Approval of capital increase by Fondiaria-Sai's controlling shareholder will lead to tie-up of the country's biggest insurers

Prices for waterfront homes in Hamburg, the Bavarian Alps and other beach resorts have risen up to 60 per cent in the past three years

Balderton has dumped its 13.5% stake in the Finnish group after allegations that one of its sites was playing host to sexually explicit content

The French spirits group is to pay a special dividend after robust sales of its premium cognac in the region increased full-year net profits by 57%

Deutsche Bank's co-chief executive addresses politicians and business leaders in Berlin in a show of commitment to the bank's domestic market

Analysts have cautioned that the underlying weakness of the Spanish economy will be a drag even on banks deemed the strongest by the IMF

The UK group is to pay at least £146m for Toctino, an oral medication developed by Basilea, as it seeks to diversify its dermatology division

Dutch navigation group's shares rise 12% after it announces deal to replace Google as the provider of maps for the iOS operating system

The company plans to make direct loans to European commercial property developers, taking advantage of a slowdown in lending by European banks

Move comes as premiums from traditional life assurance products fell an average 10% in 2011 while premiums from unit-linked life insurance rose 3%