Buying Germany's Hidden Champions
Concrete pump manufacturer Putzmeister is the first top-tier German company to be acquired by a Chinese company eager to get its hands on Western know-how, but it is unlikely to be the last. The acquisition could be the start of a new strategy as China tries to transform itself into a high-tech economy. And the Germans might even benefit too. By Nils Klawitter and Wieland Wagner more...
Poor Performance
US automaker General Motors is reportedly losing its patience with its European unit Opel/Vauxhall. Steep losses may now result in factory closures and layoffs, including the Opel factory in Bochum, Germany, according to media reports. The labor conflict could be reminiscent of 2009, when GM elected not to sell Opel. more...
Concerned over Cracks
Australian airline Qantas has temporarily suspended flights with one of its A380 super jumbo jet aircraft after hairline cracks were found. In the light of the discovery, Europe's aviation safety authority has ordered inspections on all the Airbus double-decker planes in service. more... [ Forum ]
Emissions Scheme Dispute
China said on Monday it was forbidding its airlines from joining a European Union carbon emissions scheme to protect the climate. The companies now face fines or may even be barred from landing at EU airports. The dispute comes as the EU is looking to China to help tackle the euro debt crisis. more...
Ackermann's Swan Song
Outgoing Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann presided over his final annual press conference on Thursday. His legacy will be that of transforming Germany's largest financial institution into a profit machine. But in the end, he lost control of the specters he unleashed. By Stefan Kaiser more...
The World from Berlin
It's back to the drawing board for stock exchange companies Deutsche Börse and NYSE Euronext after the European Commission blocked their merger plans. German commentators ask if the megal-deal was even a good idea in the first place. more... [ Forum ]
EADS Loses Massive Contract
French defense manufacturer Dassault has beaten EADS for the right to negotiate exclusively with the Indian government on the sale of 126 fighter jets. Still, the deal could ultimately collapse -- in the past, all other talks to sell Dassault's Rafale aircraft abroad have failed. By Hasnain Kazim more... [ Forum ]
Threat to Competition
The European Commission has vetoed a planned merger between Deutsche Börse and NYSE Euronext stock exchanges, saying that it would have created a quasi-monopoly in certain kinds of trading. Deutsche Börse called it "a black day for Europe." more... [ Forum ]
Litigation Risks
The transition of power at Germany's largest bank is being overshadowed by the fallout from dubious deals in the US made at a time when incoming co-CEO Anshu Jain was head of investment banking. The bank faces a number of lawsuits, and the compensation claims are so large that regulators have asked Deutsche Bank to quantify them. more...
Groupon Head Andrew Mason
The online service Groupon has brought coupon cutting into the Internet age and turned it into an immensely profitable business. In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, company founder Andrew Mason discusses Groupon's skyrocketing growth, complaints about cheap customers and the future of small-scale retail. more...
