Euro Zone

Greece to repay more euro zone bailout loans ahead of schedule

Greece will next month repay ahead of schedule 5.3 billion euros ($5.8 billion) of loans owed to euro zone countries under its first bailout, and hopes to repeat the move…

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Euro zone economic sentiment inches up in November

BRUSSELS, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Euro zone economic sentiment increased slightly for a second consecutive month in November, in line with expectations, as a modest up-tick of the mood in…

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Euro zone business activity fell again in Nov, stoking recession fears -PMI

By Jonathan Cable LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The downturn in euro zone business activity eased in November but remained broadbased, suggesting the bloc's economy will contract again this quarter…

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More expensive services, food drive euro zone inflation in Oct

BRUSSELS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - More expensive services and food were the main drivers of consumer price growth in the euro zone in October, data showed on Friday, as the…

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ECB policymakers keen to cool euphoria over inflation drop

By Balazs Koranyi FRANKFURT, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank needs to see further progress in dampening inflationary pressures, and companies along with governments need to chip in…

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Euro zone retail sales fall in Sept, exposing weak consumer demand

BRUSSELS, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Euro zone retail sales fell roughly in line with expectations in September, data showed on Wednesday, highlighting weak consumer demand and the prospect of recession.…

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ECB must keep rates at or near 4% through 2024 to get inflation down -IMF

FRANKFURT, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Rapid wage growth in the euro zone could keep inflation elevated longer and the European Central Bank should hold interest rates at or near record…

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Euro zone recession fears harden as surveys show grim start to Q4

By Jonathan Cable LONDON (Reuters) - The downturn in euro zone business activity accelerated last month as demand in the dominant services industry weakened further, a survey showed, suggesting there…

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Euro zone economy started Q4 on back foot, stoking recession fears -PMI

LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The downturn in euro zone business activity accelerated last month as demand in the dominant services industry weakened further, a survey showed on Monday, suggesting…

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Euro zone companies brace for recession – ECB poll

FRANKFURT, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Large euro zone companies are raising prices at a slower pace and bracing for a recession as high borrowing costs and inflation dampen demand, a…

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Drop in euro zone investor mood slows in October – survey

BERLIN, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Investor morale in the euro zone fell less than expected at the start of October, with Germany's economic weakness continuing to drag on the region…

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Euro zone August producer prices edge up m/m as expected, plunge y/y

BRUSSELS, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Euro zone producer prices edged higher as expected month-on-month in August and plunged year-on-year on a sharp drop in energy prices, data showed on Wednesday.…

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Euro zone economy likely contracted in Q3 as demand faltered -PMI

LONDON, Oct 4 (Reuters) - The euro zone economy probably shrank last quarter, according to a survey which showed demand fell in September at the fastest pace in almost three…

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Euro zone factory activity stuck in steep downturn in Sept – PMI

LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Euro zone manufacturing activity remained mired in a deep and broad-based downturn last month, according to a survey which showed on Monday that demand kept…

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Euro zone unemployment data for August

Oct 2 (Reuters) - The European Union's statistics office Eurostat released the following data on Monday on unemployment in the 20 countries sharing the euro: Unemployed as percentage of labour…

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Euro zone inflation falls to lowest in 2 years as economy slows

FRANKFURT, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Inflation in the euro zone fell to its lowest level in two years in September, suggesting the European Central Bank's steady diet of interest rate…

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Euro zone economic sentiment deteriorates in September

BRUSSELS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Euro zone economic sentiment fell for a fifth consecutive month in September although by slightly less than expected as the mood in services, retail and…

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Euro zone money supply shrinks as ECB turns off taps

FRANKFURT, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The amount of money circulating in the euro zone shrank by the most on record last month as banks curbed lending and depositors locked up…

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Euro zone recession risks grow as rate hikes bite-PMI

By Jonathan Cable LONDON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The euro zone economy is likely contract this quarter and won't return to growth anytime soon, a survey showed, as the dampening…

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Euro zone firms finally absorbing wage pressures -ECB’s Lane

