HSBC, SocGen and BNP Paribas raided in France as part of ‘cum cum’ tax probe March 28, 2023 French authorities today raided the Paris offices of five major banks – including HSBC, BNP Paribas, and Société Générale – in relation to an ongoing fraud and money laundering investigation. In a statement, France’s national fraud prosecutor said the raids relate to a preliminary investigation into so-called ‘cum cum’ schemes, which was opened in December [...]
UK military risks NATO downgrade, security think tank warns February 16, 2023 Britain risks no longer being NATO’s top military power in Europe, a think tank report has warned, in the midst of growing security issues. The French military has more troops, jets and ships than the UK, despite spending £13bn less on defence, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) found. France boasts 203,250 personnel compared [...]
French asset manager Amundi takes hit from turbulent European markets July 29, 2022 French asset manager Amundi today said the value of the assets it manages has dropped by 4.75 per cent compared to three months ago, due to “unfavourable” market conditions. The Paris headquartered firm said net incomes for the first half of the year were 16 per cent lower than a year ago, as it said [...]
Atos finance chief to exit firm in wake of IT consultancy’s plans to split June 19, 2022 Atos yesterday said its chief financial officer is set to leave his job, just days after the French IT consultancy’s chief executive, Rodolphe Belmer, said he is exiting the company, after it set out plans to split into two, separate, listed firms. The exit comes as shares in Atos have lost more than half their value [...]
Atos chief exec leaves job after French IT firm sets out plans to split June 14, 2022 Atos chief executive Rodolphe Belmer today left his position as chief executive of the French IT consultancy, following a boardroom spat over plans to split Atos’ business into two separate, publicly-listed firms. The French exec, who only took on his new role January, is now set to be replaced by two new deputy CEOs, who [...]
France’s presidential fight between Macron and Le Pen enters final hours: ‘It’s a choice between cholera and ebola today’ April 24, 2022 Emmanuel Macron is in pole position to win re-election in France’s presidential runoff today, but his lead over his far-right rival Marine Le Pen depends on how many voters decide to stay at home. A victory in today’s run-off vote would make Macron the first French president in 20 years to win a second term. [...]
Macron has not spoken to Putin since the Bucha massacre April 20, 2022 France’s president Emmanuel Macron has not spoken to Vladimir Putin since the massacre in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. The politician, who is seeking re-election, was heavily criticised for engaging with the Kremlin, speaking to its leader 18 times since December. “Since the massacres we have discovered in Bucha and in other towns, the war [...]
French Election 2022: Le Pen backs ‘rapprochement between Nato and Russia’ April 14, 2022 French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen has committed to a “rapprochement between Nato and Russia” if she gets elected. The right-wing candidate, who is facing off against incumbent Emmanuel Macron on 24 April, made her comments after a poll showed her as being on 47 per cent, to her rival’s 53. She said at a [...]
French Election 2022: Macron accuses Le Pen of secret ‘Frexit’ plan April 13, 2022 French president Emmanuel Macron has accused his right-wing rival Marine Le Pen of a secret ‘Frexit’ plan. The head of state made his comments as polls predicted a tight race for the top job, which comes to a head on 24 April. Speaking at a rally in eastern France, he said Le Pen is disguising [...]
French presidential race: Macron and Le Pen through to second round April 10, 2022 Exit polls have shown that Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are through to the next round of the French Presidential election race. Whilst each poll is slightly different, the BBC has reported that Macron held 28.1 per cent of the votes in the first round, far-right Le Pen scored 23.3 per cent. Left leaning [...]