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Which European countries attract the most foreign investment?

03/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

Foreign investment is widely seen as the main driver of economic growth, innovation and job creation. When companies open new fields, build factories or establish research centers, they not only bring capital to the country, but also create jobs and strengthen local supply chains.

As a result, competition to attract international investors intensified. Governments use investment incentives, tax cuts and international investment forums to persuade companies to choose their own markets.

France has also made attracting foreign investment an important priority in recent years. The government has been promoting the country through the ’ initiative since 2018“FranceSelect ’.

At this year's summit, President Emmanuel Macron said foreign companies had pledged investments worth €93 billion, which ’ described as a record figure.

How successful are European countries in attracting international investors? Which countries attract the most investment projects?

France EuropeContinues to be ’'s largest investment destination

The EY European Attractiveness Survey provides a useful benchmark for international investors to measure competition. Unlike traditional foreign direct investment (FDI) statistics, which can deteriorate due to large transactions or in-house financial flows, the survey tracks the number of individual investment projects.

These include new projects announced or registered by foreign companies in a given year, such as the opening of new facilities, the construction of production facilities or the expansion of existing operations.

According to the last number of the survey, 5,026 new investment projects were announced across Europe in 2025. EY defined the European ’ as a geographical region rather than the European Union. This figure is according to 2024’ %It declined by seven to its lowest level in 11 years.

Despite a sharp decline, France has maintained its position as Europe’'s leading destination in terms of foreign investment. Number of projects 2025’te declined to 852’ye; This represents the largest drop among Europe’'s major investment destinations.

United Kingdom, compared to the previous year %It ranked second with 730 projects, down 14.

Germany remained ’'s third largest foreign investment destination with 548 projects. However, the total %It fell 10 times to its lowest level since 2009 ’.

The long-term trend is even more striking. Compared to 2019, GermanyNumber of investment projects in ’ is down; this, France’ya (%-28) or United Kingdom ’a (%-34) is a much steeper drop compared to.

2025Spain and Turkey were among ’'s strongest performers. Number of investment projects in Spain %He placed fourth, increasing by 20 to 383’e. Turkey is %It ranked fifth with 376 projects, up 7 percent.

Poland, compared to the previous year %With an increase of 10, 2025’te continued its upward trend, registering 285 investment projects. This made it the sixth largest destination for foreign investment in Europe’. The Netherlands also %It was among the few countries that recorded growth with the number of projects increased by 8 to 159’.

Italy, Belgium and Portugal also saw a decline in investment activity in ’. Number of projects Italy’da %8 down to 206’ya, Belgium’da declined to 187’ compared to the previous year in Portugal’ 6 projects were registered with 5 decreases.

Who invests in Europe’?

In 2025, the United States continued to be ’'s largest source of foreign investment projects. American companies have announced 943 projects across the continent, maintaining the position of Europe’'s leading foreign investor.

German firms took second place despite the sharp decline in investment activities abroad. Compared to the previous year in other European countries in 2025 %They announced 484 investment projects, down 24. In recent years, the decline has been unusually high, as the number of projects has generally exceeded 600’.

Despite the decline, Germany remained ’'s largest intra-European investor. France has once again become the leading destination for German investments, attracting 101 projects. For the first time, Turkey ranked second after England ’.

Europe is losing ground globally.

To put ’'s performance in a global perspective, it would be useful to look at foreign direct investment (FDI) flows. UNCTAD’'s 2025 World Investment ReportAccording to ’, global foreign direct investment 2024’te compared to the previous year %It dropped by 11 to about $1.49 trillion.

Europe has been hit particularly hard. According to UNCTAD’, the region attracted nearly $182 billion in foreign direct investment in 2024. That's up from $439 billion last year. %It went down 58.

North America, annually %It ranked second with a foreign direct investment inflow of $343 billion with an increase of 23. and asian, spite a modest decline of 3’, it has attracted $605 billion, continuing to be the world's largest destination for international capital.

