Plan to privatise small stakes in eight state-controlled companies include 3% of ENI, and comes as Italy faces EU pressure to cut debt

The plea by the chief of Europe's sixth-biggest private equity group on Thursday was welcomed as groups in Europe and the US face criticism

France reels at sudden reappearance of man convicted 15 years ago for his part in one of bloodiest episodes involving armed leftists to hit Paris

The lira has been one of the worst performing emerging markets currencies since May and remains 12 per cent down against the dollar since January

Andrew Baum, analyst at Citi, said departure of Daniel Vasella had ‘materially elevated the importance of shareholder value within the group'

Experts say the measure will affect even Mittelstand groups – the small and medium-sized businesses which form the backbone of the Swiss economy

EC launches antitrust investigation into concerns that prices move in harmony because groups signal planned changes through public statements

Norwegian shipowner John Fredriksen increases his holding in Tui AG, the European tour operator, after selling shares in Tui Travel

Long-awaited amendments to the gas export law and the foreign trade law passed by the State Duma break Gazprom monopoly as of December 1

The EU remains ready to help the countries of the east with integration, reform and access, but it needs commitment

US fund managers, in particular, appear to have been making increasingly bullish bets on the eurozone's sluggish economic recovery speeding up

Featuring Forex chatroom ban, JPMorgan's $13bn settlement, Uralkali's chief extradited; Aberdeen's deal; and Ikea