TOPIC

Euro Zone

The eurozone is an economic and monetary union (EMU) of 19 European Union (EU) member states that have adopted the euro as their common currency. Introduced in 1999, it is one of the largest economic regions in the world and currently consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are EU members but do not use the euro. The global financial crisis of the late-2000s forced the eurozone to grant emergency loans to its member states on the condition they established economic reforms.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (centre), Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides (left) and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (right) hold a joint press conference after a trilateral meeting at the Citadel of David Hotel in Jerusalem, on December 22 last year. Photo: EPA

European Union

Israeli spy firm Black Cube involved in Cyprus corruption probe

Black Cube came to prominence in 2017 for its operations aimed at discrediting women who accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.

11 Apr 2026 - 9:03PM

US-China relations

Open Questions | Euro, Chinese yuan to end US dollar dominance, top economist says

26 Mar 2026 - 10:31AMvideocam

European Union

EU finance chief casts doubt on new UK clearing deadline

1 Feb 2025 - 7:17PM

International Property

La Défense, Europe’s largest purpose-built business district, seeks Asian investors

Around 15 per cent of the office space in the business district is currently vacant because of weak demand.

9 Dec 2024 - 10:38AM

Avenue Charles de Gaulle and the business district of La Defence, seen from Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Photo: Shutterstock

China economy

Macroscope | Why Germany’s economic issues run just as deep as China’s

Beijing and Berlin need to restore confidence in their economies, but political and ideological resistance to rises in public spending runs deep.

26 Sep 2024 - 4:30PMvideocam

International Property

Hong Kong home prices to reverse direction as rates have likely peaked: analyst

An imminent decline in global interest rates should boost housing markets, but any improvement in Hong Kong could be delayed until there is a broader recovery in the local and wider Chinese economies, Knight Frank’s Liam Bailey says.

25 Sep 2023 - 7:30AM

International Property

Dubai luxury home prices rise the most, Hong Kong still most expensive city: Savills

Dubai’s luxury property prices rose the most among 30 cities in the first half of 2023, according to the latest study by Savills, and Hong Kong still has the world’s most expensive prime residential property.

19 Jul 2023 - 5:30PMvideocam

A file photo from July 2020 of Dubai’s man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago. The UAE’s largest city saw luxury home prices rise 11.2 per cent in the January-to-June period and is likely to keep its crown for the rest of the year, Savills says. Photo: AFP

European Union

EU vows big reforms amid corruption scandal

Changes to include strengthening whistle-blower protections, ban on unofficial friendship groups and review of policing code of conduct rules after four people were charged with ‘criminal organisation, corruption and money laundering’.

15 Dec 2022 - 9:33PM

Macroscope

Macroscope | Risk of Asian currency crisis remains low even amid US dollar strength

Asian and G10 currencies are likely to continue to weaken against a strong dollar as the Fed stays hawkish on inflation. But fundamentals are solid in Asia and real interest rates in most economies remain above those in the US, which will support local currencies.

30 Sep 2022 - 11:30AM

International Property

In boost for Hong Kong buyers, UK home prices trail those in EU states

Growth in home prices in the United Kingdom has trailed peers in the European Union, but has provided Hongkongers buying property in London and other British cities more value for their money.

23 Jun 2022 - 7:58PMvideocam

An estate agents’ office in London. Investors can expect home prices in the UK to moderate to single-digit growth by the end of the year, Knight Frank says. Photo: Bloomberg

counterfeit

Video | Inside EU lab spotting fake bills

31 Dec 2021 - 4:02AM

Inside the lab that identifies fake Euro banknotes

01:35

Fame and celebrity

4 reasons to visit Cristiano Ronaldo’s home of Madeira

What is there to do on Madeira? Why, worship Cristiano Ronaldo, of course – from the stadium of his first professional club, CD Nacional, to the museum run by his brother, there’s plenty for fans to enjoy

28 Dec 2021 - 3:00AM

International Property

Portugal’s new golden visa scheme may require investors to stump up more

Starting in the new year, investors seeking citizenship will have to buy commercial property rather than homes in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve under revamped rules.

26 Dec 2021 - 10:00AMvideocam

Currencies

Macroscope | The euro has more to fear from the yuan’s rise than the US dollar

Crumbling political unity and widespread failures in vaccine roll-outs have damaged confidence in the euro. Meanwhile, the Fed’s reputation is intact, interest rates and yields remain supportive and US recovery plans should benefit global growth.

20 Apr 2021 - 4:09AMvideocam

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (left), French President Emmanuel Macron (centre) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) examine documents during an EU summit in Brussels last July. Photo: AFP

Euro Zone

Israeli spy firm Black Cube involved in Cyprus corruption probe

Black Cube came to prominence in 2017 for its operations aimed at discrediting women who accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Open Questions | Euro, Chinese yuan to end US dollar dominance, top economist says

EU finance chief casts doubt on new UK clearing deadline

La Défense, Europe’s largest purpose-built business district, seeks Asian investors

Around 15 per cent of the office space in the business district is currently vacant because of weak demand.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Macroscope | Why Germany’s economic issues run just as deep as China’s

Beijing and Berlin need to restore confidence in their economies, but political and ideological resistance to rises in public spending runs deep.

Hong Kong home prices to reverse direction as rates have likely peaked: analyst

An imminent decline in global interest rates should boost housing markets, but any improvement in Hong Kong could be delayed until there is a broader recovery in the local and wider Chinese economies, Knight Frank’s Liam Bailey says.

Dubai luxury home prices rise the most, Hong Kong still most expensive city: Savills

Dubai’s luxury property prices rose the most among 30 cities in the first half of 2023, according to the latest study by Savills, and Hong Kong still has the world’s most expensive prime residential property.

EU vows big reforms amid corruption scandal

Changes to include strengthening whistle-blower protections, ban on unofficial friendship groups and review of policing code of conduct rules after four people were charged with ‘criminal organisation, corruption and money laundering’.

Macroscope | Risk of Asian currency crisis remains low even amid US dollar strength

Asian and G10 currencies are likely to continue to weaken against a strong dollar as the Fed stays hawkish on inflation. But fundamentals are solid in Asia and real interest rates in most economies remain above those in the US, which will support local currencies.

In boost for Hong Kong buyers, UK home prices trail those in EU states

Growth in home prices in the United Kingdom has trailed peers in the European Union, but has provided Hongkongers buying property in London and other British cities more value for their money.

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Inside EU lab spotting fake bills

4 reasons to visit Cristiano Ronaldo’s home of Madeira

What is there to do on Madeira? Why, worship Cristiano Ronaldo, of course – from the stadium of his first professional club, CD Nacional, to the museum run by his brother, there’s plenty for fans to enjoy

Portugal’s new golden visa scheme may require investors to stump up more

Starting in the new year, investors seeking citizenship will have to buy commercial property rather than homes in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve under revamped rules.

Macroscope | The euro has more to fear from the yuan’s rise than the US dollar

Crumbling political unity and widespread failures in vaccine roll-outs have damaged confidence in the euro. Meanwhile, the Fed’s reputation is intact, interest rates and yields remain supportive and US recovery plans should benefit global growth.

Open Questions | Euro, Chinese yuan to end US dollar dominance, top economist says

Macroscope | Why Germany’s economic issues run just as deep as China’s

Video | Inside EU lab spotting fake bills