Germany ’s economy grew for the first year since 2022 as a government spending spree helps the country overcome its lengthy industrial slump. Gross domestic product rose 0.2% in 2025 following two consecutive annual contractions — matching the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of analysts. The fourth quarter saw an increase of the same amount. Expansion last year was driven by household consum...
Germany ’s economy grew for the first year since 2022 as a government spending spree helps the country overcome its lengthy industrial slump. Gross domestic product rose 0.2% in 2025 following two consecutive annual contractions — matching the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of analysts. The fourth quarter saw an increase of the same amount. Expansion last year was driven by household consumption and government expenditure, while investment fell and trade acted as a drag, the statistics office, known as Destatis, said Thursday. Europe’s largest economy has been rocked in recent years by an energy crisis, restricted access to crucial inputs and President Donald Trump ’s jolt to global trade — factors that have hit its industrial heartland particularly hard. While there’s optimism that Chancellor Friedrich Merz ’s plan to splash hundreds of millions of euros on beefing up the military and upgrading crumbling infrastructure can trigger a revival, questions remain about the sustainability of any turnaround. “At the start of the year, there’s at least a glimmer of hope that we have finally reached the bottom,” Helena Melnikov, managing director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in an emailed statement. “However, there’s still a long way to go before we see a genuine upswing.” Thursday’s data showed Germany’s manufacturing malaise stretched to a third year in 2025, with output shrinking 1.3%. Construction has declined for even longer and was down 3.6%. The years-long upward trend in the labor market, meanwhile, came to a halt as factory jobs decreased significantly. For the coming years, economists reckon those outlays will propel growth beyond 1%. But they stress that reforms to further underpin demand must accompany the splurge. Merz is aware of the challenge and has pledged to make reinvigorating growth a top priority. In a letter to lawmakers in his coalition, he described some sectors as being in a “very critical” condition. Within days, Volk...
The third year of Wall Street's bull market rally was nothing short of exceptional . Despite a short-lived, tariff-induced crash in early April, the benchmark S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) ended 2025 higher by 16%. It marks the third consecutive year that Wall Street's broad-based index has rallied at least 15%. At the same time, the stock market is historically pricey . More than 150 years of histori...
The third year of Wall Street's bull market rally was nothing short of exceptional . Despite a short-lived, tariff-induced crash in early April, the benchmark S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) ended 2025 higher by 16%. It marks the third consecutive year that Wall Street's broad-based index has rallied at least 15%. At the same time, the stock market is historically pricey . More than 150 years of historical trends, based on data from the Shiller Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio, show that Wall Street's benchmark index swoons 20% (or more) when it becomes expensive, as it is currently. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
(RTTNews) - Ericsson (ERIC) announced proposed staff reductions in Sweden, and has submitted a notice to the Swedish Public Employment Service. The company noted that approximately 1,600 positions could be impacted in Sweden. The company has initiated negotiations with the releva
(RTTNews) - Ericsson (ERIC) announced proposed staff reductions in Sweden, and has submitted a notice to the Swedish Public Employment Service. The company noted that approximately 1,600 positions could be impacted in Sweden. The company has initiated negotiations with the releva
A US aircraft carrier has reportedly left the South China Sea after a live-fire drill and is heading to the Middle East amid anti-government protests in Iran. US cable news network NewsNation reported on Thursday that the Pentagon ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group, which includes Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, to leave their position in the South China Se...
A US aircraft carrier has reportedly left the South China Sea after a live-fire drill and is heading to the Middle East amid anti-government protests in Iran. US cable news network NewsNation reported on Thursday that the Pentagon ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group, which includes Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, to leave their position in the South China Sea and sail towards the Middle East. According to the US Naval Institute’s carrier tracker, there...
The Japan Data Center Market is expected to skyrocket from USD 12.76 billion in 2025 to USD 38.91 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 20.42%. With around 119 operational colocation centers, the market is led by Tokyo, boasting 74 existing and 26 upcoming facilities by 2025. The rising demand for advanced data centers in regions like Hokkaido and Kyushu is fueled by available land and government ...
The Japan Data Center Market is expected to skyrocket from USD 12.76 billion in 2025 to USD 38.91 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 20.42%. With around 119 operational colocation centers, the market is led by Tokyo, boasting 74 existing and 26 upcoming facilities by 2025. The rising demand for advanced data centers in regions like Hokkaido and Kyushu is fueled by available land and government support. The trend of liquid cooling is expanding, driven by AI and HPC needs. Key players like AT T
Oil prices fell 3% on Thursday after comments from U.S. President Donald Trump calmed fears that an American strike on Iran could be imminent. Brent crude oil futures, the global benchmark, were last seen trading 3% lower at $64.47 a barrel, and front-month West Texas Intermediate crude was also down 3% to $60.17 a barrel. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said he had been informed by "ver...
Oil prices fell 3% on Thursday after comments from U.S. President Donald Trump calmed fears that an American strike on Iran could be imminent. Brent crude oil futures, the global benchmark, were last seen trading 3% lower at $64.47 a barrel, and front-month West Texas Intermediate crude was also down 3% to $60.17 a barrel. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said he had been informed by "very important sources" in Iran that "the killing has stopped." "There's no plans for executions, I've been told that on good authority," he said, adding that the White House would watch how the situation unfolds. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed after mass unrest in Iran was met with a violent crackdown by the Islamic Republic's security forces. Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if civilians are killed or executed by the state. Oil prices jumped on Tuesday after Trump canceled meetings with Iranian officials and promised protesters that "help is on its way," and extended gains on Wednesday as concerns that a U.S. strike on the country was looming.
Listen to Odd Lots on Apple Podcasts Listen to Odd Lots on Spotify Watch Odd Lots on YouTube Subscribe to the newsletter One thing we can all agree on is that demand for energy, and in particular electricity, is growing by leaps and bounds. But past that, there is going to be a debate about who is best positioned, and who will really make money from this trend. Will it be companies digging up raw ...
Listen to Odd Lots on Apple Podcasts Listen to Odd Lots on Spotify Watch Odd Lots on YouTube Subscribe to the newsletter One thing we can all agree on is that demand for energy, and in particular electricity, is growing by leaps and bounds. But past that, there is going to be a debate about who is best positioned, and who will really make money from this trend. Will it be companies digging up raw commodities? Will it be equipment companies? Will it be pipelines? Will it be utilities? On this episode of the podcast, we speak with Tyler Rosenlicht, a Senior Vice President Cohen & Steers. He is a portfolio manager for Global Listed Infrastructure and the firm's head of Natural Resource Equities. We talk about the general ideas behind infrastructure investing, how it works, how it's changed, and how he thinks about the ongoing boom in energy demand.