However, these figures also bring with them an important methodological warning. UNCTAD excludes so-called “channel economies, such as Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Ireland, from ” to avoid distortions caused by holding company structures and in-group financial transactions.

Why are investors being more cautious?

According to EY’, weak economic growth in much of Europe’ was the main factor behind the decline in investment activities. High energy prices, geopolitical uncertainty and a more cautious corporate investment environment have also put pressure on business decisions.

Concerns over trade tensions and potential new tariffs are increasing pressure on investment plans.

Many investors are increasingly concerned about the combination of Europe’'s relatively high costs and weak growth prospects. EY also points out that frustration stemming from regulatory complexity has increased across the continent.

European Commission criticises ’ over weak industrial strategy

02/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

According to a document seen by Euronews, the European Commission will urge ’ to adopt an industrial strategy aimed at reducing regional inequalities, reforming the tax system and strengthening the capital market.

The recommendations are scheduled to be published on 3 June’, and Italy, the priority of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’, represents a strong push by the EU institution to improve ’'s competitiveness.

Since taking office, Ursula von der Leyen has placed European ’'s global competitiveness at the center of her political agenda amid geopolitical uncertainties.

To achieve this, the Commission is forcing member states to accelerate reforms.

‘Weak’ is an industrial strategy

The document, which may still be subject to last-minute changes, sharply criticises the absence of a strong industrial strategy and the inequalities between North and South.

It identifies the causes of excessive fragmentation of incentives, lack of prioritization of strategic sectors, and poor coordination between industry, infrastructure, and research policies.

While “'s stagnant productivity remains a characteristic feature of Italy, it also reflects the vast gulfs between the northern and southern regions, the ’ statement said, adding that infrastructure vulnerabilities are among the main factors limiting its competitiveness.

The document states that although the government presents the “ White Paper, ”Made in Italy 2030’, in which the industrial strategy is defined, there are no clear policy actions and governance structure for the “ industry policy.

An industry plan can benefit from a more prosperous capital market; For this reason, the Commission recommends “ to support the mobilization of ” savings, expansion of capital markets and growth and clustering of firms.

Strong criticism of tax

The European Commission has sharply criticised Italy's tax regime, which has been described as overly dependent on ’'s workforce.

The Commission recommends that shifting the tax burden from labor to other less-used sources of income that cause less damage to growth will help increase economic potential.

He also criticizes the fixed tax regime for self-employed people, suggesting that this makes the tax system “ quite complex, as ” undermines profitability and erodes the tax base, leading to significant loss of income.

The Commission recommends that “ make the tax system more conducive to sustainable growth while ensuring justice, including further combating ” tax evasion and reducing remaining tax expenditures, including those related to value-added tax and environmentally harmful subsidies.

25 million Euros invested, 150 million Euros earned: ’ miraculous return of Papa‘'s visit to ’

02/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

Pope Leo XIV’'s visit to Spain will leave much more than crowded images and a busy pastoral schedule. According to estimates submitted by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), Pope ’'s seven-day stay in the country will cost around 25m euros, but could also generate an economic return of over 150m euros. Income of five euros for every euro invested.

“, deputy general coordinator of the visit and deputy secretary for Central and Eastern European Economic Affairs, said on Tuesday that at the moment we estimate that the consolidated budget, of course, will amount to 25 million euros, before all the figures are finalized.” said. Fernando Giménez Barriocanal, At a press conference.

The numbers are still temporary and explained. Just days before the arrival of the Holy Father ’ at Madrid’e,Next Saturday, provide a frame of reference for the dioceses participating in the trip: Madrid, City of Barcelona, the Gran CanaryAnd then there's Tenerife. In any case, Giménez Barriocanal stressed that the financial dimension of the bishop's visit pales alongside its spiritual and social impact: That's why we don't do this. - “

The total budget, About the approx. ’i will go directly to planned eventsThe rest will cover logistics, communications and general organization. The Episcopal Conference will cover about 1.4m euros for the expenses of the papal delegation, such as accommodation and transportation, accreditation, rite-related supplies and equipment for volunteers.

