English | Financial news with a German perspective

The European telecoms industry is moving ahead with a long-awaited market consolidation. But the initial M&A euphoria can often be short-lived.

The new coalition government has established a Ministry for Digitalization and Government Modernisation. Ralph Brinkhaus, head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group on digital affairs, discusses the need for change in Germany.

Frankfurt’s politicians are arguing over the site for a new crack addiction centre in the Bahnhofsviertel. The suffering of those affected plays no role in the discussion.

The new Chairman of the Association Council of the Genoverband, Christoph Ochs, considers the unrest of recent months to be over, with no wrongdoing being found after an external audit.

DZ Bank Chief Economist Michael Holstein does not share the ECB’s concern that medium-term inflation might be too low. And with regard to the trade dispute with the US, he anticipates a tough negotiating stance from Washington.

Auto banks are undergoing a fundamental transformation away from just being sales financiers. They are developing a new identity as strategic mobility players.

Health insurance premiums continue to rise incessantly. Demographic trends are exacerbating the situation. Creative ideas are urgently needed to ease the burden on the system, but politicians are still too reliant on old methods.

After years of strong growth, TV rights deals are flattening out, and clubs are at the same time facing the challenge of rising costs. Deloitte breaks down the figures in its Annual Review of Football Finance.

Artificial intelligence is driving significant efficiency gains in corporate development departments. Interest in tools that simplify or even fully automate coding is growing – and venture capital investors are taking notice.

Remote work offers advantages – for companies and employees alike. But for the industrial base, and society as a whole, it is creating problems.

Eurostar is planning a direct service between London and Frankfurt, with a five hour journey time. But it might not be up and running until the early 2030s.

Investors are turning to safe bonds from Europe. In an interview with Börsen-Zeitung, European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño says that Europe has the edge on the capital markets at the moment, providing a beacon of clarity, stability and confidence for investors.

Sales at DIY and garden centres in Germany fell by 3.5% year-on-year in the first quarter, according to the industry association BHB. Nevertheless, after two years of declining revenues, there is now some cause for optimism.

American tech giants aren’t the only ones delivering impressive returns. According to a Carmignac study, German companies are holding their own – and Kevin Thozet believes they could even outpace their US rivals in the years ahead.

German labour law requirements for social responsibility in restructuring and staff reductions have taken on paralyzing proportions for companies.

Patricia Posch is Chief Sustainability Officer at BayernLB, where she advances the bank’s strategic ESG initiatives.

Although EU requirements for sustainability reporting have not yet been implemented into German national law, Dax companies are already following them, according to an analysis by Forvis Mazars. But companies still need to work on the clarity of the information presented.

At T-Mobile US, the low-hanging fruit has been harvested for Deutsche Telekom. It now needs to tackle bigger challenges, and Srini Gopalan is being positioned to lead the company forward.

Blockchain is making it possible to drive the retail-isation of financial products at significantly lower costs. Georges Bock, founder of Luxembourg based DLT platform Investre, explains what this involves.

Four years after its last strategy review, the ECB is reassessing its monetary policy tools. Good communication with financial markets will play a key role in the process. The bond purchase programme, which has faced strong criticism at times, is also under scrutiny.

Ironically, it is Italian and Greek banks that are pushing ahead in the race to form European sectoral champions. German institutions, by contrast, are shooting themselves in the foot with their deep-rooted resistance to consolidation.

The efforts of the European Commission, as well as those of national governments and the banking sector, to promote financial education are having some success. Surveys show that young people’s interest in financial education and investing is on the rise.

The recent 600 million euro fund raising round from German defence industry start-up Helsing featured almost exclusively international investors. There is still a shortage of venture capital in Europe.

Biontech is acquiring Curevac at just the right time. The Purchase Agreement was unanimously approved by both BioNTech’s and CureVac’s management and supervisory boards.

It will be the third largest European IPO so far this year. The medical technology company Brainlab is proceeding with a listing in Frankfurt. The Munich-based company sees itself as the ‘Google Maps of surgery’.

The two founders of neobroker Justtrade, Ralf Oetting and Michael Bußhaus, discuss their strategy in a conversation with Börsen-Zeitung.

The new ESMA guidelines are bringing order to the world of sustainable fund names. But are the name changes really evidence of previous greenwashing? Anyone who says so is coming up short in the argument, and overlooking the regulatory reality.

