Asian shares fell into bear market territory for the year and commodities and the euro nursed stinging losses Thursday, after fears that Europe's debt crisis is still worsening prompted investors to dump riskier assets and huddle in the safety of the dollar and Treasuries.
The International Monetary Fund stepped up pressure on Greece on Wednesday, saying promised reforms were behind schedule in most areas and the delays were stalling recovery from years of recession.
European stocks fell on Wednesday as weak commodity prices sparked a selloff in the energy and materials sectors and as a falling euro and high Italian bond yields kept Europe's debt crisis in focus.
Stocks fell on Wednesday as weak commodity prices sparked a selloff in the energy and materials sectors and as a falling euro and high Italian bond yields kept Europe's debt crisis in focus.
Canada and Japan have agreed to decide soon whether to negotiate a bilateral economic partnership agreement, and Canada also aims to complete a free trade agreement with India by 2013, government officials said on Wednesday.
Almost a quarter of the European Union's 500 million people have never used the Internet and there is a widening division between the web-savvy north of Europe and the poorer south and east, figures released on Wednesday showed.
Wall Street was set to open slightly lower on Wednesday with traders focused on a sliding euro and rising Italian bond yields as market anxiety over Europe persisted.
Passengers boarding the new bullet trains ready to whiz across Italy early next year might be forgiven for thinking of Ferrari cars at the sight of the low nose, the deep-red livery and the sleek interiors.
Stock index futures fell in light Wednesday trading, pressured by a decline in the euro and by rising Italian bond yields.
Stock markets and the euro fell on Wednesday, worried by record high borrowing costs for Italy and the Federal Reserve's decision to do nothing new to prop up growth despite warning Europe's debt crisis could hurt the U.S. economy.
Italian government bond yields eased on Wednesday after the country sold 3 billion euros of five-year debt in the first longer-term auction since the European Union took steps towards greater fiscal integration last week.
In what was probably Iran's response to growing threats made against its sovereignty, and a possible show of strength, the Middle Eastern country announced it is planning war drills to practice closing off the Strait of Hormuz -- one of the world's main oil arteries.
Uzbekistan is using torture -- both physical and psychological – on prisoners.
Standard & Poor's on Tuesday said there is a greater number of sovereign and banking bonds at risk of ratings downgrades as a result of its recent warning that it might cut the credit ratings on 15 euro zone nations.
Gold and gold receivables held by euro zone central banks fell by 1 million euros to 419.822 billion euros in the week ending Dec. 9, the European Central Bank said on Tuesday.
European shares rose on Tuesday, bouncing from a steep sell-off in the previous session, though strategists said investors would need to feel more confident about a resolution to the Eurozone crisis before the market could break out of a recent range.
Most Southeast Asian stock markets fell on Tuesday on fears that any fresh credit rating downgrades in Europe will deal a fresh blow to financial markets and the cooling global economy.
A sharp drop in bullion prices prompted some buying interest on Asia's physical market, but many remained reluctant to purchase large quantities as the year end approaches and the eurozone debt crisis threatens to further sink prices.
Asian stocks sank on Tuesday and the euro languished near a two-month low as investors took fright at the prospect of mass euro zone sovereign ratings downgrades after the outcome of a last chance European Union summit failed to convince markets.
Decisions reached by the European Union summit last week are radical and will lead to harmonization of policies which has not been possible so far, European Central Bank Governing Council Member Marko Kranjec said on Monday in a TV interview.
Decisions reached by the European Union summit last week are radical and will lead to harmonization of policies which has not been possible so far, European Central Bank Governing Council Member Marko Kranjec said on Monday in a TV interview.
Investors were bracing for a possible mass downgrade of euro zone countries as soon as this week after EU leaders failed to come up with decisive measures to tackle the region's debt crisis.
