Europe’s economy stands tall in innovation, trade and regulatory influence. Yet, when it comes to finance, it remains a continent divided — a mosaic of stock exchanges, regulatory regimes and investment cultures. From Frankfurt’s DAX to Amsterdam’s AEX, from Milan to Madrid, Europe’s financial power is spread thin across borders. And while the European Union has mastered monetary integration through the euro, true financial integration remains elusive.
Featured Stories
Selected in-depth stories on innovation, AI, markets and societal change with global relevance.
In the sprawling global chip race, the world tends to focus on the big names: Taiwan’s foundries, American fabless chip-firms, Chinese challengers. But tucked away in the Dutch city of Veldhoven sits a company quietly rewriting the rules: ASML. While many talk about Europe’s lag in semiconductor manufacturing, ASML is living proof that Europe still holds world-beating innovation — not by chasing the same paths as others, but by building the tools that everyone else needs.