The fund will be split between donations from philanthropists and corporations, dioceses and contributions from the Church, in particular supports from public authorities in the Canary Islands and Catalonia’, and small contributions from believers through channels such as Bizum. When the visit is over, Accounts will be audited by a specialist companyPrepare a final report.

The ObservaTUR figures: Instant effect and “ show effect”

The report was more cautious in its predictions. (source in Spanish)Prepared by ObservaTUR, which reveals the immediate economic impact of the visit Between €90 and €125 million. The study distinguishes between the cost of organizing the trip and the money that actually changes hands. sectors such as accommodation, food service, retail or transportationand Leo XIV’in refuses to equate his trip with important events such as World Youth Day.

According to the report, the visit is closer to the intermediate format: seven days, four venues and wide coverage in international media. This combination increases tourism spending and distributes income to various regions, but it does not reach the exceptional scale of events with total economic impact, such as World Youth Day held in 2011’de Madrid’. Reached €354.3 millionSpain is in ’.

ObservaTUR still insists The effect of the so-called “vitrinThe importance of ”– tourism in the medium term beyond the event week, especially the ability to strengthen religious and cultural tourism –.

In this context, the report suggests the impact of: Holy Father’'s visit “is not limited to a week's consumption”“ emphasizes that the accelerating effect on faith tourism did not end when the visit ended. Hence the XIV. Leo’'s trip “iki concludes that ” should be understood at the stage: With an instant and measurable cash injection of about 100 million euros and increased interest in Spain’, perhaps even more valuable“ is another effect.

Hotels are full, restaurants are full

This effect is already felt in the industry. Platforms like Booking.com have identified A sharp increase in accommodation searchesBarcelona’da in cities on the Papal route and Madrid’de %There was an increase of 46.

Hotel associations are waiting high occupancy rates and an increase in average pricesespecially in the capital, where international demand accounts for more than half of reservations.

Holiday rental and restaurant trade will also benefit from the visitor profile, families and groups that will often extend their stay. Bars and restaurants in central areas of Madrid and Barcelona say Papa’ is already fully booked for key days on its schedule (source in Spanish). The tourism sector in ’ also highlights the promotional value of Papa’'s presence, strengthened by hundreds of accredited journalists.

Bad Bunny vs Leo XIV: Double support for Madrid

Leo XIV’'s visit will also coincide with Puerto Rican artist's concerts in Madrid’ The bad rabbitThis is a combination that strengthens expectations for tourism activity and consumer spending in the Spanish capital of ’. Both events, the qualities of which are very different from each other, will bring tens of thousands of local and foreign visitors to the city on the same days, hotel rooms increase the demand for transportation and food and beverages.

Industry sources suggest that it's unusual for major events to overlap in this way, and Acts as an additional demand accelerator. While the papal program attracts loyalists, pilgrims and international media, the concerts will attract a young audience with a high tendency to spend on entertainment, accommodation and food. The result will be a cumulative impact that strengthens Madrid’'s image of staging major events and multiplies the short-term economic impact on the city.

While final figures are expected, the combination of moderate spending, high international visibility and strong tourist consumption explains the reason for Leo XIV’'s visit Shown as an example of exceptional profitability. It is a religious event that, at least in terms of direct economic impact, is expected to bring five times the amount of money invested and leave a legacy that can go far beyond the time spent in Spain’.

Artificial intelligence and energy security strengthen investment focus at Baku Energy Week 2026’

02/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

Global energy companies used the annual meeting in Azerbaijan’ to demonstrate how the sector is adapting to geopolitical uncertainty, while Baku Energy Week 2026’ discussed artificial intelligence, investment in production and gas security.

In two parallel venues, the Caspian Oil and Gas exhibition in ’ and the Baku Congress Center, the Baku Energy Forum in ’, managers and policymakers signaled that the next phase of the industry will increasingly depend on automation, digital infrastructure and commercially viable emission reduction.

