Business & Markets
Eurozone, banking, industry and the companies doing the work of the European economy.
HSBC posts strong first-half profit, unveils $1bn buyback
HSBC reported a 27% rise in first-half attributable profit to $14.6bn, driven by higher net interest income and wealth management fees. The
BP's quarterly profit more than doubles as Middle East conflict lifts oil prices
BP's net profit more than doubled to $3.91bn in Q2 2026 as Middle East conflict drove oil prices higher. The company announced plans to sell
TotalEnergies acquires Shell's European renewables arm
TotalEnergies has agreed to buy Shell's European onshore renewable energy businesses, adding around 4 GW of solar and wind capacity. In a pa
Oil prices rebound as global markets steady after Wall Street rally
Oil prices rebounded in Asian trading Tuesday after falling more than 5% on hopes of de-escalation in the Middle East. European markets were
Spanish second-hand home prices jump 16.2% year-on-year
The average price of existing homes in Spain reached €3,154 per square metre in July, up 16.2% from a year earlier. All 17 regions recorded
Ukraine's drone campaign targets Wildberries, Russia's e-commerce backbone
Ukraine has hit dozens of Wildberries logistics sites since mid-July, saying the e-commerce giant helps supply Russia's military. The compan
Second Qatari LNG tanker hit in Hormuz as force majeure expands
The GasLog Shanghai was hit while leaving the Strait of Hormuz, weeks after the Al Rekayyat was attacked. QatarEnergy has extended force maj
Oil majors post record profits as Hormuz crisis inflates fuel prices
Exxon and Chevron more than doubled and quadrupled profits in Q2 as the US-Iran conflict disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormu
Oil prices drop as OPEC+ raises output and US-Iran tensions ease
Brent crude fell more than 5% to $83.39 a barrel on Monday after OPEC+ confirmed a September output hike. US President Donald Trump called o
Portugal's housing market: why €400,000 no longer buys a home
The average asking price for a home in Portugal has reached €430,500, pushing the €400,000 threshold out of reach for many. A shortage of co
How many minutes of work does a scoop of ice cream cost across Europe?
In Germany, a scoop costs about 7.4 minutes of net working time, while in Greece it's nearly 21 minutes. The UK, Belgium and Italy fall in b
EU accuses Temu of obstructing antitrust inspection in Dublin
The European Commission has accused Temu of obstructing a surprise inspection at its Dublin subsidiary in December 2025. Regulators say the