By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) – Evidence emerging from the first central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) around the world suggests there is no one-size-fits-all model as stability and privacy are designed into systems, the head of the International Mo…
Unilever under pressure to show sustainability focus is good for business
By Richa Naidu and Ross Kerber LONDON/BOSTON (Reuters) – Criticised by a major investor for focusing on sustainability more than financial performance, Unilever CEO Alan Jope will be under pressure at the consumer goods group’s quarterly results on Thu…
ECB may need to raise rates if inflation expectations rise too high: Schnabel
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The European Central Bank may need to raise interest rates if high energy prices risk pushing overall price growth expectations above the bank’s 2% target, ECB board member Isabel Schnabel said on Wednesday. “Raising rates would n…
England’s COVID-19 prevalence edges higher – ONS
LONDON (Reuters) – England’s COVID-19 prevalence was 1 in 19 people in the week ending Feb. 5, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday, slightly higher than the 1 in 20 recorded the previous week. (Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by K…
EU has failed to create gold standard for green finance, Spain says
By Isla Binnie and Kate Abnett MADRID/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European countries and companies could end up defining their own standards on green investments if Brussels fails to impose the “gold standard” and classifies spending on gas and nuclear energy…
COVID cases surpass 400 million as Omicron grips world
By Roshan Abraham and Kavya B (Reuters) – Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 400 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the highly contagious Omicron variant dominates the outbreak, pushing health systems in several countries to the brink …
Top European shippers warn freight costs to stay high
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Two top European shippers warned on Wednesday freight costs were likely to remain high well into this year, offering no relief to customers including the world’s biggest retailers, though they said bott…
Greece’s fledgling tech scene starts to take off
By Karolina Tagaris and Renee Maltezou ATHENS (Reuters) – After years in which Greece was almost as well known for its financial woes as it was for its beaches, recent deals have highlighted a small but thriving startup scene that has grown up since th…
Former Warburg banker gets jail term in German fraud trial
BONN (Reuters) – A former banker was handed a 3-1/2 year jail sentence on Wednesday for his part in Germany’s biggest post-war fraud, a scam that involved scores of banks and investors engineering multi-billion-euro trades to make bogus tax claims. The…
Spain’s leftist government ups minimum monthly wage to 1,167 euros
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain will increase the national minimum wage by 3.6% to 1,167 euros ($1,334) per month, Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz said on Wednesday, marking the fourth such hike since the left-wing coalition government came to power in 2019. The…