Economy
Economic and financial news and information from France.
French debt crisis: What's happening and how bad is it?
France is the subject of increasingly alarming headlines about debt - so what's happening to the country's finances, has anything really changed, and do we need to worry about this?
French economy minister denies country caught in debt 'snowball'
France's Economy Minister Roland Lescure denied on Tuesday that the country was trapped in a debt "snowball", as he pressed opposition parties to pass a government budget for 2027.
France and Germany lock horns over long-term EU budget
Daggers have been drawn over the European Union's next seven-year budget, with Germany and France at loggerheads over whether Brussels should make deep cuts in a battle increasingly expected to overshoot the end of the year.
France unveils cost-cutting 2027 budget as borrowing costs rise
The French government has defended plans to cut spending and raise taxes as it tries to thread the needle between jittery debt markets and public discontent over the rising cost of living.
France's debt climbs to highest level since 1995
France's debt mountain is growing and will this year be at its highest level since 1995 because of a soaring deficit, the country's finance ministry said Saturday.
Why mortgages are getting more expensive in France
French mortgage rates are rising sharply due to France’s high level of public debt and the wider global economic climate putting upward pressure on borrowing costs.
EU pushes back as US revives trade pressure on bloc
The EU pushed back Friday at renewed trade pressure from the United States, as Washington said the bloc was enabling Chinese evasion of US tariffs and stepped up calls for it to roll back flagship green rules on businesses.
EU breathes sigh of relief over new Trump tariffs
The European Union expressed relief Friday over a new wave of US tariffs imposed by Washington on trading partners, following concerns of possible retaliation to a massive fine Brussels had slapped on US giant Google.
France and Germany plan 'roadmap' to tackle China trade imbalances
Paris and Berlin want to come up with a joint "roadmap" by September to tackle China's unfair trade practices, French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
EU seeks Trump tariff exemptions on wine and cheese
The EU has asked the US for tariff exemptions on more products, a spokesman said on Wednesday, including cheese and wine.
Climate change to blame as heatwave hits Europe's economies
Human-caused climate change is "unequivocally" responsible for the intensity of a record-breaking heatwave scorching Europe, scientists said Friday, while experts consider the costs for an economy as productivity melts and growth becomes lethargic.
Why the tabac is essential to life in France - even if you don't smoke
A cornerstone of French culture, the tabac has long been a place for more than just cigarette shopping. Paying bills and fines, paying tollbooth fees or exchanging damaged banknotes - are just some of the services that tobacconists offer.
How companies in Europe are struggling to recruit workers from outside the EU
Almost half of European small and medium companies struggle to find workers with the skills they need but recruitment outside the EU remains “limited” and “too difficult”, a recent Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission had shown.
Macron announces €93 billion in 'Choose France' investments
President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that he was expecting foreign investments amounting to €93 billion at a conference dubbed "Choose France", including on artificial intelligence and data centres.
Biggest EU economies agree on steps for financial integration
The finance ministers of the European Union's six biggest economies said Friday they had agreed on steps to better integrate financial markets and make investments flow seamlessly across the bloc.
'An unpleasant surprise': France faces spectre of recession
French GDP shrank 0.1 percent in the first quarter, official data showed Friday, a downward revision from previous estimates that analysts warn could herald a recession for the eurozone's second-biggest economy.
French games giant Ubisoft reports record annual loss after game delays and cancellations
French games giant Ubisoft on Wednesday reported a record annual loss of almost €1.5 billion for its 2025-26 financial year, in the midst of a far-reaching restructuring.
Blockbuster EU-Mercosur trade deal enters into force
The European Union's mammoth trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur provisionally enters into force Friday, despite a pending court ruling on its legality.
French economy records zero growth in first quarter
France's economy recorded zero growth in the first quarter of this year due to "sluggish" domestic demand and a "strongly" negative contribution from foreign trade, the national statistics agency INSEE said Thursday.
Uber takes stake in French hydrogen taxi start-up
Uber has said that it would take a stake in a French hydrogen taxi company with a goal of having 2,000 models on its reservation platform for business clients within five years.
Celine Dion's Paris concerts promise to spin the money on and on
Celine Dion's fans are not the only ones excited about the megastar's new tour in Paris. Hotels, restaurants and shops are hoping for a multimillion-euro boost from concertgoers in the French capital.
France announces crisis loans for firms hit by fuel-price surge
France said Friday it was launching an emergency loan programme to help small and medium-sized businesses exposed to soaring fuel prices driven by the war in the Middle East.
French budget deficit slightly better than feared
France's 2025 budget deficit was not as bad as predicted, giving a lift to government plans to reduce it under five percent, official figures showed on Friday.