Europe
Immigrants beneficial to Germany in the long run
At a time when anti-immigration groups in Germany are raising voices against the influx of immigrants in big numbers, the debate on whether immigrants would be a burden or beneficial on the economy remains vibrant.
Financial Advisers Raised Fees for Getting Pension Help after Freedom Reforms
Financial advisers increased basic pension services fees over the year after freedom reforms, according to new study. This is Money reports that financial advisers raised the cost for pension help by 16 to 17 percent. To get advice on how to turn a £100,000 pension pot into a lump sum, advisers increased their fees to £1,750 from £1,500. Meanwhile, the fee for a drawdown scheme for £300,000 pot has increased to £3,500 from £3,000. These are the middle figures from adviser website unbiased.co.uk from October 2014 to July 2015.
French Industry Production Plunges Lower to 0.8%, Lowest Since November 2014
French Industry slumps lower in the third quarter as production unexpectedly fell to 0.8%, a number lowest since November 2014. Economists forecasted a 0.2 increase according to Bloomberg survey, making the 0.8 percent downward curve such a big surprise. The statistics office reported Thursday that French industry output fell by 0.8 percent annually. Meanwhile, manufacturing output also dropped by 1 percent this month.
BMW invests millions in a startup that parks your car
BMW, the German automaker is investing millions in a new parking startup based in San Francisco. BMW through its investment unit, BMW i Ventures is investing an undisclosed amount in an on-demand parking company called ZIRX. The news was confirmed by ZIRX CEO and co-founder himself, Sean Behr.