Articles by Stefan Nicola and Birgit Jennen

Germany Reels from Flood ‘Catastrophe’; Insurers Expect Costly Claims for 2021

Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged swift help backed by “all the power of the state” for people affected by devastating flooding in western Germany, where at least 42 people have died and dozens are missing. Following heavy rain Wednesday night into …

EU Begins to Tackle Cyber Warfare with Targeted Sanctions

Taking a firm geopolitical stand, the European Union imposed sanctions on targeted individuals and entities from Russia, China and North Korea in a sign that it was tackling cyber warfare head on. As part of the measures, the six individuals …

UK, EU Officials Drop October Deadline for Brexit Divorce Deal: Sources

The UK and the European Union still say in public they want a Brexit deal wrapped up in the next seven weeks. Behind the scenes, though, senior officials on both sides admit this is unlikely. They now aim to finalize …

Allianz Plans $1.16B Share Buyback Amid Abundance of Capital

Allianz SE plans to buy back as much as 1 billion euros ($1.16 billion) of its shares amid an abundance of capital and returns crimped by low interest rates. Europe’s biggest insurer will buy back as much as 41.5 million …

Germany Moves Toward U.S.-Style Class-Actions, Benefiting VW Diesel Car Litigants

Germany will allow interest groups to sue on behalf of consumers, taking a tentative step toward U.S.-style class-action lawsuits in a bid to make it easier to collect damages from big companies in the aftermath of Volkswagen AG’s diesel-cheating scandal. …

Formal Brexit Talks Likely to Be Triggered in April 2017: UK Officials

Prime Minister Theresa May’s team is still leaning toward the first part of 2017 as the best moment to trigger the start of formal talks over the U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union, according to two British officials. While reports …