Investing in Europe

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Advertisers are teaming up with TV programmers to create content promoting both a product and a TV show. They hope the spots will help them combat ad-skipping on digital video recorders

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CNET.co.uk Editors' picks, pans and ratings

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Germany's Coming Energy Revolution

From vast wind farms and solar arrays to smart grids and distributed power generation, Germany is moving fast into the new age of green electricity

British Regulator Slaps Banking Industry

Bank of England Governor Mervyn King lashed out at the banking sector for excessive risk-taking, even as the controversy over bonuses heated up

European Finance: The Big Thaw

As investors return to the market, big companies in Europe are finding it easier to raise money via bonds, equities, and even IPOs

The Side Effects of Financial Reform

Proposed rules aimed at curbing Wall Street abuses may crimp corporate earnings and returns for investors, too

Plus: Collateral Damage

Is Economic Growth Really Essential?

The financial crisis has prompted many Germans to question the "cult" of GDP. Could we live with less economic growth and be happier?

Are Britain's Scrooges Slowing Recovery?

Normally spendthrift Britons are cutting back on shopping and upping their savings, an austerity that may be harming the economic turnaround

Status Quo for Bankers' Pay?

G-20 finance ministers have backed away from a joint pledge to cap bank bonuses. Critics say this could sow the seeds for a future crisis

G-20 Summit: Assessing the Global Recovery

Finance ministers and central bankers meet in London to figure out when to pull back on stimulus funding and implement financial reforms

Bargain-Hunting in Eastern Europe

Investors with cash are starting to hunt for bargains in the distressed economies of Central and Eastern Europe

Counterfeiters Target the Euro

Counterfeit euros are proliferating faster than real ones, but Europol says they're still relatively rare and easy to detect

Europe Issues New Bank Guidelines

To even out different requirements imposed on banks that have received government aid, the European Commission has set forth common rules

The EU's Next Target: Hedge Funds

Politicians in Brussels are working on tough regulations that might make the Continent less appealing to hedge funds and private equity firms

German Banks Cash in on the Crisis

The government has provided billions in backing, yet some critics say banks still aren't lending enough or passing on lower interest rates

European Banks: More Pain on the Way?

A European Central Bank report predicts that euro-zone banks could record as much as $398 billion in new writedowns by 2010

No Justice for Business in Russia

A harsh new Council of Europe report focuses on the Yukos Oil and Hermitage Fund cases as it slams Russian criminal justice system abuses

Plus: Ikea Turns Sour on Russia

Where Smart Money Is Going in Cleantech

Investment by Europe's cleantech venture capitalists is shifting from energy generation to such energy-efficiency plays as smart electric meters

The Credit Crisis: Over at Last?

Signs are adding up that the long, painful credit crunch is over and banks are bouncing back. But recovery for the real economy is still a ways off

Competitiveness: The U.S. and Europe Are Tops

Developed countries still enjoy huge advantages in economic competitiveness, based on their advanced infrastructure, education, and laws

Slide Show: World's Most Competitive Countries 2009

European Recession: It Ain't Over Yet

A new survey from the ECB paints a gloomy picture for the rest of this year, but modest growth should resume in 2010. Spain is a particular problem

Why Is Russia's Productivity So Low?

Russian companies are still among the least productive in the industrial world, but the downturn could provide a catalyst for big improvement

Germany Wrestles with Toxic Assets

Politicians can't yet agree on how to handle potentially €300 billion in rotten debt on balance sheets, but setting up "bad banks" is gaining favor

The Pain in Spain: Recession Hits Hard

The economic downturn is exposing deeper structural problems that likely must be fixed before the country can get back on a growth track

Russian Economy: Signs of Thawing

Financial woes continue in Russia, but there are glimmers of optimism, including a more buoyant ruble and an improving mood among businesses

Eastern Europe's Economic Crash

The downturn has hit the region with particular vengeance. Demand for countries' exports is collapsing, along with their currencies

Why Europe and the U.S. Disagree on Stimulus

Big, U.S.-style cash infusions wouldn't help many European countries, says ECB President Trichet—but they could weaken fiscal discipline and revive inflation