Abid Malik, President of ACWA Power Central Asia, described Baku Energy Week as a growing international platform that brings together stakeholders from all over the energy sector, from hydrocarbons to renewable energies and infrastructure investments.

“This forum also offers an extremely good opportunity to discover more investment opportunities not only in Azerbaijan’, but also in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Eastern Europe’ said.

Malik said ACWA Power’ is currently investing about $740 million in Azerbaijan ’, including the 240-megawatt Khizi-Absheron wind project, which went into operation earlier this year and has already contributed more than 400 million kilowatt hours of electricity to the national grid.

He also highlighted the company's Caspian Sea desalination project, described as the first of its kind in Azerbaijan’ and the wider Caucasus region, where the first water production is expected in 2028’.

Going forward, Malik said, Azerbaijan’'s geographical location places it at the center of regional green energy corridors connecting Central Asia and Europe’.

“Azerbaijan will play a very important role, ” said.

Due to its geographical location, “ will elevate themselves to a different level on the global map with all these initiatives carried out together with Central Asia and Europe.”

A large part of the commercial focus at the Baku Expo Center’nde focused on operational technology.

Companies introduced AI-powered drilling systems, predictive analytics platforms, and automated monitoring tools designed to reduce production costs and increase efficiency in upstream operations.

Digital optimization has become a big priority for manufacturers trying to maintain their margins while maintaining output in a volatile pricing environment.

The use of artificial intelligence in exploration and drilling is rapidly advancing from experimental projects to large-scale implementation, executives said.

Real-time operational analysis, automated maintenance systems and digital field management tools are increasingly being adopted to reduce technical risks and improve recovery rates.

Climate and hydrocarbons

The event also reflects how climate pressure is reshaping investment priorities in the hydrocarbon sector.

Methane reduction technologies emerged as one of the dominant themes of the day, with companies providing leak detection systems, emission monitoring platforms and carbon management solutions aimed at reducing operational emissions without slowing down production growth.

Bilal Khadra, Borusan CAT Power and Energy Segment Leader, described Baku Energy Week’ as one of the leading energy events in the “Caspian region, bringing together governments, investors and energy companies from global markets.

The event is important because it promotes international energy cooperation, attracts foreign investment, and supports discussions on energy security, oil and gas development, and renewable energy, “ said.

Khadra also drew attention to the important trade agreements announced at the forum, including the 15-year natural gas agreement in which Turkey’ is connected to BOTAŞ, SOCAR, TotalEnergies and ADNOC’ to the offshore Absheron site of Azerbaijan’.

According to Khadra’, the event also reflects ’'s strategic position between energy resources in the Caspian region and European markets, and also serves as a platform for discussions on artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and cleaner energy investment.

Reductions in emissions

For many companies participating in the event, reducing emissions is no longer just an environmental obligation, but increasingly a financial and regulatory requirement linked to long-term competitiveness and investor confidence.

Industry representatives said that as energy markets evolve, international financial institutions and shareholders place greater emphasis on operational transparency, sustainability performance and emissions reporting.

Motorola Solutions Security Specialist Konstantin Grigorenko said the event is becoming increasingly important for companies seeking regional partnerships and investment opportunities in the broader Caspian energy sector.

“Yes, we specifically chose to participate in this event because it is also not about Azerbaijan’, Caspian and many different companies come here to show us who they are, what they do and what kind of things they are interested in and a lot of interesting people with whom we can discuss how we can help them, ” said.

Grigorenko also highlighted how energy security discussions are expanding beyond oil and gas infrastructure into renewable energy protection and digital monitoring systems.

Referring to large-scale solar energy investments, “ said that if you are building something, you should understand that it must be safe. “Usually they stay in a place where there is no one outside and you have to understand that no one is going to enter this area.”

He said security systems, including environmental protection, video surveillance and central monitoring systems for renewable energy parks, are increasingly being integrated into energy production.

