Felix Wagner 
German financial regulator BaFin is examining DekaBank’s annual consolidated financial statements following concerns about potential regulatory violations related to equity trading transactions worth 478 million euros conducted around dividend record dates.
BaFin regulatory examinations of German insurance companies, particularly Allianz, have identified significant deficiencies in governance controls. A parliamentary inquiry by Die Linken party prompted Finance Ministry responses indicating systemic issues requiring remediation across the insurance industry.
ABB CEO warns Europe faces mass unemployment risk without reforms and deregulation, citing energy shocks from Iran war as threat to EU competitiveness
Swatch Group faces mounting pressure for strategic change following a decline in profits. The controlling Hayek family has defended the company’s long-term strategy and rejected criticism of short-termism in management.
European airlines have failed to pay billions in passenger compensation for flight delays as required under EU261/2004 regulation. Analysis by the Financial Times shows that since 2011, €18 billion in compensation has been due to passengers, but only a small portion has actually been paid, leaving €3.2 billion currently unpaid.
Index Ventures partner Nina Achadjian discusses the shift in venture capital from software-only investments to AI applications in manufacturing, robotics, and industrial systems. She highlights Index Ventures’ early backing of companies like Anthropic, Physical Intelligence, and ServiceTitan, and discusses the implications of SpaceX’s IPO for the venture space.
A break-in at Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen’s vault room occurred in late December. Ten customers have filed lawsuits seeking compensation exceeding one million euros for their losses. Legal proceedings are set to begin on Thursday, with questions raised about whether the bank’s security systems were outdated.
Trade Republic, a German neobroker, is enabling its customers to participate in the anticipated IPO of SpaceX. Customers can access terms and conditions via a link on the platform.
S&P Global has dampened expectations for a quick inclusion of SpaceX in the S&P 500 index by maintaining strict admission criteria, unlike some competing index providers. This decision impacts the ETF business.
Zurich Insurance Group Plc is expanding its data-center insurance offering geographically to Europe and South America to capitalize on growing AI infrastructure investment globally