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• Spain's PM Mariano Rajoy Denies Corruption Charges

  

  The Spanish PM has strongly denied claims that he and other members of the governing party received secret payments. "I have never received or distributed 'black money', it's false," he said, stressing that he would not resign.

• Declining Car Sales Sink European Upturn Hopes

  

  Car sales extended their declines in France, Spain and Italy last month, data showed on Friday, leaving little hope of a European auto market rebound anytime soon.

• Poland charges blue-chip builders' execs with cartel

  The European Commission this week said it was putting on hold transfers of money due to Poland for road projects, which could add up to about 5 billion euros, because it wants assurances the alleged fraud could not be repeated on other projects in Poland, the biggest recipient of European Union funds.

• UPDATE 1-Declining January car sales sink European upturn hopes

  PARIS, Feb 1- Car sales extended their declines in France, Spain and Italy last month, data showed on Friday, leaving little hope of a European auto market rebound anytime soon. "The French passenger car market started 2013 on as weak a note as it exited 2012," analyst David Arnold at Credit Suisse said in a note.

• European Markets Extend Gains 

  

  CNBC's Simon Hobbs reports on EU markets moved higher on Friday after the U.S. released its jobs report.

• UPDATE 2-Autogrill split raises prospect of retail business deal

  MILAN, Feb 1- Autogrill, the world's biggest airport retailer, may split its business in two, a move that could help revive its main food operation and lead to a merger for the retail division. The announcement of the possible split, which has been the subject of market speculation for the last two years, sent Autogrill shares to their highest since May 2011.

• GLOBAL ECONOMY-China factories see only modest pick-up, Europe stabilises

  LONDON/ BEIJING, Feb 1- China's vast factory sector managed only a shallow rebound at the start of 2013 and manufacturing in the euro zone remained weak, although there the worst may be over, a clutch of surveys suggested on Friday.

• UPDATE 1-Euro zone inflation nears ECB goal, joblessness at record

  BRUSSELS, Feb 1- Euro zone inflation fell more than expected in January in a sign that companies were cutting prices to entice shoppers at a time when joblessness remained at a record level at the end of 2012..

• ANALYSIS-Investors cheer Portugal, on ground situation bleak

  In perhaps the starkest example of the gap between renewed investor appetite and languishing economies, Portugal has started 2013 on its strongest footing since it was bailed out in mid-2011, with confidence boosted by hopes it will relinquish its lifeline from the European Union and IMF as scheduled.

• Is Spain Becoming More Investable? 

  

  Nicholas Spiro, managing director at Spiro Sovereign Strate, tells CNBC that there is a shift taking place, away from Spain being seen of as a high risk investment.

• BT helps European shares inch up in choppy trade

  LONDON, Feb 1- European shares edged higher on Friday, led by British stocks after telecoms operator BT reported better-than-expected results while data showing growth in Chinese factories boosted mining stocks.

• BT helps European shares edge higher after results beat

  LONDON, Feb 1- European shares edged higher in choppy trade Friday, led by UK stocks after telecoms operator BT reported better-than-expected results.

• UPDATE 1-MetLife to buy BBVA Chile pension business for $2 bln

  Feb 1- MetLife Inc said it has agreed with BBVA to buy AFP Provida S.A., the largest private pension fund administrator in Chile, for about $2 billion in cash to expand its presence in emerging markets. MetLife said BBVA, Spain's second-biggest bank, has agreed to transfer its 64.3 percent stake to MetLife.

• UPDATE 1-Rome court summons Bank of Italy over Monte Paschi

  ROME, Jan 31- A court in Rome has summoned Bank of Italy officials for questioning on the state bailout of Monte dei Paschi, as scandal spread over the trading that plunged the world's oldest bank into trouble.

• Spain Stocks Brace as Short-Selling Ban Ends

  

  Spain's short-selling ban came to an end on Thursday but analysts say that although the lifting of the ban is a sign of improved sentiment, further downward pressure should be expected in the coming weeks.

• Pariahs no more, banks still struggle to lure leery investors

  LONDON, Jan 31- Once-shunned global banking stocks have surged nearly 40 percent in just eight months, but many investors remain wary of buying into a sector whose future size and shape is uncertain.

• Spain's Rajoy, Ruling Party Deny Secret Slush Fund

  

  Spain's ruling People's Party denied on Thursday that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and other leaders received payments from a slush fund after a newspaper published what it said were secret party accounts.

• ANALYSIS-As growth wanes, Amazon begins to show Wall Street the money

  SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 31- After a spending spree in recent years pushed Amazon.com Inc's net results into the loss column, investors are betting that the company is tightening the purse strings and focusing on delivering a solid profit. Analysts say Amazon is emerging from that supercharged investment phase just as growth of its core retail business slows.

• European Markets Close Lower 

  

  CNBC's Simon Hobbs reports on today's market action in Europe, as shares pared losses after a series of earnings weighed on market sentiment.

• UPDATE 4-Santander Brasil results disappoint as defaults jump

  SAO PAULO, Jan 31- Fourth-quarter profit at Banco Santander Brasil SA disappointed investors despite beating analysts' expectations, raising questions about the ability of Brazil's largest foreign lender to stem the impact of record-low borrowing costs and rising delinquencies.