The real question is that it should be very easy to use, and that's why people choose this type of solution, “ added.

Meanwhile, discussions at the Baku Convention Center ’ focused more on geopolitics, gas infrastructure and future investment flows into the Caspian region.

Europe’'s diversification effort and the Caspian basin

Executives and officials examined how Europe’'s long-term diversification strategy is reshaping gas partnerships and increasing the strategic importance of alternative supply corridors linking the Caspian basin to European markets.

Infrastructure development, export capacity and regional connectivity came to the fore in the opening sessions, especially at a time when producers were trying to establish long-term commercial partnerships in an environment where fluctuations in global energy markets continued.

Artificial intelligence has also played a central role in forum discussions surrounding exploration and field development.

Energy companies highlighted how predictive modeling, advanced seismic imaging and automated geological analysis help reduce search risks and improve business decision-making in both advanced and border energy regions.

Another important business theme was capital competition.

Participants discussed how oil and gas producers are increasingly competing for international investment, emphasizing operational efficiency, technological innovation and lower carbon production strategies while maintaining production-oriented growth.

The discussions reflected a broader shift in the global energy industry, where companies sought to position traditional hydrocarbon production alongside digital transformation and sustainability-focused investment strategies.

Baku Energy Week for AzerbaijanThe opening day of ’ also served as an opportunity to strengthen its role as both a regional energy supplier and a rising platform for energy technology, infrastructure cooperation and cross-border investment.

The events will continue throughout the week with expected additional discussions on Liquefied natural gas LNG development, regional transition projects, renewable integration and future investment trends in global energy markets.

Stellantis invests €1 billion in French operations for new HOUSING and hybrid production

02/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

Peugeot, Fiat and Jeep’ owner Stellantis said on Tuesday that from 2029’ will invest €1 billion in the Mulhouse plant in eastern France to develop and produce three new Peugeot electric or hybrid models.

This move comes at a time when European automakers are grappling with weak demand, increased global competition and tariffs in China’. At the same time, Chinese brands such as BYD, MG Motor and Chery are also gaining a place in the market. Europe’'s growing EV marketThis encourages automakers to invest heavily in new technologies and more affordable models.

Announcement forms part of Stellantis’in announcement Broader strategy of 60 billion Euro’We aim to restore profitability in the next five years. This also confirms the site plans outlined by French President Emmanuel Macron ’ last month.

According to Stellantis’e, the new vehicles will include compact sedans and SUV’s, which means that Peugeot’'s car sales in Europe are about %It will strengthen its position in the market segment that makes up its 30’.

Stellantis believes that the new models will be compact sedans and SUV’s, and that Peugeot’'s European car sales will be %The ’ key segment, which makes up its 30“, said it would strengthen its presence in ”.

European automakers are facing increasing pressure as they transition to cleaner vehicles, while competing with increasingly popular Chinese brands, many of which offer lower-cost electric models.

Earlier this year, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa admitted that the company overestimated demand for electric vehicles. The group then recorded a depreciation of €22 billion in connection with EV investments and launched a strategic review.

Since then, Stellantis has introduced a new STLA One electric vehicle platform designed to reduce production costs and accelerate the development of new models.

The world's fourth-largest automaker is concentrating its resources on four of its 14 brands (Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep and Ram), while Europe has a production capacity in ’ that is equivalent to about 800,000 vehicles per year. %Reduces by 20.

The company is also expanding its cooperation with Chinese partners to strengthen sales in France, ’da and abroad. Chinese automaker Dongfeng recently signed a joint venture agreement with Stellantis covering its production, sales and engineering activities in Europe’.

Unemployment fell to its lowest level since May 2007, as employment in ’ hit a record high

02/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

The labor market rebounded in May, traditionally marked by the start of hiring in conjunction with the summer season. Number of people registeredThe number of employment offices decreased by 36,323 compared to April to 2.32 million, Lowest figure since 2007’ in MayAccording to data released Tuesday by the Ministries of Labour and Participation, Social Security and Migration.

