On Monday, hundreds of consumers flocked to the Casa store in Mechelen, Belgium, eager to take advantage of significant discounts as part of the store's total liquidation sale, The Pinnacle Gazette reported. Customers began gathering outside the store as early as 8:00 AM, and by the time the doors opened at 10:15 AM, a line stretching approximately 100 meters had formed. The Casa liquidation, featuring a remarkable 50% off all items, is being conducted across the ten most successful branches of the chain and is supervised by VH Auctions.

Ralph & Russo is teetering on the brink of insolvency for a second time as the haute couture fashion house struggles to stay relevant under new ownership, The Times reported. The luxury brand originally founded by Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo in 2010 has filed for protection from creditors three years after it was rescued out of bankruptcy by American investors.

Official figures Friday showed that the British economy, the world’s sixth-largest, enjoyed a growth spurt in February, the month before U.S. President Donald Trump started to roll out tariffs on imported goods, the Associated Press reported. The Office for National Statistics found that the British economy grew by 0.5% in February, ahead of market expectations for a more modest increase of 0.2%. It also revised up January’s figure to no change from the previous estimate of a 0.1% decline. Were these more normal times, hopes for the year ahead would be high.

German affiliate network belboon GmbH has filed for bankruptcy, according to multiple reports from clients and a ruling from the Nuremberg District Court, Hello Partner reported. Established in 2002, belboon has grown over the years to become one of the leading affiliate networks in the German-speaking market and has expanded its presence internationally, including in the U.K., Spain, Italy, France and the Nordics. But now, in a move described as “surprising,” the Berlin-based network has filed for bankruptcy.

Despite promising contracts and claims of superior technology compared to competitors like Tesla, Lithuanian Vėjo projektai, the company behind the Dancer electric buses, has fallen into bankruptcy, according to a post shared by its co-founder Alvydas Naujekas, ain reported. Not being ready for the pandemic-caused crisis, the company has started its restructuring and began its collaboration with the investment fund NuCapital in July 2022, when the fund lent €1.8 million to Vėjo projektams.

In March 2025, the Netherlands saw a significant decline in the number of business bankruptcies, according to figures released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), NL Times reported. A total of 271 companies were declared bankrupt, marking the lowest number in over a year and a half. This represents a 20 percent decrease compared to March 2024 and a 25 percent drop from February 2025. However, bankruptcies in the hospitality sector are on the rise. The bankruptcy rate in March 2025 stood at 7.4 bankruptcies per 100,000 businesses, a decrease from the 9.5 rate recorded in March 2024.

Germany’s economy is likely to be more or less stagnant in 2025 after shrinking for two years, and the impact of U.S. tariffs could weigh down an already unimpressive showing, leading think tanks forecast Thursday, the Associated Press reported. Germany has Europe’s biggest economy and is the 27-nation European Union’s most populous member. Five economic institutes said in a regular update that they expect minimal growth of 0.1% this year — down from the 0.8% they forecast in September. They predicted growth of 1.3% in 2026.

A civil court in Turin, Italy, has ruled admissible a class action suit against Stellantis concerning potentially faulty airbags made by Japanese automotive parts company Takata, Stellantis and two consumer groups behind the legal action said on Monday, Reuters reported. Affected vehicle owners have 150 days to join the class action, the two consumer groups Codacons and Altroconsumo said in two separate statements. They added that a court hearing on the case had been adjourned to November 21. Similar legal actions against Stellantis have already been launched in France.

Montenegro's shipping company Crnogorska Plovidba will lease out two ships to local peer Barska Plovidba to raise cash for a delayed loan repayment and avoid imminent bankruptcy, said the Montenegrin government, which controls both companies, SeeNews.com reported. A detailed analysis of the maritime affairs ministry has found that Crnogorska Plovidba is "over-indebted and illiquid and unable to service its liabilities," with current dues to the government alone totalling 36.2 million euro ($41.1 million), the government said in a statement on Friday.

The deputy leader of Lancashire County Council has defended the authority’s debt levels after Nigel Farage claimed it was on the brink of “bankruptcy,” the Lancashire Post reported. Alan Vincent said the borrowed money was being used to fund key projects and assets that benefit residents – and insisted County Hall’s finances were sound. The Reform UK leader made the allegation during a campaign visit to West Lancashire on Wednesday, ahead of next month’s local elections. He said that it was costing the county council £135,000 a day in interest to service its borrowing needs.