NEW YORK, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Euro zone companies are finally absorbing wage pressures and the labour market has started to soften, European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane said…

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ECB may need until spring to conclude that no more hikes are needed: Kazimir

FRANKFURT, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank's rate hike on Thursday may have been its last for now but policymakers will need until March to be sure and…

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ECB’s Stournaras urges governments to help bring down inflation

Sept 17 (Reuters) - European Central Bank Governing Council member Yannis Stournaras said governments must do their part in reining in consumer prices after borrowing costs reached a level that…

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Euro zone swings to trade surplus y/y in July

BRUSSELS, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The euro zone swung to an unadjusted 6.5 billion euro trade surplus in July from a 36.3 billion euro deficit a year earlier as costs…

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Euro zone July industrial production drops more than expected

BRUSSELS, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Euro zone industrial production dropped much more than expected in July, data showed on Wednesday, underlining downward revisions of economic growth for this year in…

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ECB’s crucial 2024 projection to put inflation above 3%

By Francesco Canepa FRANKFURT, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank expects inflation in the 20-nation euro zone to remain above 3% next year, bolstering the case for a…

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Euro zone Q2 employment revised to +1.3% y/y

Sept 7 (Reuters) - Euro zone employment rose by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter and rose by 1.3% year-on-year in the second quarter, the European Union statistics office said on Thursday, confirming its…

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Euro zone retail sales dip as auto fuel purchases fall in July

BRUSSELS, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Retail sales in the euro zone declined in July, though only due to reduced automotive fuel purchases, while June registered an increase rather than the…

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Euro zone August factory activity showed signs of recovery -PMI

LONDON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The downturn in euro zone manufacturing eased last month, suggesting the worst may be over for the bloc's beleaguered factories although demand weakened to its…

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Stubborn euro zone inflation fails to settle ECB rate debate

By Balazs Koranyi FRANKFURT, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Euro zone inflation proved unexpectedly stubborn this month although price pressures for underlying goods eased, providing ammunition for both supporters and opponents…

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Euro zone economic sentiment deteriorates in August

BRUSSELS, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Euro zone economic sentiment was weaker than expected in August, continuing a steady decline since the start of the year and inflation expectations among consumers…

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Euro zone June retail sales fall 1.4% y/y

Aug 4 (Reuters) - The European Union's statistics office Eurostat released the following data on retail sales in the euro zone in June. Volume of retail trade % change compared…

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ECB says underlying inflation has peaked in good omen for future

FRANKFURT, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Underlying inflation in the euro zone has probably peaked, pointing to slower growth in other prices too, the European Central Bank said on Friday. The…

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Euro zone inflation falls further in comforting sign for ECB

FRANKFURT, July 31 (Reuters) - Euro zone inflation fell further in July and most measures of underlying price growth also eased, in a largely comforting sign for the European Central…

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Euro zone pulls out of dip with higher growth than expected

BRUSSELS, July 31 (Reuters) - The euro zone returned to growth in the second quarter of 2023, with a greater than expected expansion after narrowly avoiding a technical recession around…

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Euro zone firms see stagnating activity ahead: ECB survey

FRANKFURT, (Reuters) - Big euro zone firms are recording stagnating activity levels and see no improvement in the current quarter with risks tilted towards even more negative outcomes, the European…

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ECB contemplates end of rate hikes as outlook worsens

Stournaras and Kazimir see end of hikes Differ on whether one more is needed No rate cut seen for several months Surveys point to worsening outlook Inflation, GDP data provides…

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ECB survey points to stickier underlying inflation

FRANKFURT, July 28 (Reuters) - Core inflation in the euro zone will come down more slowly than previously thought as wage growth is seen picking up in a tight labour…

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Euro zone ministers agree on gradual wind-down of spending

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers agreed that the single currency area needed a "determined, gradual and realistic" reduction of government spending to boost economic growth and prepare for…

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Euro zone almost eliminates trade deficit in May

BRUSSELS, July 14 (Reuters) - The euro zone almost eliminated its trade deficit in May, non-adjusted data showed on Friday, as exports of chemicals and machinery picked up and the…