Compared to the same month last year, unemployment fell by 134,162 people. The decline has spread to all productive sectors, but a slight increase was noted in the group of people who had not previously worked in any job.

Social Security membership continued to increase. An average of 231,975 contributors were added to the system during the month, with the total number reaching 22.3 million registered employees, the highest level since the start of comparable registrations. Seasonally adjusted figure that corrects calendar effectsAfter 64 consecutive months of growth, the number of employees reached 22.1 million.

Record levels of membership were repeated in different population groups, including youth, women, men, self-employed and foreign nationals. The second reached 3.36 million.contributors and currently all registered employees are approx. %They make up 15 ’ini.

The hospitality sector was the most job-generating sector in May, with nearly 66,000 more registrations than in April. Thus, the sector is approaching 1.68 million participantsIt is due to the increase in tourism and service activities depending on the summer.

Significant gains were also noted in administrative and support service activities; About 27,000 registered workers were added last month, leaving close to 1.5 million workers behind. Health activities and social services on an annual basisWith more than 77,000 registered employees, it has made the biggest contribution to employment growth.

The private agriculture plan regained membership in May, adding about 21,000 participants, although it still showed a negative balance compared to the previous year. In turn, the special program for housekeepersIt continued to reduce the number of registered members on both a monthly and an annual basis.

The rate of self-employment also reached a new record; 3.46 million people are self-employed. Nearly 46,000 self-employed have joined the system in the last 12 monthsespecially in professional, scientific and technical activities. By gender, Social Security’te recorded 11.7 million men depositing premiums and 10.6 million women depositing premiums. Women are all working people now. %It's 47.45 ’ini.

In terms of unemployment, the number of unemployed women fell to 1.4 million, the lowest level since 2008 ’ in May. Even so, it stays on a little over 900,000’ menRegistered as unemployed. Youth unemployment fell again to 164,955 people under the age of 25, the lowest level since the beginning of the series. The number of unemployed women in this group was less than that of men.

The largest sector-by-sector drop in unemployment was in the services sector, with 29,829 fewer unemployed than in April. Unemployment has also declined in industry, construction and agriculture.The only group that increased were people who had never worked in any business before.

Regional differences continued to be important. The Balearic Islands recorded the largest monthly reduction in unemployment and the largest increase in membership, with almost 48,200 more participants than in April. On an annual basis, Madrid takes a leading position in job creation in absolute numbersThere are 127,841 more registered workers than a year ago.

In May, 572,061 permanent contracts were signed for recruitment, which %He created 43.2’sini. Such contracts have increased both compared to the previous monthand in the year to date.

In the meantime, Latest available data on unemployment protectionThe figure, which corresponds to April, shows that 1.78 million social benefits have been paid. The average amount received per beneficiary reached 1,168.30 euros per month; This was 22.6 euros more than a year ago.

According to the report, the state subsidy of China’ is eight times higher than that of OECD’.

01/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

Chinese companies received three to eight times more subsidies than Western companies between 2005 and 2024, according to a report released Monday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The findings came at a time when European policymakers were trying to halt the wave of low-cost Chinese imports in sectors ranging from metals to chemicals, from cars to green technologies.

Last week the European Commission held a ’ orientation debate in Brussels“ and concluded that the current state of the ” trade and investment relationship [with China] is not sustainable“.

The OECD warned that state aid risks disrupting the playing field. According to OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, “, large and permanent industrial subsidies can disrupt global markets, create unfair competitive advantages and contribute to oversupply capacity.

The report noted that Chinese firms benefit from government support through grants and under-market borrowing (BMB), with the latter being “, which is particularly large.

The report noted that this support is provided by the structure of “'s financial system, especially the fact that most corporate loans are issued by state banks and policy banks at rates close to the China’'s one-year lending reference point.

Global government subsidies are concentrated in sectors such as solar panels, semiconductors and heavy industries such as steel and aluminum.

