Western Europe

As the Mediterranean island nation's economy has stabilized, so too have its banks.

The failure of UN negotiations aside, 2017 was a positive year of consolidation and growth for the Cypriot economy.

Despite Brexit, London has managed to hang onto its status as Europe’s leading fintech hub, but Amsterdam is sneaking up behind. 

According to a Cambridge Econometrics report a “hard Brexit,” in which the country would leave both the EU customs union and the single market, could cost the UK almost half a million jobs and about $64.7 billion in investment by 2030.

With the Nestle acquisition, Ferrero has now become the third-largest confectionary company in the United States.

The UK’s decision to leave the EU and the dwindling strength of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who saw her party diminished in Germany’s recent federal elections, have given Macron a rare chance to bolster French influence.

Overall global FDI declined last year with developed economies seeing a decrease in flows even as developing economies saw an increase.

An intellectual property (IP) rights’ victory in China for the Danish toymaker will also give  comfort to other Western consumer-goods companies struggling with similar issues.

Turbulence in Europe’s airline industry is likely to culminate in a massive shakeout for the sector in 2018. Look for more mergers and global alliances.

Fierce competition among Swiss banks to win the business of the world’s wealthy has led to a raft of management shake-ups.

Cash is increasingly viewed by Nordic banks, businesses, and tax and financial regulators as outdated and inefficient.

In a comparison with the Portuguese soccer star, Portuguese finance minister Mário Centeno has been dubbed “the Cristiano Ronaldo of Ecofin."

The deal sends a strong signal that two of the world’s major exporters still believe in the merits of open markets.

Norway's  new tax plan could double electric-vehicle unit costs, and add as much as $9,975 to the retail price of the Tesla Model X. 

The automaker's electric-car strategy includes plug-in hybrid and conventional hybrid technologies, as well as all-electric options.

Rapidly rising London share prices and the political uncertainty following Donald Trump’s elections have added to the interest.

Gavin Maclean, head of Cash Management & Payments, Lloyd Banking, spoke with Global Finance Editor Andrea Fiano regarding the bank is focusing on innovation and technology as the era for open banking is almost here for European banks..

As the January deadline draws closer, realities of surviving in the post PSD2 are starting to dawn on banks.

Societe Generale 's Global Head for Transaction Banking  Benoit Desserre spoke with Global Finance Editor Andrea Fiano on the sideline of Sibos 2017 regarding the bank's use of blockchain technology to transform transaction banking for its customers.

Lutz-Christian Funke, executive director of KfW, The World’s Safest Bank for several consecutive years, discusses with GFMag editor Andrea Fiano Germany’s political balancing act and economic stability, Europe’s refugee problem, and KfW’s collaborations with other European banks and political agencies.