Bank of England to examine whether financial reforms have held back growth

Mark Carney has told the government that the Bank of England is to examine whether policies intended to strengthen financial stability in the economy have held back economic growth.

Forex traders have been shocked into behaving themselves but it might not last, says BoE director

Forex traders are behaving themselves in the wake of a series of fines and investigations, according to Chris Salmon, the Bank of England’s markets boss.

EU plans to streamline but not change key budget rules

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission wants to streamline the European Union's complex rules governing economic policy-making, but won't change the two key laws that sharpened budget policy control during the debt crisis, a top official responsible for the euro zone said.

ECB can use new banking knowledge in rate setting: Constancio

(Reuters) - European Central Bank policymakers will be able to use the information they gain from their new banking supervisory powers in the traditional monetary policy side of their jobs, ECB Vice President Vitor Constancio said on Monday.

IMF warns period of ultra-low interest rates poses fresh financial crisis threat

A prolonged period of ultra-low interest rates poses the threat of a fresh financial crisis by encouraging excessive risk taking on global markets, the International Monetary Fund has said.

ECB's readiness to act again doesn't mean it should do so now: Weidmann

(Reuters) - The European Central Bank has moved toward a "quantitative easing philosophy" but should not automatically use its remaining policy tools right away, Governing Council member Jens Weidmann said.

Eurozone business growth slows

The pace of growth among businesses in the eurozone eased in October as the service sector slowed, a survey has indicated.

Spain's Economic Woes Take A Toll On The Media

Three years of euro-zone recession have badly hurt Spain's media sector, where some 8,500 journalists have lost their jobs. Dozens of newspapers have closed and the remaining publications are sharply cutting back as ads plummet.

Hungary to respond to IMF/EU by mid-week: minister

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary will send its proposals to international lenders by the middle of next week to allow credit talks to resume but will not modify its economic projections for 2013, the minister in charge of talks with the IMF and EU said on Sunday.

UK risk watchdog set to ease bank buffers

LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England's risk watchdog looks set to allow lenders next week to free up billions of pounds from their cash buffers and help haul the economy out of recession.

EU’s Barroso Calls Permanent Debt-Crisis Plan ‘Indispensable’

European Commission President Jose Barroso called the euro area’s plan to create a permanent debt- crisis mechanism “indispensable” for financial stability in Europe.

He commented after the commission, the European Union’s executive arm, issued a favorable opinion of the decision by EU government leaders in December to amend the bloc’s treaty to establish a European Stability Mechanism in 2013 for countries that share the euro.