Germany's Merkel Gets Tough on Russia

Angela Merkel wasn’t in a hurry to inflict economic pain on Moscow. Cautious, pragmatic, and mindful of her country’s business ties to Russia, the German chancellor doggedly tried to defuse the Ukraine crisis through back-channel diplomacy and frequent phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Bankers win friends again in Europe with lure of easy money

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Jacques de Larosiere says he is an isolated and modest man. Yet the 84-year-old former head of the International Monetary Fund is one of the most influential voices in European and global finance.

Euro zone inflation sticks in 'danger zone', keeps ECB under pressure

(Reuters) - A drop in March euro zone inflation to its lowest level since November 2009 was confirmed on Wednesday, keeping pressure on the European Central Bank to intervene if prices do not rebound.

Did Europe misdiagnose debt crisis and make it worse?

(Reuters) - At the height of the euro zone debt crisis, with Portugal's economy nearing collapse, the European Commission told the government in Lisbon that it had to slash wages if it was ever going to boost competitiveness and grow again.

Russia woos French business elite as sanctions loom

(Reuters) - Russia sought to woo the French business elite on Wednesday as the threat of tougher sanctions over the Ukraine crisis loom with a Franco-Russian association warning of job cuts in France as a result of restrictions.