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3. The value of the euro is being talked down by officials from core Europe.

Why did Germany and France spook the euro?

France and Germany, the two leading countries of the euro zone, may have intentionally engineered a competitive currency devaluation by pushing private investors to share the burden of future sovereign bailouts.

Bailout or not, Spain faces years of sacrifice

Zapatero
Despite the recent frenetic declarations by Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero that Spain does not need a bailout, the bond markets strongly disagree with him as traders continue to unload Spanish (as well as Portuguese and Italian) bonds, driving up the financing costs for the nation’s lenders to all-time highs.
Eurogroup Chairman Juncker, Belgium's Finance Minister Reynders and EU Commissioner Rehn address a news conference at the end of a EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels

Analysis: Break-up of eurozone needn’t be a difficult process

The force of political will binding together a seemingly crumbling euro zone is still strong, but the imperatives of domestic economic realignments could force members to an exit option, analysts have said; and the road out of the bloc doesn’t exactly look daunting.
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Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

US stocks set to open lower

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to a lower opening on Tuesday as renewed concerns about European sovereign debt crisis weighed on sentiment.
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US futures point to flat opening

Futures on major U.S. indices point to flat opening on Monday as the European Union’s 85 billion euro ($113 billion) financial assistance package for Ireland failed to boost investor sentiment.
Traders gather around the General Motors trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange

Stocks sink on Korea, euro debt worries

Stocks tumbled in a holiday-shortened session on worries over threats of war by North Korea and pervasive fears that the euro zone sovereign debt crisis may spread to Spain and Portugal. Apparently, traders saw little solace in what appears to be shaping up as a strong Black Friday on the retail front.
Robert Gross, a trader from Barclays Capital, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York

Stocks sink on Korean geopolitical tensions, euro zone dent worries

Stocks tumbled on heightened geopolitical tensions in Korea and rising fears about the spread of euro zone debt crisis. Minutes from the last FOMC meeting which revealed disagreements among policymakers over the efficacy of the second round of quantitative easing did not help market sentiment either.
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai (L) and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (R) shake hands in front of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon after signing accords during the NATO Summit in Lisbon November 20, 2010.

War to shift to Afghan control by 2014

The coalition of nations waging war against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan declared their intention, dependent on actual conditions on the ground, to hand over full responsibility the nation by 2014.
U.S. President Barack Obama and Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva (partially hidden) are protected by umbrellas during an arrival ceremony at the Presidential Palace before the start of the NATO summit in Lisbon November 19, 2010.

War exit, missile shield key as NATO summit starts

Coordination on exiting the Aghanistan war, a missile shield system over Europe to protect against Iranian threats, and forging closer ties with Russia will be on the agenda for the NATO summit in Portugal over the next two days.
A 100 yuan banknote is placed next to $100 banknotes

Will China raise rates? Will US data guide QE talks? – Next week’s forex questions

The dust of G-20 has settled. World leaders sat around a large table set this time in South Korea, searched for that magic wand in their suit pockets, and then looked at each other's face with disappointment. They didn't get one to 'calm down' the emerging fears of a 'world war' on trade and currencies. They did not 'direct' China and/or US as some hoped.
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.

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