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Euro zone factory downturn deepened in June as ECB hikes bite-PMI

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Euro zone manufacturing activity contracted faster than initially thought in June as persistent policy tightening by the European Central Bank squeezed finances, according to a…

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Euro zone inflation falls again in June as energy prices tumble

FRANKFURT, June 30 (Reuters) - Inflation in the euro zone fell for a third straight month in June as the cost of fuel tumbled and increases in food prices slowed,…

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Euro zone profits still bigger factor in inflation than wages: ECB

June 29 (Reuters) - A key measure of corporate profitability in the euro zone rose to a record high last quarter, keeping up pressure on inflation as the long-awaited drop…

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Europe’s financial stability risk remains ‘severe’ -EU watchdog

June 29 (Reuters) - Financial stability risk in the European Union remains at a "severe" level and the downturn in the housing market could become even more broad-based, the bloc's…

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Euro zone should tighten fiscal policy in 2024 to curb inflation -EFB

By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS, June 28 (Reuters) - Euro zone governments should tighten fiscal policy next year more than currently planned to help the European Central Bank fight inflation and…

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Euro zone lending takes another hit in May

June 28 (Reuters) - Euro zone bank lending slowed further in May, dragged down by higher interest rates and a recession in the bloc's vast manufacturing sector, European Central Bank…

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Sharp slowdown in growth of bank lending for euro zone and Germany forecast

FRANKFURT, June 26 (Reuters) - High interest rates will keep a lid on the pace of bank lending in Europe this year and next, with a particular slowdown in growth…

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ECB’s De Cos sees another rate hike in July, no certainty aftewards

MADRID, June 22 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank will need to raise interest rates further in July to combat inflation but the path afterwards remains unclear, ECB policymaker Pablo…

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Euro zone needs still higher ECB rates, tighter fiscal policy -IMF

By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Central Bank should continue to raise rates to bring down inflation and euro zone governments should slash budget deficits to help it,…

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J.P. Morgan now forecasts 4% peak for key ECB rate

(Reuters) - J.P.Morgan said it expected the European Central Bank to hike interest rates by another 25 basis points in September, taking its terminal rate forecast to 4% after the…

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Euro zone May inflation confirmed at 6.1% yr/yr, core eases

BRUSSELS, June 16 (Reuters) - Euro zone consumer inflation sharply decelerated in May, the European Union's statistics office confirmed on Friday, with the core price growth measure, watched closely by…

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Global banks raise forecast to 4% peak for key ECB rate

June 16 (Reuters) - Major global investment banks lifted their terminal rate forecast for the European Central Bank to 4% in September, after the ECB raised borrowing costs and indicated…

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UPDATED: Euro zone slips into recession after Germany, Ireland revisions

20-nation euro zone Q1 and Q4/2022 GDP both cut to -0.1% German, Ireland Q1 figures revised down Employment growth accelerates to 0.6% in Q1 By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS, June 8…

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Eurozone investor mood darkens due to ‘problem child’ Germany, survey finds

BERLIN, June 5 (Reuters) - Investors got more gloomy on prospects for the euro zone economy in June, dragged down by negative expectations for Germany, Europe's biggest economy, a survey…

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Euro zone producer prices down for seventh month in April

BRUSSELS, June 5 (Reuters) - Euro zone producer prices fell for a seventh consecutive month in April, data showed on Monday, almost entirely due to declining energy prices. The European…

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Euro zone business growth slowed in May as factories struggled-PMI

LONDON, June 5 (Reuters) - Euro zone business activity was shored up last month by the bloc's dominant services industry offsetting a deepening decline in the manufacturing sector, according to…

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Euro zone inflation drops more than expected in relief for ECB

By Balazs Koranyi FRANKFURT, June 1 (Reuters) - Euro zone inflation eased more than expected last month as underlying price growth also slowed, backing arguments for only cautious further rate…

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ECB nearing end of tightening cycle but final stretch remains, De Guindos says

MADRID, June 1 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank (ECB) has gone through most of its monetary policy tightening to bring inflation back to its medium-term target of 2%, though…

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