Economic news on companies, work, consumer issues, markets and developments in Germany and Europe.
The pharmaceutical industry is pushing back against planned cuts in the health reform and is slashing investments in Germany. Politicians are outraged by the lobby's tactics, according to Spiegel.
US employers added 172,000 jobs in May, far exceeding economists' expectations, while the unemployment rate held steady, MarketWatch reports.
Nvidia is launching a new processor series for Windows laptops called Spark, designed to accelerate AI applications and games directly on the device without relying on a cloud connection, the company announced.
Average UK house prices unexpectedly fell by 0.1% in May to £298,806, marking the third consecutive monthly decline. Rising mortgage rates fueled by the war in Iran are the cause, according to Halifax.
The DAX opened slightly lower on Thursday. Investors are focused on the US labor market report, which is crucial for the Federal Reserve's monetary policy.
External auditors have found indications of irregularities at the defense company KNDS. The company announced personnel consequences.
Chinese construction machinery and equipment manufacturer Sany has delivered the first units of its electric long-haul truck in Germany, according to the company.
Starting July 1, orders from non-EU retailers will become more expensive. The European Union aims to curb cheap imports and limit the flood of parcels from China with new charges, according to t3n.
The DAX rose slightly on Wednesday. According to Handelsblatt, figures from the US are dampening hopes for further gains in chip stocks.
British business secretary Peter Kyle will travel to Brussels on Friday to negotiate with EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič over planned cuts to tariff-free steel imports. The EU intends to reduce tariff-free imports from non-EU countries by 47% compared to 2024 levels from July, a move the UK steel industry calls 'devastating'.
Germany's leading stock index, the DAX, dropped below the 25,000-point mark on Wednesday, driven by escalating tensions in the Iran war and new US tariff threats.
The European Commission has removed Greece from its list of countries with macroeconomic imbalances. Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the decision, as reported by Deutschlandfunk.
The Union has rejected a reform of the joint tax assessment for married couples (Ehegattensplitting). A concept for redesigning the tax advantage, presented by economists, is well received at the Finance Ministry, as the FAZ reports, but implementation is considered unlikely.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has lowered its growth forecast for the global economy, citing the impact of the Iran war.
Germany's weak economy is taking a heavy toll on the budget of the Federal Employment Agency (BA). According to Tagesspiegel, the agency is heading for a deficit in the billions.
The DAX opened the trading week lower on Monday and fell below the psychologically important 25,000-point mark. According to Handelsblatt, oil prices are rising due to growing uncertainty surrounding the Iran war.
Australia's economy slowed sharply in early 2026, with real GDP growing just 0.3 percent in the first quarter, down from 0.9 percent in late 2025. Living standards are declining again, according to the Guardian.
US Donald Trump has issued a new decree on artificial intelligence, as reported by Heise. Meanwhile, Microsoft presented a quantum chip and the Surface with Spark at its Build conference.
The European Union is working on a reform of air passenger rights, but has yet to find a compromise. According to the FAZ, an agreement on compensation for delays is not in sight.
German homeowners' interest in solar panels had recently declined, but the Iran war and Minister Reiche are giving photovoltaics a special boom, as Tagesspiegel reports.
Germany's leading index DAX was trading higher on Wednesday. Contradictory statements about the Iran war have left markets unfazed so far, according to Handelsblatt.
Inflation in the eurozone rose to 3.2 percent in May, driven by higher oil prices due to the Iran war, according to Tagesschau.
Contradictory statements on the Iran negotiations are causing uncertainty in the markets, according to Handelsblatt. Meanwhile, analysts expect a rise in inflation in the eurozone.
Anthropic, the company behind the chatbot Claude, has filed for an initial public offering. The US firm was recently valued at $965 billion, according to Spiegel.
The German government has presented its health reform. According to Spiegel, the plans affect insured individuals very differently.
US stock markets extended their rally, with all three major indices hitting new record highs. Dell shares surged 28 percent, according to Handelsblatt.
Germany's inflation rate dropped to 2.6 percent in May, down from 2.9 percent in April. According to Deutschlandfunk, experts attribute the decline mainly to the fuel discount.
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey sees no reason for a rapid interest rate hike. According to the Guardian, the key interest rate will remain at 3.75 percent for now, as the consequences of the Iran war remain unclear and the British economy is growing weakly.
Germany's inflation rate dropped to 2.6 percent in May, surprising economists who had expected it to remain unchanged. The Federal Statistical Office attributes the decline partly to the fuel discount, but warns the effect is temporary.
Government advisors recommend drastic cuts to long-term care insurance. A CDU politician has described the system as an 'inheritance protection program', according to Spiegel.
The renewed escalation in the Middle East caused stock markets to fall on Monday morning. According to Tagesschau, oil prices rose sharply in response to the latest developments in the Iran war.
The US military has attacked targets in Iran despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations. According to Tagesschau, the strikes dampened hopes for a peace agreement and drove up oil prices.
Ride-hailing giant Uber is reportedly planning to acquire Delivery Hero, sending the Berlin-based company's stock higher.
The US and Iran are moving closer to a peace agreement, according to Handelsblatt. While it remains unclear how far the path to a solution is, investors on Monday are increasingly pricing in an end to the war, driving the DAX toward a record high and sending the oil price sharply lower.
Hungary's new Prime Minister Péter Magyar is keeping the special tax on foreign retailers, the Handelsblatt reports. The EU Commission sees a violation of EU law and has filed a lawsuit.
A government coalition expert group considers Germany's kerosene supply stable despite the economic impact of the Iran war, Deutschlandfunk reports.
The official exchange rate of the US dollar in Ukraine fell to 44.23 hryvnias on May 23, 2026, while the euro dropped to 51.30 hryvnias. The downward trend continues at exchange offices and banks, according to data from Minfin and Finance.ua reported by 24tv.
Kevin Warsh was sworn in as the new chair of the US Federal Reserve on Friday. The 56-year-old takes office amid growing political tensions over the central bank's independence.
The German government wants to reduce spending on parental allowance by around 350 million euros in 2027 and 395 million euros in 2028, as reported by the FAZ. The reason is rising costs for defense, debt service, and pensions, which are shrinking other fiscal leeway.
The Bundestag approved the construction of a high-speed rail link between Dresden and Prague on Thursday evening. The project is expected to cut travel time from Berlin to Vienna to five hours, reports FAZ.