Europe

The latest Coface Romania study shows that in H1 2024, 3,684 new insolvency proceedings were opened, an increase of 8.32% compared to the same period of last year. There is also a deterioration in the payment behavior of companies, the number of payment incidents being 29% higher compared to the same period in 2023, Business-Review.eu reported. The data also indicate a 73% increase in the number of insolvencies among companies with business over EUR 5 million, compared to the same period of 2023.
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Sweden’s Northvolt AB will shed 20% of its global workforce and pause its expansion plans to slow cash outflows as the battery-making firm confronts a burgeoning financial crisis, Bloomberg News reported. The company, which has struggled in its mission to stand up a home-grown supply of electric-vehicle batteries in Europe, said it will reduce its Swedish workforce by 1,600 positions as part of a strategic review that was announced this month. The money-saving move comes as Northvolt continues to negotiate a new financing pact with its creditors and investors.
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Vue International, the closely held European cinema chain, is working with financial advisers to evaluate options including a sale after receiving takeover inquiries, Bloomberg News reported. CVC Capital Partners Plc and Elliott Management Corp. are among the potential bidders that have expressed interest in acquiring the chain. The deliberations are at an early stage and there is no certainty of a deal. If purchased, Vue could become a vehicle for consolidation in the theater industry, allowing the company to expand into new markets and cut overlapping costs.
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The eurozone economy contracted as the third quarter drew to a close, while inflationary pressures cooled, according to a series of business surveys released on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported. The surveys suggest that a soft landing from the surge in inflation that accompanied Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine could be in doubt.
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