The holiday season is typically one of the busiest times of year and this is true for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Whether you are a small start-up company or a large multinational corporation, the seasonal period is always likely to place a heavier strain on your current team who are under immense pressure to meet additional obligations and tight deadlines.

Investments aimed at boosting growth and creating jobs is the only way to tackle unemployment, Minister of Labour Zeta Aimilianidou told the EU Council of Labour and Social Policy, which convened in Brussels recently.

The per capita GDP of Cyprus was 89% of the EU average in 2013, according to the revised statistics of Eurostat, falling from 93% in 2012 and 96% in 2011.

DBRS, Inc. has confirmed the long-term foreign and local currency issuer ratings for the Republic of Cyprus at B (low), with the short-term foreign and local currency issuer ratings confirmed at R-5 and the trend on all ratings remaining ‘stable’.

Bank of Cyprus Chief Executive John Hourican said that the Cyprus economy is now within a state of political and fiscal stability, seeing the prospects for 2015 as positive.

2015 will be a year of economic recovery, reform and change, said Finance Minister Harris Georgiades, saying there will be no new taxes or cutbacks in the 2015 budget.

Finance Minister Harris Georgiades said the government is considering requesting international lenders to allow Cyprus use €1 billion of bailout money initially earmarked for the recapitalisation of the cooperative banks to refinance existing debt.

International banks in Cyprus could contribute greatly to the recovery of the island’s economy, said the association Chair, urging the government to lift the capital controls so they can realise their full potential.

British gas company BG is in advanced talks that could boost supplies topower-hungry Egypt by allowing rival BP to use its pipelines, the head of BG Egypt told Reuters.

Central Bank of Cyprus Governor Chrystalla Georghadji will engage in bilateral talks with commercial banks aiming at lower interest rates in the Cypriot banking system.