EUROPEAN UNION

The European Central Bank's preference for making interest rate decisions by consensus rather than a majority vote by policymakers, like most central banks, has been criticized for being clumsy and slow.

Economic sentiment has improved in Europe in September following a small drop in August. The mood has is up 1.6 points in the EU and 1 point in the euro area, according to the Economic Sentiment Indicator.

Migrant workers from Bulgaria and Romania will only be allowed gradual access into the United Kingdom after these two countries join the European Union, a UK government minister said Tuesday.

The European Union and Malaysia agreed Monday to open negotiations to cut down on the trade of illegal timber that is exported to European countries.

European Central Bank governing council member Erkki Liikanen said on Friday that vigilance was needed on inflation despite a sharp fall in oil prices.

ngel Gurria of the OECD, an economics think-tank, believes bankers and economists must speak simply, whatever their mother tongue, and he made the point while attending one of the world's biggest gatherings of financial leaders, in Singapore.

EU antitrust chief Neelie Kroes on Tuesday rejected an accusation she was pursuing a vendetta against U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp.

The yen rallied sharply from two-week lows against the euro on Tuesday after a European official said markets may need time to digest policymakers' message that a stronger yen versus the euro is desirable.

Euro zone government bonds tumbled and the euro edged higher on Monday after hawkish comments from European Central Bank officials, while European stocks tracked Asian markets higher.

South African new vehicle sales rose 20.8 percent in July, adding momentum to its steady growth rate over the past months, said the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa on Wednesday.

The European Union announced 10 million euros (8.6 million pounds) in aid on Thursday to help Lebanese fleeing fighting in their country and expressed grave concern over the humanitarian situation in the region.

Sales at U.S. retail stores unexpectedly shrank 0.1 percent in June, the first decline since February, pulled down by weaker sales of cars and building material, government data showed on Friday.

Euro zone government bonds fell on Friday as investors focused on upcoming European Central Bank rate hike plans after the U.S. Federal Reserve hinted interest rates there may have peaked, which pushed up shares and forced the dollar down.

The dollar edged higher across the board on Wednesday as investors awaited signals from the Federal Reserve on further interest rate hikes which may accompany a rise widely anticipated for later this week.

Top European Central Bank policymakers on Friday left open the possibility of a bigger than expected rate rise as the ECB's chief expressed dissatisfaction with inflation running above target.