PORTUGAL

Investor doubts, a German legal threat and persistent confusion over the terms of aid perforated Greece's euro zone parachute Wednesday, pushing borrowing costs up.

Stock index futures fell on Thursday, following global stocks lower, as persistent fears over Greece's public finances unsettled investors worried about sovereign debt defaults in Europe.

Greece's borrowing costs hit a new high on Wednesday after the government said the country's banks had asked for billions of euros in support and euro zone states argued over the conditions of potential bailout loans.

Greek banks, hit by a series of credit rating downgrades linked to the country's debt crisis, have asked the government for more financial support, Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said on Wednesday.

The sort of debt problems seen in Greece are likely to spread further in the euro zone and Portugal could be the next victim, Greek Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos was on Monday quoted as saying.

The euro strengthened on Monday as debt-stricken Greece sold seven-year bonds, but investors remained anxious about the country's long-term ability to finance itself at affordable rates. After hitting a 10-month low below $1.33 last week, the euro rose above $1.35 on Monday as Greece returned to capital markets for the first time since euro zone leaders agreed to extend the southern European country a financial safety net.

The Dow industrials could hit 11,000 this week as investors bet the U.S. labor market had a significant turnaround in March, showing the economic recovery is in good shape.

Euro zone leaders won muted approval from financial markets on Friday for a band aid agreement to create a safety net for debt-ridden Greece, but a row over the IMF's role flared up just as it had seemed settled.

Wall Street was poised to open higher on Friday after euro zone leaders agreed to create a safety net to help debt-burdened Greece, while investors awaited data on consumer sentiment.

Stock index futures rose on Friday after euro zone leaders agreed to create a safety net to help debt-burdened Greece, while investors awaited data on consumer sentiment.

Euro zone leaders received a cautious stamp of approval from financial markets on Friday for their agreement to create a safety net with the International Monetary Fund to help debt-ridden Greece.

The euro rebounded from a 10-month low on Friday and Asian stocks rallied after euro zone leaders and the IMF agreed to provide a joint financial safety net for debt-laden Greece, lifting some pressure on the single currency.

The euro inched up from a 10-month low on Friday and Treasury yields slipped after euro zone leaders and the IMF agreed to provide a joint financial safety net for debt-laden Greece.

Euro zone leaders agreed on Thursday to create a joint financial safety net with the IMF to help debt-ridden Greece and to try to restore confidence in their common currency after weeks of wrangling.

Euro zone leaders agreed on a joint European-IMF financial safety net for debt-stricken Greece on Thursday after weeks of wrangling, hoping to restore confidence in their common currency.

The leaders of Germany and France clinched a deal on a joint European-IMF financial safety net for debt-stricken Greece at a EU summit on Thursday, in an effort to restore confidence in the euro.

The leaders of Germany and France clinched agreement on a joint European-IMF financial safety net for debt-stricken Greece just before an EU summit on Thursday, the French president's office said.

The leaders of Germany and France clinched agreement on a joint European-IMF financial safety net for debt-stricken Greece just before an EU summit on Thursday, the French president's office said.

Over the past 18 months, the inverse relationship between the US dollar and global equities markets has proven to be the single constant in an otherwise uncertain economic climate. When equities markets reached their nadir in March, 2009, the US dollar was sitting atop its highest levels, though much of that value would be lost in the equities-rebound that would follow.

EU leaders edged toward consensus on a financial safety net for Greece on strict German conditions ahead of a key summit Thursday after the European Central Bank threw Athens a major reprieve on funding rules.

EU leaders appeared to be nearing consensus on an aid mechanism for Greece based on strict German terms before a high-stakes summit on Thursday and Athens won a reprieve when the European Central Bank extended looser funding rules.