the world are reacting to President Donald Trump’s announcement that all imports of steel and aluminium to the US will be taxed at a minimum of 25%. Trump on Monday removed the exceptions …