English | Financial news with a German perspective

Despite the progress made in recent years, the British finance industry remains predominantly male and lacking in diversity. Regulators aim to change that, and among their proposals is to consider sexual harassment as a matter of regulatory concern.

The politicization of the annual general meeting underscores the importance of ESG expertise, especially in supervisory boards. Furthermore, the noose of regulatory scrutiny is tightening.

The concept of the G7 Climate Club is commendable, but it faces criticism for not incorporating major climate offenders like China, India, and Brazil.

Frankfurt has overtaken Paris in the global financial center ranking by the Z/Yen Group. Survey participants believe the city will have greater significance in the future.

Exactly 25 years ago, Eurex was founded through the merger of the German Futures Exchange and the Swiss Soffex. Since then, the business of financial derivatives and the needs of market participants have changed significantly. Yet, Eurex sees itself in a good position to continue its growth..

New business in commercial real estate financing in Germany is expected to decrease by approximately one-quarter this year, according to estimates from surveys conducted as part of the German Debt Project.

The notable decline in inflation in Germany during September is a positive development. Yet, it's premature to assume everything is back to normal. The ECB needs to stay alert. The upcoming interest rate meeting in December will be closely watched.

With the contract extension of BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, the company's supervisory board takes an unusual step considering the age limit of 60 years. There are specific reasons behind this decision.

...collected for you by Sebastian Schmid

The percentage of women in leadership positions in the German economy is increasing especially in companies subject to legal quota regulations. Anja Seng, President of the "Women in supervisory boards" initiative (FidAR), discusses why the impact of these laws remains insufficient and what is lacking in companies.

With a market share of just under 7%, American Express is lagging behind here in Germany. According to the vision of Germany CEO Fabiana Mingrone, this is set to change in the future.

The offer for the acquisition of a share in the Port of Hamburg of up to 49.9% by the shipping company MSC is expected to be published in October. Economist Henning Vöpel considers the port deal risky.

In the view of CEO Susanne Wiegand, the planned IPO of Renk offers the greatest opportunity for growth. The changing times and the energy transition play into her favor.

During his visit to China, EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis calls on Beijing to take stronger action against the harassment of European companies. Both parties establish a working group focused on financial regulation and demonstrate their commitment to preventing further escalation.

Climate tech is supposed to play a decisive role in the green transformation, but there is a lack of investment. Especially the already somewhat larger scale-up companies need more capital.

The Hessian election campaign has turned Frankfurt into a large, colorful poster exhibition. Everywhere, people smile as they present themselves as Minister Presidents. And in between, slogans from small parties can make you wonder and ponder.

The short-lived euphoria for tech IPOs in the USA is not mirrored over here. In Germany, investors are primarily focusing on companies with proven profitability.

Just as the enthusiasm for tech IPOs in the US has recently surged, it's fading away again. The stock prices of Arm, Instacart, and Klaviyo have dropped towards their issue prices. This impairs the outlook for the German IPO candidates Birkenstock, Renk, and Schott Pharma.

Germany's business model is in crisis. Structural reforms are overdue, but political parties are blocking each other. A national Future Council for the Economy could be a way forward.

Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner (FDP) had planned to propose a significant and effective structural reform of the 'Law to Combat Financial Crime'. However, the civic movement Finanzwende has significant doubts about whether he will succeed in this endeavor.

Given a shrinking workforce due to demographic factors, banks can no longer afford to exclude employees over 50, warns the HR consultant Andreas Krischke. A healthy age structure is also part of diversity.

The Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund does not have a specific mandate for impact investing. But the large investor is convinced that over the long term a good return for the fund depends on sustainable economic environmental social developments. That is why NBIM closely follows the companies in which the fund is invested on the way to achieving ESG goals.