Average assistance for wind turbines is a measure of global company revenue for the period 2005-2024. %It took place at the level of 1’i. But subsidies for Chinese companies have consistently exceeded “ 2% over the past 15 years, and ” more than once exceeded ’ 5% per year.

The support is even more pronounced in semiconductors. The OECD estimates that subsidies are the average of company income worldwide. %2’sini constitutes, but “China-based subsidies for companies in 2021 and 2022’ company revenues are almost ’ stated that he had reached ”.

The EU says some Chinese subsidies are unfair commercial practices and is investigating the products one by one. In 2022’de also adopted the Regulation on Foreign Subsidies, which allows the Commission’ to investigate foreign companies receiving government support when entering merger or public tender procedures in the bloc.

Wise under Belgian investigation over alleged money laundering control failures

01/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

Belgian prosecutors are in the advanced stages of an investigation into money transfer company Wise over suspicions that criminal groups are using their accounts for money laundering, officials said on Monday.

The Brussels prosecutor's office said it launched the investigation last year after the British firm's name repeatedly appeared in hundreds of requests for assistance from investigative authorities in other countries.

Prosecution spokesman AFP’ye said in a statement, first confirming the information reported by the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) network, the “Investigation is currently at an advanced stage and approaching the conclusion.” said.

“The findings are primarily related to the use of Wise accounts for criminal purposes, in particular with indications that anti-money laundering legislation has not been complied with due to the inability to identify customers and their activities.”

Investigators are examining whether criminal groups are using Wise services to launder proceeds from illegal activities, including fraud, corruption and drug trafficking.

The investigation focuses on Wise Europe’, the Belgian-based European subsidiary of the firm, which says it is cooperating with prosecutors and responding to requests for information about its business.

The company said in a statement that such requests for information are a normal part of “operations and are not indicative of any misconduct or non-compliance with anti-money laundering requirements on their own.

The company, “, has not shared any specific findings with us to date, ” added.

Wise, which has more than 19 million active customers worldwide, says it handles about 4.7 million transactions per day.

The company said it processed more than $243 billion (€213 billion) in cross-border transactions during fiscal year 2026.

London Stock Exchange at noonWise shares in ’ approx. %He's down 15.

President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he will invest 93 billion Euros in ‘ investments.

01/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

French President Emmanuel Macron said at an international conference on Monday that he expects foreign investment of €93 billion in “rekor”, including artificial intelligence and data centers.

Macron’'s annual “FranceChoose ’ event is expected to feature nearly 200 ” executives from around the world at the Versailles palace west of Paris’.

The projects announced at last year's conference set a record of 20 billion Euro’.

But according to a figure from Macron’'s office, the money pledged for this year is expected to exceed a total of 87 billion Euro’ collected over the past eight years.

Macron, “FranceChoose ’This edition of ’ alone will allow clarification of a record amount of approved investment of €93 billion for more than 15,000’ jobs. By far a record edition and a historic event, ” said.

Macron said the commitments included 45 billion Euro’s from Japanese technology investor SoftBank’.

Its founder, Masayoshi Son, said he would spend 75 billion euros on artificial intelligence infrastructure over the weekend, of which 45 billion euros will be spent on data centers in northern France, ’, by 2031.

Macron said other investments will be spent on “artificial intelligence, data centers”, as well as semiconductors, critical minerals, tractors and trucks, steel and healthcare.

‘EuropeanComputer capabilities in ’

Macron said that the projects will help “ to become the leading country hosting ’ France's data centers by far” and “ Europe’ to computing capacity in ”, as well as creating an advanced foundation for the production of “ya artificial intelligence robots and industrialization through artificial intelligence.

Compared to the US and China, “Europe is clearly bridging the gap we have in computing capacity at ’, ” added.

SoftBank’'s Son, France, said ’'s nuclear-powered electricity was an important factor in choosing France’.

Now we can convert electricity into higher-value intelligence as “hammad, including for export, ” added.

Canadian asset manager Brookfield will invest $10 billion (€8.5 billion) in a data center in the Escaudain region of northern France.

