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• Italy election stalemate worst option for markets Thursday, 21 Feb 2013 | 11:43 AM ET

  LONDON, Feb 21- An inconclusive result in Italy's elections this weekend could prompt an even bigger sell-off in some markets than the return to power of scandal-mired Silvio Berlusconi, who led the country to the financial precipice in 2011..

• Italian slump leads European shares lower Thursday, 21 Feb 2013 | 11:35 AM ET

  LONDON, Feb 21- A sharp fall on the Milan stock market hit European shares on Thursday, with uncertainty over this weekend's Italian elections pushing a key euro zone equity index to its lowest level since the start of 2013..

• REFILE-GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares, euro extend rout as Europe recovery hopes dim Thursday, 21 Feb 2013 | 7:17 AM ET

  LONDON, Feb 21- Worries about Europe's economic health sent shares, commodities and the single currency lower on Thursday, extending losses caused by growing uncertainty over the U.S.

• ANALYSIS-Berlusconi surge evokes recurring nightmare for Italy's left Wednesday, 20 Feb 2013 | 2:18 PM ET

  *Berlusconi halved centre-left lead before polling ban. ROME, Feb 17- Silvio Berlusconi's remarkable fightback ahead of Italy's election has revived a recurring nightmare for the country's center-left- that they can throw away a commanding lead in the final days before the weekend vote.

• EURO GOVT-Bunds fall as auction fails to impress Wednesday, 20 Feb 2013 | 7:30 AM ET

  *Spanish yields fall as Madrid launches 5- year dollar bond. LONDON, Feb 20- German debt futures fell and a sale of 10- year bonds struggled on Wednesday as investors kept to the sidelines before events likely to determine demand for low-risk assets in coming weeks.

• RPT-INSIGHT-Rome will burn, regardless of Italian election result Wednesday, 20 Feb 2013 | 4:36 AM ET

  ROME, Feb 20- Regardless of who wins next weekend's parliamentary election, Italy's long economic decline is likely to continue because the next government won't be strong enough to pursue the tough reforms needed to make its economy competitive again.

• EURO GOVT-Weak German debt sale hurts Bunds Wednesday, 20 Feb 2013 | 12:42 AM ET

  *Spanish yields steady before Madrid bond sale on Thursday. LONDON, Feb 20- German debt prices fell and a sale of 10- year bonds struggled on Wednesday as investors kept to the sidelines before events likely to determine demand for low-risk assets in coming weeks.

• FACTBOX-Italy coalitions' economy platforms ahead of vote Tuesday, 19 Feb 2013 | 10:36 AM ET

  ROME, Feb 19- Italians go to the polls on Sunday and Monday to elect a successor to Mario Monti's technocrat government, with the main parties seeking new ways to win over almost a third of voters who are still undecided.

• UPDATE 2-German investor morale soars to near 3-year high Tuesday, 19 Feb 2013 | 7:20 AM ET

  MANNHEIM, Germany, Feb 19- Optimism that the worst of the euro zone debt crisis is over has helped German investor sentiment soar to its highest level in nearly three years this month.

• BUSINESS-NEWS-SCHEDULE AT 2000 GMT / 3 P.M. EDT Monday, 18 Feb 2013 | 2:57 PM ET

  BRUSSELS- European Central Bank President Mario Draghi sought to take the heat out of a debate about currency wars but says the ECB would still have to assess the economic impact of the euro's strength. (ECB/DRAGHI-CURRENCIES, movedET, by Robin Emmott, 620 words).

• Investors seek protection before tight Italy vote Friday, 15 Feb 2013 | 10:54 AM ET

  LONDON, Feb 15- Investors are scrambling for protection against the risk that Italian elections next week could produce a political stalemate that will make fiscal reforms more difficult to implement.

• "New Bribesville" hits Italy Inc. before election Friday, 15 Feb 2013 | 10:13 AM ET

  MILAN, Feb 15- Corruption probes at three major companies have hurt corporate Italy's image with investors and revived memories, just a week before an election, of the scandals that devastated Italian politics in the 1990 s.

• UPDATE 1-"New Bribesville" hits Italy Inc. before election Friday, 15 Feb 2013 | 12:43 AM ET

  MILAN, Feb 15- Corruption probes at three major companies have hurt corporate Italy's image with investors and revived memories, just a week before an election, of the scandals that devastated Italian politics in the 1990 s.

• WRAPUP 4-Euro zone economy falls deeper than expected into recession Thursday, 14 Feb 2013 | 7:01 AM ET

  *France also contracts, PM admits debt target may be missed. BRUSSELS/ BERLIN, Feb 14- The euro zone slipped deeper than expected into recession in the last three months of 2012 after its largest economies, Germany and France, shrank at the end of a wretched year for the region.

• WRAPUP 3-Euro zone economy falls deeper into recession Thursday, 14 Feb 2013 | 5:26 AM ET

  *France also contracts, PM admits debt target may be missed. *Italy fares worse than forecast, 6th quarter of contraction. BERLIN/ PARIS Feb 14- The euro zone slipped deeper into recession in the last three months of 2012 after its largest economies, Germany and France, shrank markedly at the end of the year.

• WRAPUP 2-German, French economies subside in Q4, euro slides Thursday, 14 Feb 2013 | 4:45 AM ET

  *France also contracts, PM admits debt target may be missed. *Italy fares worse than forecast, 6th quarter of contraction. BERLIN/ PARIS Feb 14- Europe's two largest economies, Germany and France, both shrank markedly in the last three months of 2012, suggesting the euro zone has slipped deeper into recession.

• WRAPUP 1-Finmeccanica appoints CEO after India suspends deal Wednesday, 13 Feb 2013 | 3:31 PM ET

  *Finmeccanica promotes Pansa to CEO after head arrested. ROME/ NEW DELHI, Feb 13- Italy's Finmeccanica promoted company insider Alessandro Pansa to run the defence group as CEO after the arrest of its head for alleged bribery led India to suspend a $750- million deal to buy helicopters.

• EURO GOVT-Italian bonds firm as auction goes smoothly Wednesday, 13 Feb 2013 | 11:55 AM ET

  *Italy sells bonds at higher yields, demand stays strong. *Some analysts recommend buying on dips before Italy vote. Other peripheral euro zone bonds rose in tandem with Italy, as last week's increase in yields on concern about potential political instability in Italy and Spain, attracted some bargain-hunters.

• UPDATE 2-Italy funding costs rise before vote, sells 30-yr bond Wednesday, 13 Feb 2013 | 10:24 AM ET

  MILAN, Feb 13- Rising uncertainty about the outcome of Italy's general election pushed up borrowing costs at its last debt sale before the poll, but the country also managed to sell its first 30- year bond in nearly two years.

• GLOBAL MARKETS-Currencies volatile on G7 policy doubts Wednesday, 13 Feb 2013 | 5:50 AM ET

  *Italy auctions first 30- year bond in two years. LONDON, Feb 13- The yen rose against the dollar but steadied against the euro on Wednesday after a G7 statement on exchange rates, designed to calm talk of a currency war instead provoked fresh worries.