Gold Rush 2.0: Ultimate safe haven in face of geopolitical fragmentation
Gold continues to be a key safe-haven asset resulting in sustained upward pressure on prices.
Gold continues to be a key safe-haven asset resulting in sustained upward pressure on prices.
Only half of the CEE countries saw an increase in turnover among the top 500 companies, revealing disparities in economic performance.
While the US economy looks set for a soft landing, the eurozone continues to face many uncertainties, particularly in the industrial sector.
Despite €3 billion mobilised through the European Battery Alliance created in 2017, only 3% of the investment needed in the battery supply chain has been made.
In the first 6 months of 2024, 68,223 new companies were registered, this being the lowest value in recent semesters, including the first semester of 2019.
Nine countries experienced a higher number of insolvencies, and three countries recorded a decrease (Bulgaria, Croatia and Latvia).
Construction and real estate sectors are among the most cyclical sectors. Sensitive to changes in the labour market, prices and the interest rate, they are currently under strain.

Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) has entered the Han Asparuh offshore exploration joint venture in the Bulgarian Black Sea with a 10% interest.
Romanian communication consultancy Graffiti Plus (GRF+) is opening its private placement round on January 22, targeting retail investors ahead of its planned listing on the Bucharest Stock Exchange's AeRO market in H1 2026.
Only three in ten (30%) global CEOs are confident their companies will have higher revenues in the next 12 months, according to the PwC Global CEO Survey 2026, launched at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. This percentage is the lowest in five years.
The Black Sea Energy Cooperation Association (Besca) has begun operations in Romania as a platform for collaboration among investors, developers, and experts involved in renewable energy projects across the Black Sea region.
While the EU discusses applying handling fees for parcels worth less than €150 from non-EU countries, Romania and Italy have decided to implement it this year.