June 26, 2011

ECB's Paramo says euro crisis won't end soon

The euro zone's debt crisis is far from over, European Central Bank Executive Board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo said on Friday and called for private sector help to ease Greece's debt problems.

On Thursday European Union leaders promised more money to help Greece stave off looming bankruptcy, provided its parliament enacts an austerity plan finalised in fraught last-minute talks with international lenders.

June 25, 2011

Europe hopes for ‘bail-in’ banks for Greek rescue

European officials have persuaded Greece’s politicians to squeeze more tax dollars out of the rich, the poor and even themselves. Now they have to prevent the country’s bondholders from pulling their money and running for the exits.

In a continent-wide series of sensitive talks over the next week, finance officials in Germany, France and other European countries will try to coax banks, pension funds and others who hold Greece’s bonds to keep their money invested in a nation regarded as an increasingly poor risk.

June 24, 2011

Samruk-Kazyna plans to acquire up to 25% in Alliance Bank, BTA Bank, Narodny Bank and Kazkommertsbank, advisor to Kazakhstan prime minister says

Samruk-Kazyna, a Kazakhstan state-owned fund, is planning to acquire up to 25% of the ordinary voting shares in the four largest banks in Kazakhstan, said Alexander Mirtchev, one of the directors of Kazyna Fund and advisor to the prime minister of Kazakhstan.

June 22, 2011

Deposits may shield Aussie banks from Greek debt crisis fallout

The Greek debt crisis is increasing the cost of funding for Australia's Big Four banks, but credit market experts say rising deposit rates are counteracting the threat.

As the sovereign debt crisis in Europe continues to drag on with a 12 billion Euro tranche of Greek bailout money delayed until next month at the earliest, the heads of Australian banks have voiced concerns.

June 21, 2011

Europe's crisis is not a euro crisis: Siemens CFO

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The fiscal troubles sweeping the capitals of the euro zone are unrelated to the 17-member currency, Joe Kaeser, chief financial officer of German industrial company Siemens AG (SI, SIE.XE), said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires at The Wall Street Journal's CFO Network conference on Tuesday.

"We need to make sure we do not confuse the crisis of economies with a crisis of currency," he said. "The euro is fine. It's not in crisis."