CNBC International

The European Central Bank announced a 25-basis-point interest rate cut on Thursday. ➡️ It's the fifth cut since the central bank began easing monetary policy in June last year. ➡️ The ECB is grappling with balancing a re-acceleration of euro area inflation in recent months with sluggish economic growth in the region. Find out more here: https://cnb.cx/40RwwtT

The U.K. government announced a £20 million ($24.8 million) investment in Orbex, a Scottish spaceflight startup aiming to rival Elon Musk’s SpaceX. ➡️ Orbex, which specializes in small and medium-sized rockets, is aiming to launch its Prime spacecraft for the first time toward the end of 2025. ➡️ The government said its investment in Orbex would boost its ambition to regularly launch U.K.-made rockets from British soil. Read more here: cnb.cx/3CuB5Ro

The German economy shrank by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in the three months ending in December, according to preliminary data released by Germany’s statistics office Destatis on Thursday. ➡️ Analysts polled by Reuters had been expecting the gross domestic product (GDP) to decline by 0.1%. ➡️ Household and government consumption expenditures increased, but exports were “significantly lower” than in the previous quarter, German statistics agency Destatis said. Read more here: cnb.cx/4hA1Z9v

A sharp spike in U.K. borrowing costs this year triggered memories of the 2022 “mini-budget” crisis, which rocked the country’s pension funds. ➡️ However, industry participants told CNBC pension funds have kept their cool this time around. ➡️ One portfolio manager said higher yields have actually been a “nice little opportunity for pension schemes.” Read more here: https://cnb.cx/4jCKOWz

Indian equities have been sliding since September, as foreign investors spooked by a slowdown in the country’s economy exit their holdings. Analysts see this as a “healthy correction.” ➡️ India’s benchmark stock indexes the Nifty 50 and Sensex are hovering at more than seven-month lows, firmly in correction territory since their September high. ➡️ Domestic sectors such as real estate, energy and autos have been the biggest decliners, data from Goldman Sachs showed. Read more here: cnb.cx/40SWTzC

Chinese travelers are canceling plans to visit Thailand during the Lunar New Year break, as concerns over the kidnapping of actor Wang Xing continue to reverberate through the country. ➡️ Net booking volume for trips to Thailand fell 15.6% from Jan. 13 to Jan. 20, after news of the rescue of Wang from a scamming compound along the Thai-Myanmar border. ➡️ Some Chinese travelers are also canceling trips to Vietnam and Singapore, which China Trading Desk CEO Subramania Bhatt called “collateral damage.” Read CNBC Travel editor Monica Pitrelli's report here: cnb.cx/3Epx6pO

Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML expects new low-cost models like the one rolled out by China’s DeepSeek to lead to more — rather than less — demand for AI chips, CEO Christophe Fouquet told CNBC Wednesday. ➡️ Without addressing the specifics of DeepSeek AI’s newly revealed R1 model, ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet told CNBC he sees no sign of a slowdown in demand for AI-focused chips. ➡️ While acknowledging there is “a lot of discussion” surrounding DeepSeek, the ASML CEO said his company hasn’t heard from customers asking about the impact the Chinese firm’s model will have on chip demand. Read Ryan Browne's report here: cnb.cx/4hqWDxg

Dutch semiconductor giant ASML on Wednesday reported a big jump in fourth-quarter net bookings, suggesting strong demand for its advanced chipmaking tools even as DeepSeek’s low-cost model raises concerns over AI spending. ➡️ The semiconductor equipment maker said that its 2025 full-year sales outlook remains unchanged from its previous guidance of between 30 billion and 35 billion euros of total revenue. ➡️ CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal spoke to ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet at the company's headquarters in Veldhoven, Netherlands. Read more here: cnb.cx/40SjSed

The German government on Wednesday slashed its gross domestic product forecast to just 0.3% growth in 2025. ➡️ This is down from a previous forecast of 1.1% growth, but broadly in line with estimates from bodies like the International Monetary Fund. ➡️ “The diagnosis is serious,” Robert Habeck, economy and climate minister, said during a press conference, according to a CNBC translation. He noted that, while there are some positive developments such as rising demand for credit, “Germany is stuck in stagnation.” Read Sophie Kiderlin's report here: cnb.cx/4aESTG0

U.K. Finance Minister Rt Hon Rachel Reeves on Wednesday unveiled plans to deliver a shot in the arm for the country’s ailing economy, signaling she backs the long-delayed expansion of one of the world’s busiest airports. ➡️ In a major growth speech in Oxfordshire, Reeves said that a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport was “badly needed,” adding it would boost investment, support economic expansion and could create as many as 100,000 jobs. ➡️ The ruling center-left The Labour Party has repeatedly pledged to prioritize economic growth, with Reeves last week telling reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that this mission is more important to the government than its net-zero emissions target. Read more here: cnb.cx/40HKMEq