EUROPEAN UNION

A protester pushes against a police cordon guarding the Greek parliament in central Athens

EU/IMF pressuring Greece to accelerate economic reforms

Greece's international lenders have agreed to provide the debt-ridden country with the third installment of a loan – valued at 9-billion euros -- but warned that the Greeks must make an extra effort to address its deficit next year.
A man walks past newspaper headlines posted on a news stand on O'Connell street, Dublin, November 19, 2010. A financial aid plan to help Ireland cope with its battered banks will be unveiled next week, EU sources said on Friday, but experts warned a rescu

EU/IMF bailout for Ireland doesn't seem to be working

The massive EU and IMF bailout for Ireland doesn't seem to be working as the euro currency, European stocks, and Irish stocks gave back early gains and closed with losses. Irish bonds are still up for the day, but not by much.
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Turkmenistan's President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in Moscow in this March 24, 2009 file photo.

Turkmenistan offers to supply gas to EU nations

The Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan has promised to supply natural gas for the proposed Nabucco pipeline -- a project that could allow European Union (EU) countries to rely less on Russian energy in the future.
Greece's Prime Minister George Papandreou delivers a speech during a news conference in Thessaloniki

Greek debt restructuring 'inevitable'

The Greek government submitted a revised 2011 budget to the Parliament on Thursday, pledging to prune deficit to 7.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), ensuring substantial bailout fund will flow without hiccups from the IMF and the ECB.However, desperate measures to squeeze through the tough austerity net might still not keep the threat of an eventual debt restructuring out of the door, analysts have said.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

U.S. stock futures gain, GM eyed

Futures on the S&P 500 gained 11.80 points to 1,189.30, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average are up 87.00 points to 11,082.00 and Nasdaq100 futures are up 25.50 points to 2,122.50.
Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen and Minister of Finance Brian Lenihan

Ireland inching closer to bailout package

Ireland is “inching closer” to some kind of bailout package from the European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to Jan Randolph, director of sovereign risk at HIS Global Insight in London.
Brian Cowen

Why doesn't Ireland want a bailout?

Ireland is open to talks with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a bailout program for its failed banks, EU Economics and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said after a Tuesday night meeting of eurozone finance ministers and officials in Brussels.
bank

EU inflation rose in October: Eurostat

Annual inflation in the European Union rose during October, for both the euro area and the EU, according to a report by the Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
Brian Cowen

Specter of Irish bailout looms

Europe's sovereign debt crisis is flaring up again and Ireland, the center of focus this time around, is pushed closer to needing a bailout.
Greece's Prime Minister Papandreou

Greece deficit plan under scanner; Ireland talks down crisis

Debt-stricken Greece announced on Monday its budget deficit will contract to 9.4 percent of the GDP this year and said the country has been able to manage a much greater pruning of its deficit than initially calculated, immediately after the European Union Statistical agency revised upwards the country's 2009 deficit to 15. 4 percent.
A bank employee counts U.S. hundred dollar bills

Dollar rises on expectations, but weak numbers may trigger QE3 move

US dollar strengthened across the board on Monday on expectations of good data signaling recovery, but investors are also cautious that any negative surprise could trigger market worries about more bond buyback by the Fed, sparking off the quantitative easing (QE3) talks.
A sculpture showing the euro currency sign is seen in front of the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters in Frankfurt

Existing govt debt is safe : EU finance ministers

On Friday at the G20 summit, finance ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Britain issued a joint statement saying the holders of any existing euro zone government debt are safe from regulatory changes that would force them to take on additional losses.
Bank of Japan Headquarters, Tokyo

Japan, EU agree to launch free trade talks

Japan will start free trade talks with the European Union next spring, alarmed by the head start made by its main manufacturing rival in Asia, South Korea, which signed a pact with the European bloc last month.
Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen and Minister of Finance Brian Lenihan attend a news conference - file photo.

What are Ireland's chances of avoiding Greece-style bailout?

Ireland's grip on the slippery debt-mired track is giving way fast as bond yields widened to a level with Greece’s before Athens went broke and was bailed out, fueling speculation that the country could be soon looking for international financial assistance.

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