Greece News

S&P Puts Allianz, Aviva, AXA, Generali, Mapfre Units, 10 Other EU Insurers on CreditWatch/Negative

Standard & Poor’s Ratings announced that it has placed its ratings on the following insurers (and certain related operating subsidiaries and certain holding companies) on CreditWatch with negative implications: • Allianz Group (including the Euler Hermes group) • Aviva Group …

Breaking up the Euro? Try Unscrambling an Omelet – an Analysis

Can you unscramble an omelet? That, in essence, is what euro zone leaders and the global monetary policy elite will have to do if the euro zone is to be reshaped in any semblance of an orderly manner, be it …

IMF Head Warns World Economy Risks a ‘Lost Decade’

The head of the International Monetary Fund warned on Wednesday that Europe’s debt crisis risked plunging the global economy into a “lost decade” and said it was up to rich nations to shoulder the burden of restoring growth and confidence. …

France, Germany Give Greece Ultimatum on Euro

The leaders of Germany and France told Greece on Wednesday it would not receive another cent in European aid until it decides whether it wants to stay in the euro zone. They also made clear that saving the euro was …

Greek Referendum Plan Threatens New Euro Zone Crisis

Prime Minister George Papandreou’s shock announcement that he will put Greece’s bailout to a referendum threatened to intensify the euro zone crisis, and brought complaints in Germany that Athens is trying to wriggle out of the deal. Euro zone leaders …

Markets Cheer Euro Deal But Questions Remain

The euro and stocks rallied on Thursday after European leaders struck a deal to provide debt relief for Greece, but analysts warned the plan would fail to halt the euro zone’s two-year-old debt crisis unless crucial details were resolved soon. …

Italy Downgrade, Greek Worry Dominate Europe’s Financial Markets

Standard & Poor’s downgrading of Italian debt hit the euro on Tuesday, although stock investors shrugged off the move to push European stocks higher. Markets remain on edge about Greece’s rickety finances and French banking stress and world stocks as …

European Insurers’ Greek Hit Fuels Debt Concerns

Allianz and Generali followed rivals in aggressively writing down holdings of Greek government bonds on Friday, fuelling investor concerns about the possible impact on insurers of a worsening sovereign debt crisis. Analysts say major European insurers have moderate exposure to …

Europe’s Banks, Insurers Take Greek Debt Hit in Stride

Major European banks have limited their losses on Greek bonds to just over €5 billion [$7.2 billion] after negotiating a 21 percent haircut on their debt holdings as part of a rescue plan. France’s BNP Paribas is set to take …

Stress Test Puts Banks’ Euro Zone Debt in Spotlight

Pressure on Europe’s banks to raise more capital increased on Monday after last week’s stress tests revealed their holdings of European sovereign debt, with likely losses on Greek bonds a growing concern. A health check of 90 European banks unveiled …