Silicon Valley is celebrating J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon like a pop star. That's because the powerful Wall Street leader is fuelling hopes for an unending AI boom – after some recent setbacks.

Fundraising for traditional private equity buyout funds is running at very low levels. But institutional investors are more enthusiastic about opportunities in real estate and infrastructure and secondaries.

Julius Bär is grappling with losses from risky real estate projects. It is now focusing on a return to its core business of asset management.

Manfred Knof is back. The former Commerzbank CEO has been appointed Chairman of crypto specialist Valour, and strategic advisor to Valour's parent company, DeFi Technologies.

Lucrezia Reichlin is a Professor at the London Business School – and an Italian. She is alarmed at the Rome government's interventions in the consolidation of the Italian banking sector.

Allianz Trade's insolvency forecast predicts a further upward trend in the number of cases in Germany. Analysts are concerned about the numerous large-scale insolvencies, which could trigger a domino effect.

All just temporary: One after another, Frankfurt’s cultural institutions are moving to interim locations. Their main buildings are in such a state of disrepair that continuing operations during renovation work is no longer possible.

The EU wants to encourage more savers to become investors – but there is disagreement between the Commission, the Council, and Parliament over which regulations would support that goal – and which might hinder it.

In 2026, the EU is planning a stress test for Non Bank Financial Institutions for the first time. It will assess the resilience and risk profile of the shadow banks, and their potential impact on the stability of the financial system.

Bitstamp has strengthened its position in the EU market with a Luxembourg MiCA licence. Europe's oldest crypto exchange was acquired last year by US neobroker Robinhood.

Former CEO Frank Niehage got another slap in the face with the denial of discharge for 2024 at the FlatexDerigo AGM. And small shareholders' representatives complained about the meagre dividend.

Juan Flames, Head BME and Primary Markets and Market Data at SIX Group , calls on companies to rethink their IPO strategies.

The Raiffeisenbank im Hochtaunus has officially become the fourth current bailout case within the cooperative financial group. The BVR protection scheme is looking at having to cover 1.2 billion euros of losses.

Negotiations on the EU Financial Data Access (FiDA) Regulation should be concluded by year end. But there is still plenty of controversy over the proposals.

Cyber threats never take a break. At the Börsen-Zeitung Retail Banking Day, BDO and ByteLaw explained that true IT security relies not just on technology, but also on strategy, culture, and clear accountability

MUFG is expanding its business with private equity players in the German speaking region. In the Betting Billions podcast Natascha Winberg, Head of Financial Institutions for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, discusses the role of funding products such as capital call facilities and NAV loans.

The ultra wealthy view a global trade war as the greatest current risk to their investments. A new UBS report surveyed 300 single family offices.

Against the background of increased volatility and the threat of a trade war, Metzler Asset Management has a positive view on German government bonds. And gold looks to benefit further as global investors reduce their holdings of US Treasuries.

A significant number of new executives at corporates and banks do not complete their intended contract terms. Consultants from Onboard 360 look at some of the common pitfalls in the hiring process.

A few weeks ago, a group of business consultants founded the German-Ukrainian Private Business Institute in Heidelberg. The initiators want to promote the reconstruction of Ukraine through German companies and investors.

Smaller banks in particular should benefit from simplified rules and less bureaucracy, says Bundesbank board member Michael Theurer. Initiatives for the streamlining of regulations are already underway, or are being explored.

Deutsche Telekom has acquired the media rights to the biggest World Cup package of all time, for next year's tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Telekom expects strong interest in sub-licences, and wants to build on its commercial success with UEFA Euro 2024.

The recent German Savings Banks Day offered plenty of food for thought – except on the topic of Banking Union. On that front, the savings banks remain firmly opposed to change – which they mostly see as something others need to undertake.

Many signs indicate that the EU remains committed to its tariffs strategy, gradually refining its proposals. Even if – or precisely because – the US President is railing so strongly against the EU.

National Association of German Cooperative Banks (BVR) board member Tanja Müller-Ziegler is pushing for European solutions in payment transactions – citing the risks posed by US dominance.

UK asset manager L&G aims to ramp up its investments in European digital infrastructure tenfold to 4 billion euros. Managing Director Matteo Colombo explains the strategy to Börsen-Zeitung.

By 2027 at the latest, Christine Lagarde will step down from the ECB presidency. The markets are already assessing potential successors.

