Financial stability

Has Bulgaria gamed its inflation numbers to qualify for the euro?
An 82.8 percent plunge in state-set hospital fees helped Sofia make the grade to join the single currency.

Bulgaria won’t ‘do a Greece’ when it joins eurozone, central bank chief promises

Trump administration prepares to ease big bank rules

Global trade rules must evolve to tackle persistent imbalances, says Bank of England boss

Global financial rule-makers risk losing relevance if Trump pulls back entirely

Trump tariff war puts UK financial stability at risk, Bank of England warns
Equitable access to innovation: Understanding healthcare system readiness to deliver CAR T-cell therapy in Europe
A new IQVIA Institute for Human Data Sciences report highlights discrepancies in healthcare systems to deliver innovative cancer treatments across Europe. We can pave a pathway to overcome the access challenges identified and fulfil the promise of advanced therapies.
Germany’s Merz loses leverage as coalition talks sputter
Incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz is under growing pressure to win conservative policy concessions as coalition talks hit key stumbling blocks.
German parliament passes historic spending reforms
The vote to unleash borrowing for the military and Ukraine is a “first major step towards a new European defense community,” says incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz.
France breathes a bit easier as Fitch affirms credit rating
Rating agency keeps negative outlook as “political deadlock and polarization” complicate the government’s effort to tackle debt.
ECB resistance wavers as pressure mounts to seize Russian assets
ECB President Christine Lagarde has reiterated the central bank’s cautious stance, but opposition is growing at the Russian frontier.
Trump has a new European leader coming to his doorstep
Mark Carney, Canada’s likely next prime minister, continues to be held in high regard across the Atlantic, where he spent the better part of the last decade.
US deregulation drive is ‘dangerous,’ French central bank chief warns
The push by the Trump administration creates a “big risk” for financial stability, Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau tells Alternatives Économiques magazine.
Brexit reset tested as Brussels and London fight about finance
Two decisions by British watchdogs, both of which have a direct effect on the EU, blindsided Brussels and threatened to derail healing wounds.
Political attacks on central banks multiply as Bank of Latvia comes under fire
Governments desperate for a way out of stagnation are encroaching ever more on the ECB’s turf.
EU fumes as Britain delays banking shake-up over Trump
The U.K. delayed its implementation of global banking rules by one year due to uncertainty over what U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will do.
‘It’s a sign of impending wars’: Why a tense world is betting on gold
Amid rising uncertainty and fading trust in the global order, central banks are scrambling to stock up on an old but trusty asset — and speculators are joining them for the ride.
Von der Leyen’s first Commission: The final verdict
Who’s at the top of the class and who flunked? Here are POLITICO’s grades for each 2019-2024 European commissioner.
‘Tell us what you want’: Labour gets cozy with the City as 2008 crash fades
Long gone are the days of banker-bashing, as Labour asks the finance sector to help write the rules.
Lack of growth threatens revival of eurozone debt crisis, ECB warns
Higher interest rates mean higher debt repayment costs as European Union countries stare down the barrel of a trade war.
Trump’s in. Here’s what it means for Europe.
From energy and trade to finance and defense, here’s how Donald Trump’s second presidency will impact EU policy.
Digital euro sparks sovereignty battle between EU governments and ECB
Politicians are vying with technocrats for control of a revamp of the single currency that both say poses serious economic risks.
OPINION: Breaking the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns for good
Twelve years after its initiation, it is time to complete the banking union.
BoE governor hits back at Liz Truss’ ‘deep state’ claims
Andrew Bailey said the Bank of England’s only agenda is “trying to run an institution to its maximum effectiveness.”
France mourns its loss of influence in von der Leyen’s new Commission
After Thierry Breton’s resignation, French officials are bemoaning a loss of influence in Brussels.
In conversation: Broadcom and Telia on sovereign cloud
Demand for sovereign cloud is soaring – it is a necessary shift, but there are various obstacles we need to overcome first.
Investors too confused by French election to panic — yet
Markets will certainly make their position known if politicking threatens to stretch public finances.
France risks IMF, Commission oversight if Macron loses, finance minister warns
Bruno Le Maire raises the specter of financial disaster for France if President Emmanuel Macron’s opponents win this month’s snap election.
France hit by ratings downgrade despite spending-cuts crusade
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the downgrade was the price to pay for bolstering the economy with public support during the pandemic and the inflation crisis.
Russia should pay for Ukraine — but using frozen assets won’t be easy
No matter what, any deal will to take time, and a complex set of legal and political challenges await the EU.