FOREX-Euro, yen rally as risk aversion intensifies, Aussie sinks

SYDNEY, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The euro hit a 6 1/2-month high and the yen hit a 1 1/2-month high against the dollar on Monday as investors dumped risk assets and flocked to currencies often seen as safe havens.

UK retail sales volumes rise by 0.1%

UK retail sales volumes rose by 0.1% in July, after falling the previous month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.

Hungary GDP Growth Slows More Than Forecast in 2Q on Agriculture

Hungary’s economy grew less than forecast by analysts as a drop in agricultural output pushed the pace of expansion below 3 percent for the first time in seven quarters.

Ruble Falls Fifth Day as Russia Efforts Damp Carry-Trade Appeal

The ruble weakened for a fifth day as Russian government and central bank efforts to stem the currency’s gain damped its carry-trade appeal.

Euro, Clawing Its Way Back, Hits 3-Month High

PARIS — As recently as March, the dollar was looking so strong against the euro that the only question seemed to be how soon the eurozone currency would sink to parity.

Eurozone returns to healthy growth after QE bounce – but what next?

There’s a return to healthy growth in the eurozone. Surprised? It’s called the QE bounce. First the head of the central bank says he will inject £1.1tn into the 19-member economic bloc under a programme of quantitative easing (QE).

Bank of England committee unanimous on holding rates

Bank of England policymakers voted unanimously to hold interest rates at their current historic low of 0.5% again in April, the minutes of the latest meeting show.

Germany is imperiling the world economy by refusing to accept free money

The German government should go spend a bunch of money on something. Ideally a critically useful infrastructure project, given the country's large apparent needs on that front — but failing that, even a pretty blah project would be good.

EU insurance watchdog to unveil stress test results

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Europe's top insurance regulator EIOPA will announce details on Monday of its latest check on how prepared the insurance sector is to withstand shocks like the recent financial market crisis.

Osborne Accused of Smoke and Mirrors Over EU Payment

U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne hasn’t fooled the British public into thinking he won a reduction in a payment demanded by the European Union, the opposition Labour Party said.

Rapid UK economic growth slows slightly in third-quarter

(Reuters) - Britain's rapid economic recovery eased in the three months to September, as services output growth slowed and manufacturing expanded at the weakest pace in 18 months, official data showed on Friday.

Eurozone crisis, five years on: no happy ending in sight for Greek odyssey

Greece loves its epic tales and the greatest of them is the story of Odysseus, the hero who took 10 years to find his way back to Ithaca at the end of the Trojan War.

Swiss deflation risk on radar screen for SNB: bank chairman

(Reuters) - Swiss National Bank (SNB) Chairman Thomas Jordan vowed on Friday to take whatever steps were necessary to fend off deflation in the face of a weak global economy, worsening euro zone outlook and falling commodities prices.

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.

European Stocks Decline With FTSE 100 After BOE’s Carney

European stocks fell to a four-week low, erasing earlier gains, as U.K. shares dropped after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said the time to increase interest rates is getting closer.

Housing market reaches plateau, say surveyors

The housing market has reached a "plateau", according to a survey of chartered surveyors across the UK. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said the number of house sales agreed in August fell for the first time in two years.

Italy's economic growth will be 'around zero', says PM Renzi

Italy's Prime Minister has said that Europe's third largest economy will see growth of only "around zero" this year.

Merkel ally lashes out at Draghi over ECB plans to buy 'junk' paper

(Reuters) - An ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the European Central Bank and its president Mario Draghi in a rare public attack, telling Bild newspaper the ECB's new schemes to bolster lending and buy asset-backed securities would scare Germans.

Why peripheral euro zone debt is worrying investors again

Companies in the peripheral euro zone countries which caused the near-disaster of the euro zone debt crisis are borrowing big again.

Eurozone gripped by deflation fears as inflation rate hits five-year low

Fears that the eurozone could tip into outright deflation have been fanned as the inflation rate in the currency bloc hit a new five-year low of 0.3%.