Europe bulletin: London stocks rise as VW cuts costs and politics shift

European markets and policymakers opened the week with a mix of cautious optimism and strategic recalibration. London stocks edged higher as banks rebounded ahead of key UK data that could shape interest-rate expectations, while corporate Europe faced fresh cost-cutting pressures, led by Volkswagen’s sweeping efficiency drive. In politics, Britain moved to toughen online rules for teenagers as Washington stepped up its diplomatic outreach in Central Europe, underscoring shifting priorities across the region. London stocks edge higher London equities nudged higher on Monday as financials rebounded ahead of a data-heavy week that could shape Bank of England rate expectations and steadied after recent sharp volatility. The FTSE 100 rose about 0.4%, and the FTSE 250 gained roughly 0.4%, with NatWest and…