Hamburg, Germany -

Hamburg - Having a best friend is especially important to women, a recent representative survey of women aged 25 to 55 in Germany shows.

Asked what really counts in life, 97 per cent answered "having and keeping good friends." In second place was a relationship: 95 per cent of the women questioned said it was especially important to have a long-term partner and to be happy in the relationship.

The study, which appears in the August edition of a lifestyle magazine published in Hamburg, also showed that 91 per cent consider financial independence an important life goal.

Cologne, Germany - Unusual material combinations are coming into style in furniture, according to a trend outlook report published for a furniture trade show in Cologne.

Munich - German hikers typically are demanding consumers, but they usually aren't materialistic, according to a recent survey.

When they buy an article of clothing to wear while hiking, it has to be of high quality and they tend to keep it for a long time, a survey of 1,002 consumers in Germany found.

The survey showed that the majority of hikers in Germany is female - 59.9 per cent. Compared to average consumers, this group possesses more than an average number of garments designed for their outdoor activity from well-known outdoor brands.

Hamburg - Too lazy to go to the gym? Several gadgets, that can easily be stored under lounge furniture, are on the market to help you keep up the training while you are watching TV or listening to music.

- A balance board is a wooden board with a ball underneath. It might take a little practise to stand on it but with time it can help improve coordination, body balance, foot and waist muscles.

- The Flexi-Bar looks like a bow with a rubber knob on either end. It was developed by physiotherapists. By swinging the gadget, vibrations are created which help to keep the deep spine muscles active, according to the manufacturers.

Munich - The giant German insurer Munich Re said Wednesday it was holding its dividend steady despite investment write-downs leading to a 47-per-cent slump in second-quarter earnings.

The Munich-based reinsurer said net profit in the three months to the end of June fell to 599 million euros (929 million dollars) compared to 1.14 billion euros a year ago.

Last month, the group said the shake-out in global financial markets sparked by the US subprime mortgage-sector crisis meant it could miss its 2008 earnings forecast.

However, the reinsurer said its 2008 dividend would remain at 5.50 euros a share.