ECB looks to banks to deliver quantitative easing on its behalf

(Reuters) - The European Central Bank is hoping a new round of long-term loans will be used by banks to drive down borrowing costs - a substitute for an asset-purchase scheme of its own which would avert a potentially damaging internal split.

Euro zone loans contraction increases pressure on ECB

(Reuters) - A contraction in loans to households and companies in the euro zone quickened in October, piling pressure on the European Central Bank to do more to buoy the euro zone's weak recovery.

French government predicts rosy future in 2025

PARIS: Full employment, plenty of cheap housing, a new Industrial Revolution and Police 3.0. Those are the French government's predictions for the year 2025.

Royal Bank of Scotland faces struggle to find CEO amid political meddling

LONDON: Royal Bank of Scotland will struggle to recruit a suitable replacement for ousted chief executive Stephen Hester, someone who must steer it through privatisation and accept that political interference comes with the job.

Japan passes $142 billion stimulus budget

TOKYO:Japan's parliament on Tuesday passed a $142 billion extra budget that forms a key part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to tackle the deflation that has dogged the economy for years.

Euro zone lending falls for 8th month

FRANKFURT: Loans to companies and households in the euro zone contracted for the eighth month running in December, showing low official borrowing costs are having little success in reviving investment and spending.

Spain says convinced will find investors for bad bank

LONDON (Reuters) - Spain's Economy Minister said on Thursday he was certain the country would find interest from the private sector for the 'bad bank' it is setting up to park billions of euros in soured real estate assets.

French Banks Say EU Summit Important Step To Stability

The French Banking Federation said in a statement published late Friday that the results of the European summit Thursday and Friday are an important step towards ensuring stability in the euro zone and will build investor confidence.

BOE Tells Banks To Tap Buffers As Risks To Stability Mount

The Bank of England Friday urged banks to run down their emergency cash buffers to support greater lending to the U.K. economy, even as it warned the risks to financial stability have increased.

Aid drop hurts Palestinian financial stability: Israel

A drop-off in the delivery of aid to the Palestinians is threatening their financial stability, Israel warns in a report to be submitted to international donor countries later this week.

US jobless rate falls to 8.3% as jobs surge: Government data

WASHINGTON: The US unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent in January, its lowest level in nearly three years, thanks to an unexpected surge in hiring, government data showed Friday.