Economic news on companies, work, consumer issues, markets and developments in Germany and Europe.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left its key interest rate unchanged at 4.35 percent on Thursday, as expected. The decision follows three consecutive rate hikes in 2026, with economic activity slowing and unemployment hitting a four-year high.
The SpaceX division xAI has definitively failed with a lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged trade secret violations. A US federal district court dismissed the case for the second time, as reported by Heise.
The US strategic petroleum reserve has dropped to its lowest level in four decades due to the war against Iran. The Trump administration tapped the emergency reserves to curb soaring gasoline prices, according to Spiegel.
The German government has agreed with tank manufacturer KNDS on the details of a state entry. The company has thus cleared a major hurdle on its way to the stock exchange.
In July, the EU Commission plans to decide on increasing CO₂ emission costs for industry. According to FAZ, the plan is driving a wedge through the German economy.
In the takeover battle for Commerzbank, Italian banking giant Unicredit is escalating the conflict: it is openly threatening to replace the supervisory board and the management board of the German institute, Handelsblatt reports.
Despite an inflation rate of over three percent in May, the Bank of England (BoE) is not expected to raise its key interest rate. According to the FAZ, Governor Andrew Bailey is hesitating because of the energy price shock.
The DAX opened more than 400 points higher on Monday, reclaiming the 25,000 mark after the US and Iran reached a framework agreement, as Handelsblatt reports.
The US government has ordered AI company Anthropic to shut down its latest model, Claude Mythos Preview, over fears it could be used as a cyber weapon.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has initiated a rate turnaround, as reported by WELT. For savers, this marks the start of a phase with higher interest earnings.
The German Railway and Transport Union (EVG) warns that 16 cities could lose their ICE and IC connections if Italy's Italo enters the German market in 2028. This is according to a union analysis obtained by Bild am Sonntag.
More than 90 rail projects could stall due to insufficient federal funds, according to a government response to a Green Party inquiry. The Allianz pro Schiene alliance calls for adjustments in the 2027 budget.
Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel has spoken out in favor of a temporary and targeted relaxation of EU debt rules on Deutschlandfunk radio. The reason is the Iran war, which requires additional spending.
The retirement of the baby boomer generation will hit the German labor market harder than previously assumed, according to a study by the German Economic Institute (IW). By 2036, more than four million workers will be missing.
The UK competition authority CMA is investigating whether Ryanair charges parents extra to sit next to their children. German consumer advocates call the fee an 'absolute outrage' and demand a rethink.
By 2036, Germany could be short around 4.3 million workers, warns the German Economic Institute (IW) in a new analysis. The reasons are weaker population growth and the aging baby boomer generation.
Thousands of steelworkers in Saarland and Berlin have taken to the streets, fearing for their jobs as the industry faces economic headwinds.
The US government has approved the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the approval comes without conditions.
The European Commission plans to gradually reduce imports of Alaska pollock from Russia, which could drive up prices for fish sticks and gourmet fillets in Germany.
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) plans to tax Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies differently in the future. Whether he has a majority in the Bundestag for this remains unclear.
Electric cars can soon not only charge but also feed electricity into the home grid. According to Handelsblatt, first offers for bidirectional charging are on the market, with more to follow.
SpaceX shares opened nearly 30 percent higher on the Nasdaq on Friday – the largest IPO in history. According to Zeit, the stock was indicated at more than $174.
The number of corporate and consumer insolvencies in Germany increased in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
A landlord in Saarbrücken has failed in court with a rent increase of nearly 20 percent. The Saarbrücken District Court declared the demand invalid, as reported by the FAZ.
The US and Central Asian states want to boost investments in critical minerals. According to Euronews, a Trump envoy delivered the message to Kazakhstan's President Tokayev.
Deutsche Bank, US bank Citi and Swiss bank UBS have been mandated to prepare a possible stock market listing of Uniper, according to Handelsblatt. The three institutions are to act as global coordinators for the gas group's return to the stock exchange.
Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy, warns that Germany risks losing its competitive edge in building data centers, with consequences for national prosperity. He calls for rapid expansion of digital infrastructure.
Germany's inflation rate fell to 2.6 percent in May, driven by a temporary fuel tax cut, the Federal Statistical Office reported. But the relief at the pump ends in late June.
The extension of Frankfurt's U5 subway line into the Europaviertel district is expected to cost 72 million euros more than previously budgeted, according to the city's light rail development company.
US Donald Trump has called off the planned attack on Iran, boosting stock markets. The DAX is expected to open significantly higher today.
The logistics group DHL targets an annual revenue of three billion euros from renewable energy logistics by 2030 – a fivefold increase from current levels. The company announced this at its own conference, as reported by FAZ.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has raised its deposit rate by 0.25 percentage points to 2.25 percent. ECB Christine Lagarde said the rate step is robust in three scenarios, as reported by Euronews.
According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the world continues to rely on natural gas despite the Iran war – and Siemens Energy supplies the technology. The company is benefiting enormously, but must transport its turbines through the Saudi desert.
Siemens Energy's stock has fallen from a record high in April, as reported by the FAZ. Nevertheless, the group sees its wind power subsidiary Siemens Gamesa on a promising path.
According to Handelsblatt, US stock exchanges rose on Thursday despite renewed attacks in the Middle East and new threats from US Donald Trump against Iran. The three leading indices were in positive territory, while oil prices fell.
The German government released around 600,000 tons of oil from the national reserve three months ago. According to the ARD capital studio, this amount has now been almost completely absorbed by the market.
US producer prices rose more than expected in May, increasing by 6.5 percent year-on-year, according to the Labor Department. Economists had forecast a 6.4 percent rise.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming Germany's labor market, putting university graduates at particular risk. The German Confederation of Skilled Trades (ZDH) has proposed a four-point plan to strengthen vocational careers.
Only about half of employees in Germany work in companies bound by collective bargaining agreements. According to Tagesschau, the federal government has yet to submit an EU-required action plan to strengthen collective bargaining coverage.
Two security vulnerabilities classified as 'high' in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile allow attackers to execute malicious code and root commands. According to Heise, developers have already released security patches.