Greece crisis: Eurozone rules out talks until after referendum

Eurozone finance ministers have ruled out any further talks on a fresh bailout for Greece until the country holds its referendum on Sunday.

Greek debt talks go into weekend as default deadline looms

BRUSSELS (AP) — The bitter standoff between Greece and its international creditors was extended into the weekend, just days before Athens has to meet a crucial debt deadline which could decide whether it goes bankrupt and gets kicked out of the euro currency club.

Greek talks must yield imminent agreement, says European Central Bank

Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, has warned that time is rapidly running out to resolve the Greek debt crisis, as financial markets took fright at the prospect of a looming default.

China Wants to Internationalize Its Currency, So It's Easing Capital Restrictions

You can’t buy a beer with it. You can’t trade in it. Yet China’s push to win an arcane currency status bestowed by the International Monetary Fund is driving policy makers in Beijing to ease capital restrictions.

Egypt Tax Delay Means Rich Pay Less to Cut Deficit: IMF

The International Monetary Fund criticized Egypt’s decision to delay imposing capital gains tax on stocks because it means that the cost of shoring up public finances will be borne by “people who are less able to afford it.”

IMF: EU life insurers in danger from low interest rates

Washington (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund warned Wednesday that Europe's life insurers face a "high and rising threat" to their solvency from the long period of low interest rates.

Get up to speed with the Greek debt crisis 3.0

The Godfather. Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars. Great dramas come in trilogies and Greece's debt crisis is no exception. After bailouts in 2010 and 2012, Greece is once again edging towards financial collapse. Here is what you need to know to get up to speed with the third installment of the Greek thriller.

Renzi's Italian budget is not so tax-cutting after all

(Reuters) - Two days after Matteo Renzi presented Italy's 2015 budget it is emerging that the prime minister's claims of unprecedented tax cuts to revive a stagnant economy are not exactly as he described.

Germany cuts 2014 growth forecast from 1.8% to 1.2%

The German government has sharply cut its economic growth forecast for this year and next, citing "external" factors for the revision. It now expects growth this year to be 1.2%, down from its previous estimate of 1.8%.

Mark Carney says bankers' behaviour needs to change

Bankers' behaviour still needs to change following the financial crisis, Bank of England governor Mark Carney has warned. He said that top executives had "got away without sanction".

Global stock markets hit by fears over economic growth

Global stock markets have been hit by fears over global growth following a run of bad economic news. German figures revealed a sharp drop in industrial production, raising fears than Europe's traditionally strongest economy was weakening.

Austerity versus growth version 3.0 at G20/IMF

(Reuters) - World policymakers gather in Washington later this week to ponder how to sustain economic recovery at a time when the United States is about to turn off its money taps.

War may delay Ukraine's economic growth until 2016: world bank

(Reuters) - Ukraine's military conflict with pro-Russian separatists in the industrial east will force the Kiev government to shelve hopes of resuming economic growth until 2016, the World Bank said on Thursday.

Irish Economy Returns to Growth With 2.7% Surge

Ireland’s economy returned to growth in the first quarter as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Enda Kenny to ease austerity after years of spending cuts and tax increases.

IMF considers asking for longer debt maturities in bailouts

(Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund should ask private bondholders to hold onto the debt of financially distressed countries for longer, as the global lender seeks to improve its sovereign debt restructuring strategy, IMF economists said on Friday.

Sisi keeps Egyptian premier to fix economy after turmoil

CAIRO (Reuters) - Newly inaugurated President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reappointed Egypt's prime minister on Monday, signalling continuity as he sets out to fix the economy and overcome political divisions after a long period of turmoil and bloodshed.

French government announces tax relief as euro election looms

(Reuters) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, struggling to win back disgruntled voters, said on Friday his government planned to exempt a further 1.8 million households from income tax, at a cost to the state of 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion).

Jamaica scraps bank withdrawal tax

The Jamaican government has announced it is scrapping controversial plans for a tax on bank withdrawals.

G20 urges US to ratify IMF reforms by year-end

The G20 pressed the United States on Friday to ratify crucial IMF reforms after four years of waiting, suggesting they would find an alternative if Washington does not deliver by year's end.

Price cuts aid first-quarter growth for euro zone businesses

(Reuters) - Euro zone businesses started 2014 with their best quarter in three years, but buoyant growth came at a cost as they slashed prices to drum up trade, which could further stoke deflation fears.