Frankfurt / AFP The potential implications of Brexit will not play a role in the EU’s probe of a proposed mega-merger between the London stock exchange and its Frankfurt rival, competition chief Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday. The European Commission last week announced an in-depth investigation into the LSE-Deutsche Boerse tie-up, which would create a financial behemoth linking the …

  London / AFP Britain on Thursday approved a shale gas fracking project in the north of England, overruling a local council’s decision to prevent the controversial scheme which is also opposed by environmentalists. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid gave the green light for the drilling of up to four wells by energy group Cuadrilla at the Preston New Road site. …

  Frankfurt / AFP German industrial firms recorded a sharp uptick in orders in August, official data showed on Thursday, outdoing analyst forecasts and reducing fears of an autumn slowdown in Europe’s biggest economy. Firms saw a 1.0-percent increase in their order books in August compared with July, correcting for price, seasonal and calendar effects, the federal statistics office Destatis …