STOCK MARKET – Swedish stocks have rallied during the week as better-than-expected company reports keep rolling in.

Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson reported on Friday a sharply wider third-quarter net loss and a 42-percent plunge in sales.

Nokia, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, appointed a new financial officer a day after reporting its first loss in a decade.

Switzerland could scrap moves to buy up to 20 new fighter planes after the defence minister voiced fears over the cost.

• Saab prepares for 'life after Gripen'

The decision by a Zimbabwe court to send a close aide to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to jail is an act of "politically motivated abuse", the Swedish EU presidency said.

The Finnish government aims to reduce its carbon emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels.

One of Iceland's three main banks that was nationalised last year has been acquired by Japanese and British banks.

• Iceland's vilified bankers have fled abroad

Finnish mobile phone giant Nokia reported a net loss of €559 million, its first shortfall in a decade, citing falling handset sales.

Better-than-expected company reports have lifted the Stockholm stock exchange to its highest level this year.

A year after Iceland's stunning economic collapse, most of the directors of its failed banks have fled abroad, tired of angry verbal attacks and the red paint daubed on their homes and cars.

After hours of heated debate a controversial wire tapping law was passed by the Swedish Parliament.

• Swedish court overturns file sharing ruling

OPINION “Banks and financial institutions do not manage to live in a capitalist system”, writes Tommy Jacobson, Swedish investment company executive.

Swedish telecom giant Ericsson’s network division is forced to slash costs by 50 percent to keep up with competition from China.

• Ericsson expected to rally

The British currency has fallen to its lowest level against the krona since 1996.

• “Swedes to become much richer with the euro”

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo has received the first Birgit Nilsson prize from Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf, and said it was like winning the "Nobel prize of music."

Record industry executives warns that music service Spotify will be "dead within a year” unless more users pay for the music.

Lower prices on petrol and electricity contributed to an inflation rate of -1.6 percent last month.

• Swedish companies: The recovery will take time

"Even if the pandemic situation isn't so dramatic in Europe right now, we have to listen to the experts who say it's not time to lower our guard," said Swedish Public Health Minister Maria Larsson.

Swedbank, the largest lender in the Baltics, said its $2.2 billion rights issue was covered nearly twice over.

• Swedbank threatens to scale back in Latvia

Swedish telecommunications operator TeliaSonera has acquired nearly all of Estonia's Eesti Telekom – but had not been able to take full control of TEO LT of Lithuania as planned.