The member states in the EU Council remain deeply divided over future retail investor regulations. The Polish Council Presidency has decided to temporarily pause the negotiations.

Evonik has set itself new medium-term financial targets. The new targets also bear the signature of the two new female members of the Executive Board, Claudine Mollenkopf and Lauren Kjeldsen.

Christian Sewing has succeeded in stabilising Deutsche Bank, but the spark needed to drive significant growth remains elusive. This spark can only come from the securities business.

The major shareholders MFE and PPF are vying for the favour of ProSiebenSat.1's free float, but neither is aiming for a majority shareholding. Their ideas on strategy however differ.

Independent asset managers are grappling with growing consolidation pressure. Between private equity, platforms, and questions of identity, the issue is about more than just size – it’s about the future of an entire profession.

Following the failed talks concluded in April between Salzgitter AG and a consortium of bidders, major shareholders have been putting pressure on the CEO.

The Icon League is bringing some renowned investors on board, and aims to open up more to private equity. Three leagues are currently competing for dominance in Germany’s indoor soccer scene.

Increasing geopolitical upheavals are also a concern for the savings banks. In the event of a crisis or war, a substantial proportion of the workforce could be tied up in civil defence or the military, says Rhineland-Palatinate Savings Banks Association President Thomas Hirsch.

Private markets are opening up more and more to retail investors. But though Union Investment and Deka have broad access to potential customers, so far they have hardly utilised it.

The Germans indulge in a quota obsession, the Americans in a deregulation madness. In the global financial system, however, the latter can cause more damage than the former.

More purchases of gas and soy, a complete waiver of reciprocal tariffs, easier market access for US companies — but no concessions on consumer protection laws. This is how MEP Bernd Lange envisions the EU’s negotiating position in trade talks with the United States.

When two banks reach a preliminary agreement on key terms, it increases the likelihood of success for cross-border mergers. Two decades after its acquisition by Unicredit, HVB has evolved into a highly profitable arm of the Italian banking group.

ESG factors are turning up the pressure on real estate investors. Vincent Bryant (Deepki) and Volker Stix (Catella) discuss data quality, regulation, and stranded asset risks – and what it takes to keep up.

Universal Investment provides services such as setting up and administering management companies (ManCos) for the fund industry. CEO Mathias Heiß discusses its presence in Frankfurt, Luxembourg, and Dublin – and the growing role of AI.

The global minimum tax plan is de facto history. In this interview, tax economist Christoph Spengel explains the consequences for the tax system, and why a complete reorganisation of the tax structure is necessary in Germany.

Deutsche Pfandbriefbank is complaining about US policy under President Trump. And rightly so. But its problems are also self-made.

The last coalition government made some changes to what pension providers are allowed to invest in. CMS lawyer Laura Bungart explains the implications of the new quotas for private markets.

Influencer marketing is booming. Companies are increasingly investing in social media to acquire new customers – and measuring the impact of campaigns more accurately.

Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said at the AGM on 13 May that the automotive supply division, which employs 6,700 people, is no longer a core business. A review is underway which may result in it being divested.

Big companies like BlackRock and J.P. Morgan are telling staff to return to the office full time. Is this the end of work from home? Hardly. But excessive remote work could become a disadvantage for employees in the future.

The latest dividend report from Börsen-Zeitung shows that shareholders of the largest corporations in Switzerland are once again receiving big payouts. But for how much longer? And what about executive salaries?

The battle for control at ProSiebenSat.1 has intensified. Czech investor PPF aims to double its stake in the group to nearly 30%, matching the shareholding of the Berlusconi family's MFE. PPF has launched a partial offer at a higher price than MFE.

Unicredit CEO Andrea Orcel says that the bank will take its time making decisions on takeover attempts in Germany and Italy. He was speaking as the bank announced stronger than expected first quarter figures.

Entrepreneur Harald Christ is calling for economic stability from the new government, and setting out more realistic expectations with regard to the speed at which reforms will take effect. Prior to the election, he was the first to call for the subsequently approved 500 billion euro infrastructure package.

Krones has made a successful start to 2025. In an interview with Börsen-Zeitung, CEO Christoph Klenk and CFO Uta Anders express satisfaction with the first quarter. Despite the headwinds from US tariffs, they are sticking to their full-year guidance.

ECB Works Council Chair Carlos Bowles claims that employees were pressured to adapt study results to suit the agenda of top managers. The central bank strongly denies the allegations.