Total fundraising on the continent in 2022 was the highest ever recorded and 30% over 2021 levels, according to a report released by Invest Europe. Investing in Europe: Private Equity Activity 2022 states that the number of funds raising capital over the year – 801 – was the second-highest number ever recorded and 13% over…
The European Investment Fund (EIF) and UniCredit have signed a deal that looks to channel €1bn to 2,500 small-to-medium enterprises across central and eastern Europe. Announced yesterday, the deal will see the EIF provide two guarantees worth around €370m to UniCredit Group to finance approximately €1bn of investment made by small businesses in Bulgaria, Croatia,…
Bank of America has signalled its intentions for a push into the European funds market by setting up a new branch in Luxembourg. It was reported on Reuters earlier this week the group was hiring Benoit Nevouet to be the new branch’s manager, poaching him from BNP Paribas. Bank of America said in the Reuters…
The EC and the EIB are to supply €18bn of financing under Global Gateway, Europe’s investment strategy for partner countries. A statement from the two organisations, released alongside the Global CITIZEN Now Summit in New York, said the investment would be concentrated on climate action, clean energy and connectivity in the continent’s partner countries around…
Inflation on the continent may be starting to slow after months above 10%, according to the latest figures. Inflation in the European area fell to 7% in April, down from 10.1% in November. Quoting statistics from Eurostat, however, French newspaper Le Monde warned that food prices – the sentiment barometer of most consumers – remain…
UniCredit has released its results for the first three months of 2023, noting its net operating profit in Germany jumped nearly 80% between quarters. The Italian banking giant revealed earlier this week its net operating profit within Europe’s largest economy jumped from €481m in Q4 2022 to €864m in Q1 2023, an increase of 79.8%.…
The number of sustainable fund launches fell sharply in the first three months of 2023, Morningstar data has revealed. According to the firm’s latest quarterly report, there were 113 new sustainable funds launched in the quarter around the world – the lowest number since the start of 2020. Previously, Reuters wrote, new launches had exceeded…
The lawsuits over UBS’s ‘shotgun wedding’ rescue of Credit Suisse are growing in number. US law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has already been instructed by key holders of Credit Suisse’s ‘additional tier one’ (AT1) capital instruments to represent them in discussions with the Swiss authorities and in any possible litigation. Now, however, it…
The national bank of Sweden has said it will raise its policy rate to 3.5%, with further increases expected. In a statement, Sveriges Riksbank said the rise would become effective from 3 May after the executive board gave assent to the increase of 0.5 percentage points. It added the rate would be raised by another…
The European Parliament and EU Member States have reached agreement on the European Chips Act, which seeks to make the market competitive with the US and Asia in the production of microchips. A statement from the European Commission said the continent’s dependence on chips from Taiwan and South-East Asia had been illustrated by the shortage…
Two lawsuits have this week been filed in Luxembourg against the European Union over its decision to include gas and nuclear in its guide to ESG investing. One of the suits has been filed by Greenpeace; the other by a coalition including Client Earth and the World Wildlife Fund. In the former, the argument being…
Savills Investment Management has agreed to buy €100m worth of residential property in Sweden, adding the buildings to its European Living platform. The firm said the deal would comprise six buildings across the cities of Uppsala, Västerås and Gävle, all of which were built in the last four years. It added that five out of…
