Starmer calls for ‘moment to unite’ as Nato agrees defence pledge Politics Keir Starmer said the latest Nato summit represented a “moment to unite” as 32 member countries committed to ramp up spending on defence to 3.5 per cent by 2035, with a further 1.5 per cent allocated towards security and infrastructure. The Prime Minister said investment will go towards cyber security and protecting key infrastructure while [...]
Eurostar to launch direct services from London to Frankfurt and Geneva Transport and infrastructure Eurostar has announced plans to launch direct services from London to Germany and Switzerland for the first time. The cross-channel operator is looking to purchase 50 new trains at a cost of £1.7bn to service the routes, which are expected to run from the “early 2030s”. Journey times are expected to last around five hours [...]
UK finance salaries drop as workers ‘actively develop’ tech skills Economics UK finance salaries dropped by three per cent in 2025, new data has found, prompting more workers to look for new jobs and develop more tech skills to prop up their pay. Average pay in one of the UK’s richest sectors is now around £102,300, lower than the USA but still higher than Germany and [...]
Stock markets slide on Trump social media missives May 23, 2025 Stock markets across the western world felt the “chill winds” of Donald Trump’s latest trade salvos on Friday after the US President vowed to levy tariffs on imports from Europe and all Apple products made outside the US. America’s S&P 500 index opened down 1.62 per cent as traders pared back bets on US stocks [...]
Tui shares slump as losses widen after quitting London May 14, 2025 Shares in Tui have slumped as losses widened despite a bumper performance from its cruise segment. Underlying operating losses increased by €18m to €207m (£174.3m) even as second quarter revenue rose from nigh-on breakeven to €3.7bn. Shares were trading down around the 11 per cent mark in early deals on Wednesday. The travel operator did [...]
Is freedom under threat in Germany? May 7, 2025 Germany’s intelligence service’s labelling of the AfD as a “right-wing extremist group” in a classified report that’s had little scrutiny is deeply troubling, says Rainer Zitelmann Elon Musk and US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio have both voiced concerns about threats to freedom in Germany over the last few months, most recently in response to the [...]
European bond rout worsens ahead of pivotal defence summit March 6, 2025 European bond yields continued to climb on Thursday as traders weighed expectations of higher borrowing from major European economies, which is expected to boost defence spending. German bonds suffered their worst day since the immediate aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Wednesday, after soon-to-be Chancellor Friedrich Merz laid out a bumper package [...]
German elections: Merz signals need for ‘independence’ from US February 24, 2025 Friedrich Merz, who is set to become the new German chancellor, has vowed to prioritise European unity and “independence” from the US. The snap German election, which saw the Conservative CDU/CSU alliance win with 28.6 per cent of the vote, came as Europe grapples with US President Donald Trump and Russia’s war on Ukraine. Merz, [...]
A seismic election won’t deliver the change Germany needs February 24, 2025 Friedrich Merz has emerged victorious in a general election which saw dramatic changes in German politics – but given that his party is responsible for many of the country’s problems, a radical about turn looks unlikely, says Rainer Zitelmann Friedrich Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) emerged victorious in Germany’s general election, securing 28.6 per [...]
Debt brake the central focus for investors ahead of German election February 21, 2025 The German elections will take place this weekend amid a dire economic backdrop in Europe's largest economy.