Asset manager BlackRock crossed the 5% threshold in scandal-hit French elderly care home operator Orpea folllowing the purchase of shares on and off the market, stock market watchdog AMF said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

The European Central Bank's German policymakers openly discussed prospects for an interest rate hike on Wednesday, with new Bundesbank chief Joachim Nagel arguing that a move could come this year, as inflation remains uncomfortably high.

As guardians of stability in prices and financial markets, the last word central bankers want to be associated with is "panic".

Criticised by a major investor for focusing on sustainability more than financial performance, Unilever CEO Alan Jope will be under pressure at the consumer goods group's quarterly results on Thursday to show the two can go hand in hand.

Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman said Wednesday said she is "trying to keep an open mind" about the usefulness of a U.S. central bank digital currency, the pros and cons of which the Fed is currently exploring and about which Bowman in the past has expressed skepticism.

(Reuters) -Media company Discovery Inc's plan to acquire venerable film and TV studio WarnerMedia has passed the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust review, clearing another hurdle toward closing, according to a regulatory filing on Wednesday.