National/regional news and analysis

Co-working spaces aren’t just about convenience – they bring a whole range of benefits for employees and communities

04/29/2025 The Conversation UK

Master1305/ShutterstockWhen you think of co-working spaces – where workers from different industries come together to share a convenient workplace – you might picture a group of young freelancers hunched over laptops. But today’s co-working spaces have evolved into something more powerful – particularly in a world still reshuffling office work practices in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

Corporations lead deposit growth in Mar as total nears 200 bln

04/29/2025 Macropolis European Union

The contraction in the Greek banking system’s private sector deposits reversed in March, with a net increase of 2.41 billion euros, after a 1.7-billion-euro decline in February, according to the latest Bank of Greece (BoG) figures released on Tuesday.

Credit growth stays strong at 10.3 pct YoY in Mar due to corporate lending

04/29/2025 Macropolis European Union

The credit expansion in the Greek private sector remained strong in March, rising by 10.3 percent year-on-year (YoY), from 10.5 percent in the previous month, Bank of Greece (BoG) figures released on Tuesday showed.

Economic sentiment stable in April, consumer confidence drops by another 3 pts

04/29/2025 Macropolis European Union

Greece’s economic sentiment (ESI) was broadly stable in April at 107.4 points, from 107.7 in the previous month, according to European Commission figures released on Tuesday.

Primary surplus reaches 4.5 bln in March due to property tax collection, significant underspend

04/29/2025 Macropolis European Union

The budget primary balance was confirmed at a surplus of 4.5 billion euros by March, compared to a surplus of 2.99 billion euros in the same period a year earlier, according to the final Finance Ministry (MoF) budget execution data released on Monday.

Government presents rail safety improvements as ex-ministers face possible Tempe inquiry

04/29/2025 Macropolis European Union

On the same day that the government unveiled its plans for improving rail safety in Greece, the judicial official investigating the Tempe train crash sent the case file from his probe to Parliament, asking MPs to take a closer look at the involvement of two former transport ministers.

Why the Economic Disruption From Trump’s Tariff War Will Be Hard to Reverse

04/28/2025 New York Times USA

The president’s turnover of the economic order has unleashed changes that could prove lasting, because other countries will adjust.

Howard Lutnick, Trump’s ‘Buoyant’ Trade Warrior, Flexes His Power Over Global Business

04/28/2025 New York Times USA

Howard Lutnick, the secretary of commerce, has become a go-to for major companies seeking relief from tariffs. But he’s not always friendly to their interests.

Trump’s first 100 days: economic uncertainty spikes while the president’s approval ratings tank

04/28/2025 The Conversation UK

When US president Donald Trump took office in January he inherited a strong economy, which was growing faster than those of many of its rivals. Nevertheless, he won the election in November on the back of strong voter dissatisfaction with the economy, especially the cost of living. This is the legacy of high inflation sparked first by COVID and then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Oshikatsu, the fandom phenomenon Japan hopes can boost its flagging economy

04/28/2025 The Conversation UK

Posters in Tokyo’s enormous Shinjuku railway station are normally used for advertising commodities like cosmetics and food, as well as new films. But occasionally you may happen across a poster with a birthday message and a picture of a young man, often from a boy band and typically with impeccable looks.

These posters are created by specialised advertising companies and are paid for by adoring fans. They are part of a phenomenon called oshikatsu, a term coined in recent years that is made from the Japanese words for “push” and “activity”.

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