A dissident Russian journalist who was reported murdered in Kiev dramatically reappeared alive on Wednesday in the middle of a briefing about his own killing by the Ukrainian state security service. Ukrainian authorities had said on Tuesday that Babchenko, a 41-year-old critic of President Vladimir Putin and of Russian policy in Ukraine and Syria, had […]

The current outlook for growth is bright, but specific risks could endanger long-awaited progress, according to a report released Wednesday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Global gross domestic product (GDP) growth is nearing the long-term average of 4 percent, the “cruising speed” reached before the financial crisis, the OECD’s 2018 Economic […]

Italy’s political turmoil has left Credit Default Swap (CDS) markets pricing in a super-sized sovereign rating downgrade, which, if it happened, would push the country deep into “junk-grade” territory. A gauge using CDS levels compiled by S&P’s Capital IQ analytics unit, known as a Market Derived Signal Score (MDS), now puts Italy’s government debt at […]

A recovery in Italian stocks has been slowed by news that the leader of the right-wing Lega party has called for a new election. Matteo Salvini said Wednesday that he wanted new elections in Italy “as soon as possible.” Salvini added that holding a fresh vote in late July would be disruptive for many Italians, […]

Italy is embroiled in a dramatic power struggle between euroskeptic populists and pro-EU establishment lawmakers. The country has been plunged back into crisis mode after several weeks of protracted negotiations between anti-establishment groups ultimately failed to produce a new coalition government. As a result, Italy is back to square one. Italy has been without a […]

British investment fund manager Bill Browder was released from a Madrid police station on Wednesday because an Interpol arrest warrant for him was no longer valid, a Spanish police source said. The source could not confirm that the Interpol arrest warrant came from Russia. Neither could she confirm why the arrest warrant was no longer […]

Taxify, a European competitor to Uber, has raised $175 million in a funding round led by German automaker Daimler. The Tallinn, Estonia-based start-up secured a $1 billion valuation after the investment, helping it enter the ranks of Europe’s unicorn companies. Korelya Capital, a French venture capital fund, Taavet Hinrikus, the co-founder of U.K.-based money transfer […]

Martin Sorrell is staging a comeback just six weeks after he was ousted from WPP, using the same formula as in the 1980s when he transformed a shell company into the world’s biggest advertising group. One of Britain’s best known businessmen, Sorrell said he would invest £40 million ($53 million) of his own money into […]

The longer-term outlook for London remains positive despite the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, according to global consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s 2018 Global Cities Report. London is “still very solid” in terms of business activity, cultural experience and its ability to attract top talent, said Olivier Gergele, consumer industries and retail practice partner at the firm. Speaking […]

A prominent Russian journalist and critic of President Vladimir Putin was shot dead in Ukraine where he had fled into exile following threats, police said on Tuesday. Arkady Babchenko, 41, died of his wounds in an ambulance after his wife found him covered in his blood in their home, police said, adding they suspected the […]