Author: Euronews

Following months of sky-high inflation, Turkey’s January Business Confidence report points towards a slowly improving situation. ADVERTISEMENTThe Turkish Business Confidence numbers for January 2024 were released on Thursday morning, clocking in at 100.9 this month, above the one-year low of 99.1 seen in December. This was mainly due to finished goods stocks rising from 95.2 in the previous month, to 95.3 in January. Total orders also inched up to 85.1 from 83.8.To note, a score above 100 indicates an optimistic outlook to the economic activities while below 100 points to a pessimistic outlook. Furthermore, production expectations for the next three…

The policy is part of new legislation from Irish politicians to ensure the public has access to cash so that no shopper is “left behind”. ADVERTISEMENTBusinesses in the Republic of Ireland are soon to be required to accept cash following new rules approved by the government earlier this week (on 23 January). The surprise decision comes at a time when most other developed economies, including the Nordic countries, the UK and New Zealand, are moving further away from cash.These rules, to come into effect later this year, will ensure that shoppers are not “left behind” and a more financially inclusive…

As expected, the European Central Bank kept rates unchanged at its January meeting, despite increasing calls for monetary loosening. ADVERTISEMENTThe European Central Bank (ECB) has announced it is to keep its key interest rates steady, The decision taken at its January policy meeting was widely expected. The main refinancing rate will stay at 4.50%, with the rates for the marginal lending facility and deposit facility holding at 4.75% and 4.00% respectively. The decision underlines the ECB’s cautious approach amid economic uncertainties.Stability was also echoed in the ECB’s asset strategies, as there were no adjustments to the Asset Purchase Programme (APP)…

Some widely-spread videos on social media claim to show the Eiffel Tower ravaged by flames. The Cube took a closer look. ADVERTISEMENTImages have been circulating on social media supposedly showing Paris’s most recognisable landmark on fire.They’ve been viewed millions of times and have received thousands of comments and likes – but there’s more to them than meets the eye.One particularly prominent video that’s been doing the rounds, first on TikTok and later on X, apparently shows the Eiffel Tower burning against the Parisian sky, with emergency service sirens blaring in the background.As well as having almost 7 million views at…

This hike is the latest move to control soaring inflation, which has left several households unable to afford basic necessities. ADVERTISEMENTTurkey’s central bank has raised its key interest rate by another 2.5 % today (Thursday 25 January), pressing ahead with a series of hikes aimed at combating inflation that reached nearly 65% in December.The bank brought its benchmark rate to 45%. This marks the eighth interest rate hike since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan abandoned his unconventional economic policies that economists say helped trigger a currency crisis and drove up the cost of living. Many households were left struggling to afford…

By Guillaume Lafortune, Phoebe Koundouri, Angelo Riccaboni, Peter Schmidt, Maurizio Reale The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews. The new European Parliament, the next European Commission, and the European Council will have a long path ahead to prepare for the next decades of global sustainable development. Jointly reaffirming the EU’s commitment to the SDGs is a clear way forward, UN and EESC experts write. ADVERTISEMENTThis June, EU citizens will not only elect the new European Parliament and chart the way to the formation of the…

The world’s biggest economy grew significantly faster than expected at the end of 2023, making a recession look increasingly unlikely. ADVERTISEMENTThe US has seen a surprise boost for its economy with the news that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annual pace of around 3.3% from October to December. The figure, which looks at the output of goods and services in the US, was significantly higher than predictions of 2% although it is down from the 4.9% result recorded in July to September.GDP for the full year came in at 2.5%, an increase on the 1.9% seen in…

Valérie Hayer will lead the European Parliament’s faction of liberals and centrists – the Renew Europe group – after receiving the backing of its 101 lawmakers on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENTHayer, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, becomes the youngest person to lead the liberal group in the European Parliament at 37.The position was left vacant earlier this month after Stéphane Séjourné was named Minister of Foreign Affairs in Emmanuel Macron’s government. Hayer was the only candidate for the role and was elected by acclamation. Malik Azmani, a Dutch MEP and the Renew whip, was widely rumoured to…

Entertainment stocks, such as Paramount Global, had a weak performance in 2023 – although this year could prove different as streaming and gaming sectors continue to evolve. ADVERTISEMENTEntertainment stocks were quite resilient in 2023 with several streaming companies doing well. However, Hollywood and big-cap entertainment companies were dealt a few setbacks due to strikes by the Writers Guild of America, as well as the Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).This year though, the tide seems to be turning for the better, with streaming and gaming services expected to recover, boosted by more advertisement support, as…

Agri-food actors have been summoned to Brussels by the European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to help forge a new long-term vision for agriculture amid mounting protests from farmers across the continent. ADVERTISEMENTThe strategic dialogue for the future of agriculture was announced in von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union address to cope with increasing polarisation in the agriculture and food policy debate.The initiative comes at a moment of stalemate in the implementation of the EU’s flagship food policy Farm to Fork and while struggling farmers are taking to the streets throughout Europe claiming to be neglected by…