Foreign direct investment (FDI) projects into Europe dropped 4% (to 6,356 projects) over the year according to the EY European Attractiveness survey. Despite the decline in FDI into Europe for the first time in six years, the level of investment remains the second-highest since EY began compiling this data in 2000. However, investor sentiment is gloomy, with only 37% of surveyed businesses foreseeing an improvement in Europe’s attractiveness in the next three years, down from 50% last year.

An upward trend in credit card transactions continued during May 2019 with an 8% increase, reflecting the recovery in consumption, while tax and other online payments to the state played a significant part in the upswing.

The biggest increase in Russian credit card transactions abroad in the summer of 2019 compared to last year will be observed in Cyprus, Tunisia and Georgia, according to global credit card payment system Visa.

The total number of high-end residential properties sold during 2018 reached 324, recording a 2% annual growth, according to the 2018 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) annual real estate report.

KPMG in Cyprus announces the official collaboration with boost.ai, a Scandinavian software company that specialises in Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Cyprus Airways has begun operating flights from Larnaca to Bratislava in Slovakia on a twice weekly basis, every Saturday and Tuesday.

Cyprus’ annual trade deficit widened appreciably in the first three months of 2019 rising by €360.7 million on the back of declining exports.

A new 90-metre high building going up in the centre of Nicosia owned by Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Teddy Sagi will be completed in 2020, it was reported recently.

Kissonerga has welcomed the recent suggestion by President Nicos Anastasiades that the long-proposed new marina at nearby Potima bay could include a docking facility for cruise ships.

French giant CNP Assurance has bought out the remaining 49.9% stake in local insurers CNP Asfalistiki and CNP Cyprialife from Bank of Cyprus, having paid €97.5 million for the company the Cypriot lender reluctantly acquired when Laiki Bank was shut down during the 2013 bailout debacle.