EUROPEAN UNION

Gold prices held steady on Thursday, as optimism for a solution to the Eurozone crisis underpinned sentiment, while tight physical supply in Asia continued to lend support.

U.S. officials indicated that the Iranian operatives as well as members of Hezbollah were transported across the Middle East by Mahan.

After Tuesday's scare, Slovakia seems poised to expand the size of the Eurozone bailout fund EFSF. In doing so, the EFSF's lending power will be expanded from 250 billion euros to 440 billion euros.

Serbia was given European Union candidate status on Wednesday, which is the first step in becoming a member state of the international organization. But for ascension, the country must make amends with Kosovo.

Two years into the Greek sovereign debt crisis, Eurozone countries are still finger-pointing and not working toward a long-term solution based on mutual interest. Further, the most recent $11 billion band-aid for Greece will buy no peace for stakeholders, nor any resolution to the crisis.

U.S. stocks and other global risk assets traded higher on Wednesday on more good news out of Europe.

The euro zone economy risks a protracted period of weakness while inflation is not a worry, European Central Bank policymaker Ewald Nowotny said, expecting price pressures in the bloc to fall below the ECB's target level next year.

Eurogroup Chairman Jean-Claude Juncker has proposed 10 steps for solving the Eurozone crisis including automatic sanctions for fiscally irresponsible governments, greater authority for the Commission and a dividend for taxpayers who rescue banks.

Eurogroup Chairman Jean-Claude Juncker has proposed ten steps for solving the euro zone crisis including automatic sanctions for fiscally irresponsible governments, greater authority for the Commission and a dividend for taxpayers who rescue banks.

Slovakian lawmakers late Tuesday rejected their governing coalition's bid to expand the Eurozone's bailout fund, toppling the government but heightening prospects a new coalition can push the measure through this week.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, leader of the center-right pro-market Civic Platform (PO) party, won re-election in Poland Sunday night. For the first time since the fall of communism in 1989, the major political party in Poland has maintained its grip on power. The fairly fought election in the formerly communist country establishes the country's democratic and economic stability.

The Unites States and the European Union has said the trial for former Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was politically motivated and has condemned the seven-year jail sentence.

Europe and global investors are nervously eyeing the outcome of the Slovakia vote on the expansion of the Eurozone bailout fund EFSF.

South Africa's rand fell as much as 2 percent against the dollar on Tuesday, breaching 8.0 in thin volumes that exaggerated its moves, before clawing back ground as some players found themselves oversold on the currency.

India and Pakistan agreed to issue multiple visas to businessmen from both countries for one year in order to expand bilateral trade,

U.S. stocks are mixed on Tuesday as investors eye Slovakia's vote on the EFSF expansion and Alcoa's (NYSE:AA) earnings report. Investors seem upbeat as Alcoa shares have surged 2.78 percent in afternoon trading.

Gold prices hovered in a tight range Tuesday, slightly below its opening level, as Slovak lawmakers put off voting on whether to support the expansion of a Eurozone bailout fund.

U.S. stocks are mixed Tuesday morning as investors wait for the result of a Slovak vote on the Eurozone bailout fund expansion.

Slovakia, one of the smallest members of the Eurozone, has the Eurozone waiting and global investors sweating.

Global risk assets on Tuesday are weighed by a snag in passing a measure to increase the size and powers of the Eurozone bailout fund EFSF.

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison by a judge in Kiev on Tuesday.