Greece’s biggest bank says that if the country exits the euro currency bloc the effect on the nation’s populace would be dramatic. As the country heads to a new round of parliamentary elections in mid-June, the National Bank of Greece said Tuesday that a eurozone exit “would lead to a significant drop in living standards […]
Greek Bank Says Euro Exit Effect Would Be Dramatic
Spanish Bank Bailout Heightens Pressure on Madrid
Economic pressures are heightening on Spain after the government took over the country’s third largest bank with a $24 billion bailout to account for its toxic real estate loans. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Monday that the debt-ridden government’s takeover of Bankia would not force the Spanish government to seek a bailout from its European […]
Greek PM Says European Creditors Expect Austerity Compliance
Greece’s caretaker prime minister says the country’s European neighbors want it to stay in the euro currency zone, but that Athens must also adhere to the austerity spending plan it agreed to in exchange for billions of dollars in new rescue funds. Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos met with other European heads of state earlier this […]
Greek PM Says European Creditors Expect Austerity Compliance
Greece’s caretaker prime minister says the country’s European neighbors want it to stay in the euro currency zone, but that Athens must also adhere to the austerity spending plan it agreed to in exchange for billions of dollars in new rescue funds. Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos met with other European heads of state earlier this […]
IMF’s Lagarde Calls for Eurozone Debt Sharing
The chief of the International Monetary Fund is calling for the 17-nation euro currency bloc to accept more liability for each others’ debts, but economic powerhouse Germany says it remains adamantly opposed to selling joint eurozone bonds. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told a London news conference Tuesday that with the economy contracting in the […]
German, French Finance Chiefs Pledge Support for Greece Staying in Eurozone
The German and French finance chiefs are pledging their support for efforts to keep Greece in the euro currency bloc, but remain at odds over creating a new way to help debt-ridden governments finance their operations. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and his French counterpart, Pierre Moscovici, met in Berlin to prepare for an informal […]
German, French Finance Chiefs Meeting on Eurozone Discord
The German and French finance chiefs are meeting Monday to discuss their competing views about how to boost economic growth in the 17-nation euro currency bloc and resolve its governmental debt crisis. Germany’s finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, is hosting his French counterpart, Pierre Moscovici, for talks in Berlin ahead of an informal summit of European […]
Greek Bank Credit Ratings Cut
The Fitch credit rating company has downgraded Greek banks, saying they could default on their financial obligations if the debt-ridden Athens government reneges on its debts and leaves the euro currency union. Fitch cut its rating Friday for the National Bank of Greece and four other institutions to the “speculative” range, so-called junk status. The […]
Britain’s Cameron Presses Europe to Resolve Debt Crisis
British Prime Minister David Cameron is pressing European leaders to resolve the continent’s governmental debt crisis, warning the fate of the 17-nation euro currency union is at stake. During a speech in Manchester, Mr. Cameron told business leaders that with political uncertainty in Greece and many Europeans predicting Athens will leave the eurozone, the survival […]
Eurozone Economic Growth Stalled in Early 2012
Europe says that economic growth in the 17-nation euro currency bloc stalled in the early months this year. Earlier projections in recent weeks signaled that the eurozone had fallen into a recession in the January-to-March period this year, after contracting three-tenths of a percent in the last three months of 2011. But the region’s economic […]