Author: Euronews

Euronews Business provides a roundup of what to look out for in the markets this week. ADVERTISEMENTDespite a mixed close in weekly performance, major global stock markets all concluded February on a positive note, buoyed by the tech rally and increasing rate cut expectations from central banks. Reflecting Wall Street’s bullish momentum, the European markets exhibited significant strength, with the Euro Stoxx 50 reaching an all-time high. March is poised to be a critical month for global market sentiment following the record-breaking performance, as investors eagerly await any hints regarding the rate path from central banks.This week, market participants will be closely…

The Party of European Socialists (PES) has elected Nicolas Schmit as its lead candidate for the EU elections amid worries of a far-right surge. ADVERTISEMENTSchmit, the current European Commissioner for jobs and social rights, received the mandate by acclamation on Saturday afternoon at the end of the party’s congress in Rome. The 70-year-old politician from Luxembourg led the internal race uncontested, as he was the only name put forward.”We will not allow that Europe will take the path of austerity and social repression as it did during the financial crisis. This is the main argument, this why we want to win…

Robo-advising can be a cheap, low-effort option for non-professional investors, but a lack of human input also has its drawbacks. ADVERTISEMENTThe robo-advising industry is expected to handle $5 trillion (€4.6 trillion) worldwide by 2027, as the technology has experienced a period of “explosive growth” since 2008: a year widely cited as the birth of automated financial advisory services, also known as robo-advisors.Before then, professional software did exist, but the late 2000s saw the founding of the world’s first publicly-available robo-advisor site, known as Betterment.According to Investopedia, the robo-advising industry has managed client assets worth as much as $3 trillion by the end of…

Falling inflation figures from the Eurozone and its biggest economies will come as a relief to the ECB, which makes its next interest rate decision next week. ADVERTISEMENTInflation in the Euro area slowed to 2.6% in February year-on-year, down from 2.8% the month before but not quite as low as the 2.5% analysts had predicted.Eurostat’s preliminary estimate, released on Friday, shows that the consumer prices in the Eurozone are rising at their slowest rate in three months, but they’re still hovering above the European Central Bank’s (ECB) target inflation rate of 2%.Key components and trendsAmong the main components of euro…

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. One bad season in one crop or seed should not yield such stress on European farmers. They are key to our European and global food security. The time to support them is now, Charles Miller writes. ADVERTISEMENTEurope’s farmers are grappling with two dual and daunting challenges: the pressure to deliver more sustainable and high-yielding seasons of crops, and a dwindling supply of healthy seeds with which to accomplish it.Nowhere is this more obvious than for Europe’s potato…

The Spanish retail giant is reportedly preparing to reopen more than half of its shops in the country, which is still under attack by Russia. ADVERTISEMENTFollowing nearly two years of closure, retail giant Zara is ready to reopen many of its stores in Ukraine, according to the Financial Times. The Spanish brand closed its 84 stores in Ukraine as well as its operations in Russia after the latter launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour on 24 February 2022. The war has claimed more than 30,000 lives since.Zara’s owner Inditex told the FT that it will begin by gradually reopening its stores in Ukraine,…

The longest-serving major central bank governor will step down after a 12-year stint with the SNB. ADVERTISEMENTThomas Jordan will hand over his title as chairman of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) in September, the institution announced on Friday.The 61-year-old, known for his unorthodox monetary policy, had been due to finish his term in 2027.The resignation is a momentous moment for the country’s financial industry given Jordan’s high-profile status.After joining the SNB in 1997, Jordan took up the role of chair in 2012, and has since steered the bank through a number of pivotal moments.He notably managed the tail end of…

Italy records marginally positive GDP results yet its deficit for 2023 drastically overshoots expectations. ADVERTISEMENTItaly’s economy grew by 0.9% last year, exceeding a 0.7% forecast, the national statistics agency ISTAT confirmed on Friday.This modest victory was nonetheless tempered by a disappointing deficit figure for 2023, which came in at 7.2% of gross domestic product (GDP).The government had pencilled in a deficit of 5.3% for last year, although it was recorded at 8.6% in 2022.In response to the figures, Italy’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, placed some of the blame on the “irresponsible” superbonus scheme, a policy that helps…

Companies with some of the most ambitious climate policies are among the worst offenders, finds a new report. ADVERTISEMENTIncreasing fossil fuel production is highly rewarded at most of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, despite their ambitious climate targets, according to a report from the financial think tank, Carbon Tracker.The study entitled, ‘Crude Intentions II’, analyses the 2022 policy of incentives at 25 of the largest publicly-listed companies by production volume based outside Russia.It found that only one of these companies – Occidental Petroleum – doesn’t promise extra pay for such growth.The worst offendersDespite a growing number of companies rewarding executives for preparing for…

Europe’s foremost media to deploy full force, teams in national capitals, innovative formats on watershed European Parliament elections ADVERTISEMENTAs Europe counts down to an era-defining election, Europe’s foremost newsroom is set to deploy the full force of its dedicated TV and web journalists recentred in Brussels and spread across national capitals to deliver a high-octane multi-media experience.Our ambitious coverage will reflect the high stakes as more than 400 million Europeans head to the polls amid global conflict and economic turbulence, providing a unique lens through which the continent’s multi-lingual electorate debates with the bloc’s political pacesetters, thought leaders and industrialists on hot-button…