UniCredit and the European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the EIB Group, have signed a new InvestEU guarantee agreement designed to significantly scale up financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The €445 million facility is expected to unlock up to €890 million in new lending, strengthening access to capital in a region where SMEs play
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Banks operating in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe (CESEE) report increasingly positive trends in credit demand and lending conditions, according to the latest CESEE Bank Lending Survey by the European Investment Bank (EIB). While demand for credit remains strong—particularly from companies—banks also expect a modest improvement in credit supply following a period of contraction, suggesting a gradual rebalancing of regional credit markets.
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Greece tapped international capital markets for the first time in 2026, issuing a new 10-year sovereign bond maturing in January 2036, in a move that underlined renewed investor confidence in the country’s credit profile. The issuance raised €4 billion, exceeding the initial target of €3 billion, amid exceptionally strong demand, with total bids surpassing €45 billion. Borrowing costs have fallen sharply since
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Commodities are poised for attractive returns in 2026, supported by tightening supply-demand dynamics, elevated geopolitical uncertainty, and long-term structural shifts such as the global energy transition. According to forecasts from UBS, commodities are expected to play a more prominent role in diversified portfolios, particularly as traditional asset classes face valuation and macroeconomic challenges. UBS analysts highlight industrial metals as one of the
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Greece’s Alpha Bank closed 2025 with a series of landmark strategic moves that reshaped its investment banking and capital markets footprint, while laying the foundations for an ambitious expansion phase in 2026. The completion of key acquisitions alongside the rapid deepening of its partnership with UniCredit, marked a defining chapter for the Group as it strengthened fee-generating activities, enhanced advisory capabilities and
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Switzerland has officially entered a new phase of open finance with the launch of multibanking for private individuals. Customers of eight Swiss banks and two third-party providers can now connect multiple bank accounts and view consolidated financial information within a single application. More than 30 banks already provide the required data interfaces, enabling a seamless and secure exchange of account information. Through
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Lunate, the Abu Dhabi–based global investment management firm, has unveiled the Boreas range of thematic and specialty Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), marking a milestone in the regional asset management landscape. The series launches with the Boreas Solactive Quantum Computing UCITS ETF, offering investors access to one of the most transformative technologies of the future. The new ETF is managed by Lunate Capital
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Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) has unveiled draft rules that would allow licensed financial institutions to offer robo-advisory services, marking a major step in the kingdom’s ongoing drive to modernize its financial sector and broaden investment options for retail and institutional investors alike. The CMA said on Tuesday it is inviting public feedback on the proposed regulations, with a consultation period
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The merger between UniCredit Bank S.A. and Alpha Bank România S.A. has been successfully completed, marking a major milestone for Italy’s UniCredit Group in Eastern Europe. The combined entity now holds 11% market share in assets, 13% in loans, and 11% in deposits, positioning it as Romania’s third-largest banking group. With a network of 300 branches and 900 ATMs, the new UniCredit
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Fitch Ratings maintained Romania’s investment-grade credit status on Friday, keeping its “BBB-” rating but warning that the outlook remains “negative” due to mounting fiscal imbalances. “The Negative Outlook reflects the significant deterioration of Romania’s public finances, demonstrated by a large fiscal deficit and rapidly rising government debt/GDP,” the agency said. Last year, Romania posted a budget deficit of over 9% of GDP,
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