Our money
👨👩👧👦 Foster families in Nordfyns Kommune just got a new reason to stay, and more may soon follow. From March 1, they’re the first in Denmark to receive pension contributions for taking in children, whether full-time, short-term, or weekend placements. With the number of foster families down 22.5% since 2014, the municipality hopes this 5% pension scheme will keep current families onboard and attract new ones.
🏬 Breathing life into town centers. To combat the decline of local shops and empty streets caused by online shopping, the government is rolling out 49.5 million DKK to support revitalization projects across 16 towns. The aim? To strengthen local communities through physical upgrades, business development, and public-private partnerships. Cities like Sorø, Kalundborg, and Faaborg are among the recipients. The initiative is part of a larger 142 million DKK EU-backed fund for sustainable urban development.
🏡 Boost for village life. 53 municipalities will share 117 million DKK from the Landsbyfornyelsespuljen to revitalize villages with under 4,000 residents. The funds will support repairs of old homes, renovation of community halls, and conversion of vacant business spaces.
State of the markets
🌍 Trump’s trade chaos is shaking up Danish exports, but not all in a bad way. While some companies like Dryk and VentriJect scramble to pivot from an unstable U.S. market, others are seeing surprise opportunities. A Canadian buyer recently contacted Grønning Smede- og Maskinforretning in Skive after ditching U.S. suppliers due to skyrocketing prices. Now, the small firm might export to Canada, a market they’d never before considered.
📉 Stocks are tumbling, but don’t panic. Experts urge private investors to stay calm, avoid selling in fear, and definitely don’t follow your neighbor’s strategy. History shows markets bounce back, even after crises like COVID or 2008. If you’re nervous, talk to a real advisor, not your cousin. And if you have spare cash and nerves of steel, falling prices could mean buying opportunities.
🤖 Europe wants in on the AI race. The EU plans to invest 150 billion DKK in artificial intelligence, including five massive “AI gigafactories” across the continent. Politicians from Denmark are eager to host one, citing jobs and tech growth. While the goal is to reduce dependence on U.S. and Chinese tech, experts warn the datacenters come with major environmental costs, especially in water and electricity use. Still, the hope is to boost productivity and secure digital infrastructure in Europe.
☀️ Solar power drives global green energy growth. In 2024, 40.9% of the world’s electricity came from low-emission sources, with solar energy leading the charge. Solar now accounts for nearly 7% of global electricity, a doubling in just three years. Denmark remains the global wind leader with 58% of its power from turbines. The EU reached over 71% from green and nuclear sources. Despite rising demand due to heatwaves, nearly all electricity growth was covered by renewables, signaling a shift away from fossil fuels as clean tech fuels economic progress.