Bank Secrecy Bites the Dust in Europe

The pillars of bank secrecy have crumbled under global pressure as Switzerland joins other tax havens in loosening privacy rules

How the Crisis Is Hitting Europe

Its economy harbored far more risk than most people realized, and businesses are more in hock than their U.S. counterparts

The Decline of the British Economy

Hardly any country has seen its fortunes hit harder by the global downturn than Great Britain, once a model practitioner of free market economics

Sweden's Wallenbergs: Facing the Crunch

Although the family's empire took a hit, it remains on sound financial footing and is seeking promising investments, Nordic ones especially

Europe's New Wave of Toxic Debt

A decade of heavy borrowing has lofted euro zone debt to $11 trillion, and it's starting to come due just when companies are strapped for cash

Currencies: Playing
a Rebound in the
Pound

Is it time to buy sterling? That depends on what you make of the dangers facing the struggling British economy

Leaders Seek Global Financial Regulator

Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarkozy call for a new economic body similar to the U.N. Security Council—and warn the U.S. not to stand in the way

Israel's Gaza War: The Economic Fallout

Factory shutdowns near the Gaza Strip are indications of how a prolonged conflict could tip Israel's slumping economy into a serious tailspin

Attractive Stocks in an Ugly Old World

Plunging prices have made European equities tempting, but proceed with caution

Sovereign Wealth Funds Taste Bitter Losses

So far this year, the funds have seen declines of an estimated 18% to 25% of their assets, which could lead to closer scrutiny in the future

Italian Banks Outperform Peers

Because of their conservative business models, Italy's banks have done better than larger continental rivals over the past 18 months

The Financial Crisis Deepens in Russia

More companies are slashing jobs, the ruble looks set to be radically devalued, and "anti-crisis" parties abound at fancy bars

Is Britain's Stimulus Plan a Wise Move?

Britain is pulling out the stops to immediately shore up the badly shaken economy, but what it will mean for the longer term is unclear

Russia's Economy: How Bad Will It Get?

The slowdown in Russia is part of the global epidemic, but after years of heady growth, the suddenness of the reversal has come as a shock

Plus: Will Russian Woes Spread to Central Asia?

Euro Zone Slips into Recession

It's official: The 15-country euro zone contracted for the second quarter in a row, marking its first technical recession. What now for investors?

How Many Countries Will Need IMF Help?

As the financial crisis spreads, Eastern European economies that have lived off cheap credit are hurting. Many could require bailouts

Emerging Markets: Foreign Currency Debt Troubles

Foreign-denominated debt is squeezing countries from Romania to South Korea as their local currencies falter

Slide Show: Nations at Risk

The Stunning Collapse of Iceland

Even after the government's seizure of top banks, Iceland may face bankruptcy, with dire effects for huge Icelandic investments overseas

The Rise of Santander

The once-regional Spanish bank has shot to the front ranks of Europe's finance industry through traditional lending and savvy acquisitions

European Banks: The Bailouts Continue

A series of government interventions are in the works as investors and politicians realize Europe is facing a banking crisis of its own

Britain: The Economic Fallout

The economic crisis is rippling out to the sectors that service the financial elite—from child care to restaurants to travel agencies

Swedish Banks at Risk from Baltic Ills

Scandinavian banks steered clear of subprime ripples, but now a downturn in the Baltics, where some are heavily invested, may make them less secure

European Economic Recession Ahead?

European economies are seeing slower growth in world trade, a possibly overvalued euro, and other challenges

Bank of England Hints at Rate Cut

The latest minutes of the BoE's monetary policy committee have observers predicting a rate cut by yearend

UBS: Preparing to Dump Its Investment Bank?

The Swiss bank's division into three distinct units may presage a sale. Or UBS may be trying to make its investment bankers more accountable

BoE Holds Rates on Inflation Fears

As food prices rise, the Bank of England keeps interest rates unchanged—to the dismay of retailers and industry

For Now, Deutsche Börse Wears the Crown

Last year the German stock exchange broke its losing streak with a couple of smart mergers, but it's being challenged by cheaper, faster electronic competitors