English | Financial news with a German perspective

The State of Hessen plans a cash injection of 1.5 billion for common shares in Helaba, as well as subscribing to a 500 million AT1 bond. The transaction is being undertaken because the European Banking Authority will no longer recognise silent participations as core capital.

Economic Affairs and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck has joined TikTok. But the jury is still out on the potential pluses and minuses for politicians.

Activist investors are launching more campaigns than ever before. And they are increasingly targeting larger companies, and not just in the US.

Big Pharma is gradually pulling away from the consumer health sector. Stepping in to take its place are the consumer goods conglomerates.

Viessmann has sold its heating division to US company Carrier Global for 12 billion euros, plus a stake in Carrier. The timing was good given the value realised, but the calculations of the Viessmann family went beyond price.

The first quarter earnings report from Deutsche Börse underscores the strategic rationale behind the SimCorp acquisition. Now integration costs must be effectively managed to unlock the full potential of the deal.

The frosty relationship between politicians and bankers has been consigned to the past. The banking industry is now viewed in Berlin as indispensable for driving forward the economic transformation.

Research unbundling rules and the ETF boom have contributed to an environment where it is difficult to earn money with equity research. The result is that smaller companies have been left behind.

Part of the population has little trust in public institutions, including the European Central Bank. This is not good for democracy, and the ECB wants to improve its own communication. But putting financial knowledge on the school curriculum would also help.

The Corporate Bank unit at Deutsche Bank faces challenges as the interest rate cycle turns. The Investment Bank division set the pace in the first quarter, pushing the stock price upwards.

New BASF CEO Markus Kamieth faces numerous challenges. He takes the helm in an economically difficult environment, which includes high energy costs in Germany.

Germany's commercial banks have called on the government to introduce extensive reforms to get the economy moving again. And they are pressing for a postponement to the introduction of Basel III.

The shortening of the settlement cycle for securities transactions in the US poses enormous challenges for Europe's asset managers. S&P Global and the CME Group now want to capitalise on this opportunity with their joint venture Osttra.

The Bürgerbewegung Finanzwende has gained a respected advocate in cum-ex chief investigator Anne Brorhilker, who has announced her move to the NGO.

As long as Frankfurt primarily perceives the drug misery in the Bahnhofsviertel as a risk to its location marketing, all countermeasures will remain merely social cosmetics.

Chief investigator in the German cum-ex scandal Anne Brorhilker has resigned from the public prosecutor's office. In a TV interview she expressed her frustration with the cum-ex prosecution process, and revealed that she is joining the NGO Bürgerbewegung Finanzwende.

The IMF is demanding structural economic reforms worldwide. And it is urging Germany to ease its debt brake- something that Finance Minister Christian Lindner does not view as a solution to weak economic growth.

Clara C. Streit, Chair of the Regierungskommission Deutscher Corporate Governance Kodex, wants to promote a more productive dialogue between corporates and investors. And reducing bureaucracy is also a goal.

With its second fund, DTCP has its sights set on digital infrastructure such as data centres, fibre optics and radio towers. CEO Vicente Vento explains the strategy he is using to achieve a net return of 15%.

Tui does not have any plans for share buybacks, but has a strong focused on its free cash flow, and a path towards eventually restarting dividend payments. CEO Sebastian Ebel and CFO Mathias Kiep elaborate on their strategy in an interview.

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has promised the German finance industry that he will work towards the further rapid development of Capital Markets Union and Banking Union.

Simon Klein, Global Head Xtrackers Sales, says that the DWS growth strategy is paying off, with strong inflows of funds, new ETF products, fee reductions, and the expansion of digital distribution.

French firm Planisware recently relaunched its IPO. And German firm Renk came to market in February, having also pulled its deal in the autumn. Both used accelerated bookbuilding, which can limit market risk in geopolitically turbulent times.

The SPD rejects the FDP's ideas for an economic turnaround. However, the SPD urgently needs to consider how it can revive the flagging economy and avoid stewing too much in its own juices.