Category Archives: Economy

Economy Press Releases & News distributed via EuropaWire

EBRD Loan Supports UzCarlsberg in Enhancing Production and Food Safety in Uzbekistan

(IN BRIEF) The EBRD is providing UzCarlsberg with a US$ 6 million working capital loan to support the acquisition of ingredients and packaging materials, enhancing operational efficiency and food safety in Uzbekistan. The loan will help the company manage seasonal … Read the full press release

EIF Joins AVP Growth Fund I to Power Europe’s Late-Stage Tech Ecosystem

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Fund (EIF) has joined AVP Growth Fund I as an anchor investor under the European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI), which aims to boost funding for late-stage European tech companies. This investment supports AVP’s mission to … Read the full press release

World Economic Forum Names 116 Trailblazers to 2025 Young Global Leaders Cohort

(IN BRIEF) The World Economic Forum has revealed its 2025 cohort of Young Global Leaders – 116 exceptional individuals under 40 making transformative impacts across industries and continents. Representing nearly 50 nations, the group includes prime ministers, business innovators, artists, … Read the full press release

German Start-Ups Raise EUR 1.6 Billion in Q1 2025 as Early-Stage Deals Rise and U.S. Investor Activity Slow

(IN BRIEF) German start-ups raised EUR 1.6 billion in 295 funding rounds during Q1 2025, according to the KfW Venture Capital Dashboard. While this marks a 14% increase from Q4 2024, it falls short of the same period last year … Read the full press release

New EBRD Facility Supports Ukraine’s Energy Security and War Recovery Through Loans and Grants to Businesses and Households

(IN BRIEF) The EBRD has extended a portfolio-risk-sharing facility to Raiffeisen Bank Ukraine to unlock €100 million in investments supporting Ukraine’s energy security. As the fourth Ukrainian bank to join the EBRD’s Energy Security Support Facility, RBU will issue loans … Read the full press release

EBRD Launches Global Tender for New Investor to Drive Growth at Moldova’s Giurgiulesti International Free Port

(IN BRIEF) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched an international tender to identify a new investor for Giurgiulesti International Free Port, Moldova’s key maritime asset. In coordination with the Moldovan government, the EBRD aims to attract … Read the full press release

Standard Chartered Launches Sports-Focused Alternative Fund for Wealth Clients Seeking Private Market Growth

(IN BRIEF) Standard Chartered has launched a new alternative investment fund dedicated to the sports sector, aimed at ultra-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients through its Global Private Bank. With global sports leagues increasingly seeking alternative capital, and media rights revenues growing … Read the full press release

Accenture Backs GoUpscale to Modernize Wealth Management Engagement Through AI-Powered Content

(IN BRIEF) Accenture has invested in GoUpscale, a company that helps wealth management firms in Asia modernize client engagement through AI-powered digital content. As the sector aims to double its assets under management by 2026, relationship managers will be key … Read the full press release

EIB and EIF Unveil €3.6 Billion Financing Package to Boost Clean Transport, Energy, and Automotive Innovation

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have approved new financing initiatives aimed at bolstering clean transport, energy, and innovation projects, as well as enhancing water and sanitation infrastructure in Africa with a total … Read the full press release

EIB Supports Prishtina’s Heritage: €500,000 Grant for Revitalizing the Palace of Youth and Sports Ahead of 2030 Mediterranean Games

(IN BRIEF) A €500,000 grant under the EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative and Urban Projects Finance Initiative will provide technical assistance for the Palace of Youth and Sports renovation in Prishtina. The project will focus on the building’s reconstruction, conservation, and … Read the full press release

CVC Appoints John Kelleher as New Managing Partner to Lead Global Operations and Drive Portfolio Value

(IN BRIEF) CVC has announced the appointment of John Kelleher as its new Managing Partner, effective early Q3 2025, with his base in New York. John brings extensive experience in private equity and operational leadership from his nine years at … Read the full press release

BP Provides Q1 2025 Guidance Amid Mixed Upstream Performance and Shifting Trading Conditions

(IN BRIEF) BP p.l.c. has issued a Trading Statement outlining its current estimates and expectations for the first quarter of 2025, with insights into the economic environment and group performance. The statement clarifies that while it provides key guidance, it … Read the full press release

Hexagon Reports Weaker Than Expected March Performance as Sensor Sales and Currency Effects Impact EBIT1 Margins

(IN BRIEF) Hexagon has reported a disappointing financial performance in March 2025, a critical month for the quarter, despite a good overall start to the year. Sales in key markets such as NAFTA and China experienced a slowdown in the … Read the full press release

EIB Finalizes €160 Million Tranche to Complete Strategic Hospital Project in A Coruña with Broad Regional Impact

(IN BRIEF) The second and final portion of a €450 million loan provided by the European Investment Bank has been approved to finish the construction of the new university hospital in A Coruña, Spain. With a tranche valued at €160 … Read the full press release

European Investment Bank Unveils US$100 Million Boost to AXIAN Telecom for Expanding 4G and 5G Networks in Tanzania and Madagascar

(IN BRIEF) The European Union, through its Global Gateway strategy, is set to expand mobile broadband connectivity in Madagascar and Tanzania. A financing package of US$100 million from the European Investment Bank will be provided to AXIAN Telecom, with US$60 … Read the full press release

Salt Bank Reaches 500,000 Customers in Its First Year as Romania’s Pioneering Digital Bank, Powered by Engine by Starling and GFT

(IN BRIEF) Salt Bank, launched as Romania’s first digital bank in April 2024, has quickly captured the market, reaching 500,000 customers in just one year. Developed in only 12 months by teams from Salt, Engine by Starling, and GFT, the … Read the full press release

EIF and Enisa Forge €40 Million Guarantee to Propel Innovation and SME Growth in Spain

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Fund (EIF) and Empresa Nacional de Innovación (Enisa) have entered into a guarantee agreement worth up to €40 million to help innovative Spanish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups access vital finance. This partnership, … Read the full press release

KfW IPEX-Bank Delivers EUR 23.9 Billion in New Commitments as It Strengthens Economic Resilience for 2024

(IN BRIEF) In financial year 2024, KfW IPEX-Bank achieved remarkable success, with new commitments reaching EUR 23.9 billion—EUR 22.4 billion from original lending and EUR 1.5 billion for refinancing under CIRR programmes. This strong performance, which built on the record … Read the full press release

Altor Sells Qmatic: Marking a Strategic Shift from Hardware to SaaS Leadership

(IN BRIEF) Altor Fund II has reached an agreement to divest Qmatic Group AB to Valsoft Corporation Ireland, a company specializing in vertical software solutions from Canada. Altor’s investment in Qmatic began in 2007 with a focus on queue management … Read the full press release

BBVA Boosts 2024 Shareholder Returns with Record Dividend and €993 Million Buyback

(IN BRIEF) BBVA is set to enhance its 2024 shareholder returns by paying a supplementary dividend of €0.41 per share on April 10, which, together with the €0.29 interim dividend from October, brings the total dividend to €0.70 per share—the … Read the full press release