Investment firm Ardian and Scandinavian data platform Verne will invest $5 billion (€4.2 billion) in a data center in the Paris region.

US firm Salesforce has announced that it will invest $2 billion (€1.7 billion) by 2030, including its artificial intelligence center in Paris’.

Taiwanese group Foxconn’ is expected to invest €120 million in the western city of Angers for a motherboard production line for artificial intelligence in partnership with French supercomputer expert Bull, sources told AFP news agency.

Earlier this month, France's retail giant Amazon said it would invest more than €15 billion in ’ over the next three years to create 7,000 jobs, adding that it would create an extra 1,000 jobs at three logistics centers.

‘Most foreign investments’

Announcements about rare earth elements were also presented at the conference.

According to the Élysée Palace’, a year after Macron’ came to power, 2018Select the first ’France“ in ’Since ”, more than 230’ projects representing several thousand jobs have been announced.

France has attracted the most foreign investment in Europe ’ for seven years in a row, according to consultancy EY’, but Macron said this did not come out of “.

EY, France’ pulled 852’ out of 5,026 projects recorded in 47 European countries last year, making this a challenge in the international environment. %He said it was a fall of 17’.

The country received more interest from AI-related projects than elsewhere in Europe’, but the industry, particularly the automobile, chemical and metallurgical sectors, suffered.

Economist Sylvain Bersinger said the announcements at Versailles’ should not overshadow the fact that overall institutional investment in “France’ is stagnant, that reindustrialization is more of a religious wish than a reality, and that France’ does not look more attractive to foreign investors than its neighbors.

Macron wants to make ’ a world leader in artificial intelligence and has announced a public investment of €1.55 billion to develop quantum technologies and semiconductors.

EasyJet shares bullish as Castlelake’ weighs possible buyout offer

01/06/2026 by the Logistics TransportIn the the General Assembly

British low-cost airline easyJet said in a statement published on Monday that US-based private investment firm Castlelake’ had registered interest in the possible takeover. After the news, the airline's shares are in early transactions %Increased by more than 12’.

Castlelake confirmed the rumors on Friday, saying that “ is in the early stages of evaluating a possible proposal, stressing that no approach has yet been taken to the easyJet board of directors. “There can be no certainty as to whether any offer will be made or the terms of any offer.”

The British low-cost airline, “, said in a statement that it was clear about the Board's task of targeting maximizing shareholder value and would consider any proposals if they were made. However, “ added that the Board would be particularly careful about its valuation and deliverability in any assessment.

Dan Coatsworth, market manager at AJ Bell, said “EasyJet’'s largest shareholders are unlikely to accept a takeover offer unless there is a knockout price.

Coatsworth said the airline is facing its toughest period since the Covid-19 pandemic, largely due to rising jet fuel prices linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz ’ following the conflict involving Iran’.

The airline's statement also stated: “Kurul points out the extremely opportunistic timing when easyJet’'s share price temporarily falls due to the current situation in the Middle East’ and its impact on customer confidence and jet fuel prices.”

easyJet shares in London’ on Monday morning %In 12 increments, 445.80p was traded from ’. Due to increased fuel costs and travel cuts caused by conflicts in the Middle East’, there has been a 23 percent drop in the last 12 months.

EasyJet added that “ remains in a strong position, backed by strong customer satisfaction and high employee engagement, as well as a net cash position, an investable balance sheet, and is highly confident in the company's strategy and ” ability to deliver attractive long-term value to “ shareholders.

“Board highlights significant regulatory, financial and other implementation challenges related to the potential takeover of easyJet’.”

Coatsworth, “Given its history of investment linked to the aviation industry, there is a logic to Castlelake’'s interest in this business, ” said. The biggest unknown is whether easyJet will want to run “ in its current form or simply reverse it when market conditions improve.’

Under UK takeover rules, Castlelake’ has until 26 June’ to either make an official offer for easyJet or announce that it has no intention of continuing.