Browsing: Business

Final data confirmed Germany’s CPI rose 2.1% in January and 0.1% month to month, while the EU harmonised rate also held at 2.1%; food, services up; energy down.

Baker McKenzie said its business services review, including AI use, led to proposed cuts and consultations affecting support staff in London and Belfast centres.

The 6th Sustainable Development Forum in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky runs Feb 17-21, with 40+ events on investment, planning, and tourism infrastructure in Kamchatka.

European Commission charged Meta, over WhatsApp Business API rules for AI assistants and weighed interim measures after Italy’s AGCM suspended the terms for now.

IEA warns grid bottlenecks are slowing power projects, with more than 2,500 GW stuck in connection queues, spanning renewables, storage and data centres in 2026.

The European Central Bank held rates steady at 2 percent, citing resilient eurozone growth, easing inflation, low unemployment and stable domestic demand.

Istat’s provisional CPI showed Italy inflation at 1.0% in January, with services up 2.7% and goods down 0.2%, keeping the services goods gap at 2.5 points yearly.

Bank of England left rates unchanged at 3.75% after December cut, as the MPC split 5 to 4 and data showed UK unemployment at 5.1% and pay up 4.5%. Sep-Nov 2025.

Nationwide said a typical first-time buyer mortgage payment equaled 32% of take-home pay in January, down from a 2023 peak of 38%. Bank Rate 3.75% in 2026, now.

ONS said CPI inflation rose to 3.4% in Dec 2025, with CPIH at 3.6% and services inflation at 4.5%. Bank Rate is 3.75% before Feb. 5. Alcohol and tobacco higher.