G20 worried about the 'stumbling block' of Europe's slow growth

The G20 group of leading nations have said they are tantalisingly close to adding an extra $2tn (£1.2tn) to the global economy and creating millions of new jobs, but Europe's extended stagnation remains a major stumbling block.

Euro zone countries agree direct bank recapitalisation framework

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone governments agreed on Tuesday that the bloc's bailout fund will be able later this year to help to recapitalise failing banks which have written off 8 percent of their liabilities.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia tense before US jobs test, euro nurses losses

SYDNEY, April 4 (Reuters) - Asian markets put discretion before valour on Friday as investors counted down the final hours to the U.S. jobs report, while the euro nursed a grudge after the European Central Bank opened the door to more aggressive easing, albeit not just yet.

Bank of England keeps rates on hold at 0.5%

The Bank of England has kept rates on hold at 0.5 per cent, marking the fifth anniversary of ultra-loose monetary policy.

The Euro May Not Be Doomed, But It Is a Disaster

Has the euro been a disaster, or what?

Eurozone industrial output rebounds in August

LONDON: Industrial output across the eurozone rebounded in August, official figures showed Monday, raising hopes that the sector will contribute to a pick-up in economic growth.

Austrian coalition faces far-right challenge in vote

VIENNA (Reuters) - A resurgent right-wing party keen to end taxpayer-funded bailouts of euro zone laggards takes on Austria's political establishment in parliamentary elections on Sunday.

Eurozone industrial output slumps in July

LONDON: Any hopes that the troubled eurozone economy was poised for a solid rebound from recession were under threat of being dashed Thursday by figures showing the industrial sector sliding into reverse during July.

Portugal raises $1.34 billion amid recovery hopes

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal raised 1 billion euros ($1.34 billion) in an auction of short-term debt Wednesday amid signs the country's deep recession has bottomed out, though investors remain wary of the political and economic risks of planned new austerity measures.

Nobel Laureate Phelps Warns Against EU as Iceland Abandons Talks

Nobel Laureate Edmund Phelps warned against the dangers of European Union membership as Iceland became the latest nation to question the sense of affiliation with a bloc mired in economic crisis.

Germany can't stop euro zone from sinking into longest recession

(Reuters) - Germany's economy crept back into growth at the start of the year but not by enough to stop the euro zone from contracting for a sixth straight quarter, and France slid into recession.

French services activity weakest in 4 years in February

PARIS: French service sector activity shrank in February at its fastest rate in nearly four years, a survey showed on Thursday, suggesting the euro zone's No. 2 economy is far from the turnaround emerging in Germany.

UK wellbeing still below financial crisis levels

A mix of deep recession and high inflation has left national wellbeing in Britain more than 13% down on its level before the global financial crisis, according to new government data.

Analysis: For euro zone, the heat is on again

BERLIN (Reuters) - The euro zone crisis seemed to vanish from the headlines for a brief moment as 2011 ticked over into 2012, but it is about to return with a vengeance.

Spain economy shrinks, outlook bleak: minister

Spain's economy will shrink in the last quarter and faces a bleak outlook for the coming months, its new economy minister warned Monday, heightening fears of a fresh recession.

Analysis: Germany faces recession risk as crisis hits confidence

BERLIN (Reuters) - After breezing through the euro zone debt crisis for the past two years, Germany's economy could fall into recession as anxious businesses hold off on investment and exports wither.

Sweden Is Safest as Crisis Upends Bond Market

Sweden is enjoying its lowest borrowing cost ever relative to Germany as investors reward the biggest Scandinavian economy for cutting its debt to less than half Europe’s average and enforcing discipline at its banks.

The Eurozone Crisis Then and Now

The expansion of the European financial crisis and its deepening into a political crisis has followed a clear causal chain produced by a series of missed opportunities.

The problem began in early 2009, as a knock-on effect from the 2008 global financial crisis, which had already claimed Iceland as a victim. Iceland was not an institutional issue for the EU, but in 2009 Eastern members of the EU not using the euro began to have balance-of-payments problems. They suffered effective devaluations of their national currencies and sought help from Brussels to resolve their mounting budget deficits. In response, the EU doubled the funds in an existing facility to address balance-of-payments problems.