ECB ready to adjust monetary policy, Coeure says in Greek paper

(Reuters) - The European Central Bank is ready to adjust its monetary policy further if needed and boost bank liquidity, ECB executive board member Benoit Coeure said in an essay published in Greek newspaper Ta Nea on Saturday.

Italy Posts Biggest Consumer Price Decline on Record Amid Slump

Italy’s consumer prices this month dropped the most since records began after the euro-area’s third-largest economy slipped into recession, adding to concerns that the region might be headed toward deflation.

Double trouble: China property launches to deepen inventory overhang, price declines

(Reuters) - Property launches in China are set to surge in the latter half of the year with developers sticking to their schedules despite mounting inventories, spelling double trouble for a market hammered by months of falling prices.

Buffett puts shareholders ahead of patriotism in Canadian deal

(Reuters) - Warren Buffett may be most famous for the billions of dollars he has made from investing but he is also well known as a cheerleader for the United States.

Sanction-hit Russian economy nears recession

"The economy is close to recession," said Oleg Zasov, the head of forecasting at the economy ministry, according to Russian news agencies.

New home sales fall, but U.S. economy stays on solid ground

(Reuters) - Sales of new U.S. single-family homes fell for a second straight month in July, but a surge in the stock of properties on the market and slower price gains should help stimulate demand in the months ahead.

A Theory on Long-Term Economic Trends and a Sudden Crash

Employment losses during the Great Recession may have had more to do with factors like the rise of Walmart than with the recession itself, two economists say in a new academic paper.

Iceland Warns Airlines of Ash Plume as Volcano Erupts

Iceland warned airlines of a potential ash plume that could disrupt flights as one of the North Atlantic island nation’s biggest volcanoes erupted after a week of rumbling.

French economy minister urges alternative to German austerity

(Reuters) - The time has come for France to resist Germany's "obsession" with austerity and promote alternative policies across the euro zone that support household consumption, firebrand French Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg said on Sunday.

UK government finances show an unexpected deficit in July

Government finances showed an unexpected deficit in July for the second year running, according to official figures.

Shrinking Russian economy adds to fears of full-blown recession

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's economy has contracted in annual terms for two months in a row, the Economy Ministry said on Friday, adding to concerns that Russia may be heading for recession as western sanctions over Ukraine bite.

Japan manufacturers' mood, output rise, outlook dims

(Reuters) - Japan's manufacturers reported improving confidence and growth in new orders from domestic and export customers in August, but the service sector's mood soured for a second straight month, reflecting a patchy economic recovery from April's sales tax rise.

Fed debates merits of earlier rate hike given U.S. jobs gains

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve hinted on Wednesday that a surprisingly strong jobs market recovery could lead it to raise interest rates earlier than it had been anticipating.

China economy fears deepen as August HSBC flash PMI at three-month low

(Reuters) - Growth in China's vast factory sector slowed to a three-month low in August as output and new orders moderated, a preliminary private survey showed on Thursday, heightening concerns about increasing softness in the economy.

Rosneft Said to Ask State for Up to $42 Billion After Sanctions

OAO Rosneft (ROSN) asked the state for as much as 1.5 trillion rubles ($42 billion) of aid, a government official said, signaling a U.S. ban on long-term loans to Russia’s largest company is starting to bite.

Japan GDP set to fall sharply; may increase stimulus expectations

(Reuters) - Japan's economy likely shrank sharply in the second quarter, which would be bad news for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's growth policies, but it could raise market expectations of further stimulus. Data due at 8:50 a.m.

Record fall in youth unemployment pushes UK jobless rate to six-year low

A record fall in youth unemployment has pushed the jobless count to its lowest level for more than five years despite “dismal” wage growth, figures showed today.

Security firm G4S back in profit but more work needed

Security firm G4S has reported a pre-tax profit of £85m for the six months to the end of June, compared with a loss of £94m a year earlier.

China says over 150 'economic fugitives' at large in the U.S

BEIJING (Reuters) - More than 150 economic fugitives, many of whom are corrupt officials or suspected of graft in China, are at large in the United States, Chinese state media said on Monday, citing a senior official from the public security ministry.

UK is now the self-employment capital of western Europe, says IPPR report

Britain is dubbed the self-employment capital of western Europe in a report published on Tuesday that feeds concerns over the strength of the UK's economic recovery.

Britain ‘facing lost decade of economic growth’

Britain is facing a lost decade of economic growth despite the economic recovery, the latest forecasts from a respected think tank suggest today.

Putin’s Trade Blow Throws Finland’s Exporters Into Shock

Some of Finland’s biggest exporters have been thrown into survival mode as they struggle to work out how to cope with Russian import bans unveiled yesterday.

Chinese banks get serious about risk of bad debts swell

(Reuters) - Chinese banks are scrambling to get on top of bad debts they have downplayed for years, cutting off riskier borrowers, further tightening lending terms and, in one case, deploying teams of investigators to assess the risk of loan defaults.

Summit sees US boost security assistance to Africa

Washington (AFP) - The United States will step up its support for the African militaries battling Islamic extremists or conducting dangerous peacekeeping missions, President Barack Obama said.

US trade deficit narrows as imports drop

The US trade deficit fell in June after imports dropped 1.2% from the previous month, the biggest fall in a year.

Banks to be forced to increase competition in SME lending

Britain's biggest banks are to be forced to increase competition in the SME loans market in a bid to ensure further growth in a key part of the economy.

Japan Inc. Seeks to Recover Influence in Brazil

In the 1950s, Japan helped Brazil establish industries such as steelmaking and initiated key purchases of Brazilian iron ore.

Fed's Fisher, Plosser push for earlier rate hike

(Reuters) - Two top Federal Reserve officials known for their hawkish policy views said Friday they believed the U.S. economy was ready for interest rate hikes sooner than many expect, with one saying he thought rate hikes should start this year.

German economic growth to be hit by Ukraine crisis, Ifo head says

(Reuters) - German economic growth will shrink towards zero in the second quarter due to the Ukraine crisis and the tough new economic sanctions imposed on Russia from 0.8 percent in the first quarter, the head of Germany's Ifo institute said on Saturday.

Argentina's government blames 'conspiracy' for defaulting on debt

Argentina's government was in a defiant mood on Thursday after defaulting on its debt for the second time in 13 years.

Russia's Gazprombank says EU sanctions will not affect its financial stability

MOSCOW, July 31 (Reuters) - The inclusion of Gazprombank in the latest round of EU sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis will not affect the bank's financial stability or its ability to fulfil obligations to lenders and investors, the company said on Thursday.