European Central Bank officials have urged policymakers to remain cautious when adjusting interest rates, as geopolitical tensions linked to the war in Iran continue to shape the economic outlook across the euro area. The warning reflects mounting uncertainty about how rising energy costs could influence inflation and growth in the coming months. ECB Vice-President Luis de Guindos emphasized the importance…
The surge in artificial intelligence stocks has created what Stefan Hoops, chief executive of Deutsche Bank’s asset management unit DWS, sees as a powerful but potentially unstable phase for global markets. The firm manages about 1.1 trillion euros in assets and is analysing whether the AI boom could unwind faster than previous technology cycles, given how concentrated recent gains have…
The Bank of England (BoE) said the broader benefits of its government bond-buying program help counterbalance the sizable losses now crystallizing on its balance sheet, a politically sensitive issue because His Majesty’s Treasury indemnifies those losses. The BoE revised its standard estimate of the net lifetime loss arising directly from quantitative easing (QE) to a range of £60 billion to…
Visa and Mastercard have reached a revised settlement with U.S. merchants over long-running claims that the card networks impose excessive “swipe” (interchange) fees, according to a November 10, 2025 letter filed in Brooklyn federal court. While the initial filing signaled agreement in principle, subsequent reporting indicates the new proposal would trim interchange fees by about 0.1 percentage point from levels…
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has referred the proposed $3.7 billion merger of Getty Images and Shutterstock to an in-depth Phase 2 investigation, saying initial remedies offered by the companies did not dispel concerns that the tie-up could lead to higher prices, worse terms, and lower quality for editorial and stock imagery customers in Britain. The decision follows…
Leading financial institutions are progressively revising their long-term outlooks for the price of gold, reflecting profound shifts in global fiscal, monetary, and geopolitical landscapes. In a significant adjustment, Bank of America (BofA) Global Research recently announced a sharp increase in its price forecast for the precious metal, now projecting that gold could reach an unprecedented high of $5,000 per ounce…
Banco Santander posted a record Q3 2025 attributable net profit of €3.5 billion, up about 7.8% year on year (y-o-y), surpassing analyst expectations and marking the sixth straight quarterly record. Management said the group remains on track for its 2025 objectives after a quarter in which higher fee income and disciplined costs offset softer lending revenue. Results Overview And Key…
