Topic: Italy

In Greece, conservative leader Antonio Samaras insisted on calling an election earlier this month that slashed his own party's share of the vote and set the country down a path that could see it crashing out of the euro.

European shares were called to open lower on Friday, ending another dismal week for equities, as investors learned that at least half of the euro zone’s member states are making contingency plans for a Greek exit from the single currency.

European shares are called to open the trading day higher despite a lackluster European Union summit that found Greece being urged to stay in the euro zone but to honor commitments to its bailout agreement.

Events of the past week suggest “the street” is beginning to take control of the financial system. People are expressing fears about the future of the euro and Europe by taking their money out of banks.

Greeks are notoriously reluctant to pay taxes, but even those that do are holding off at the moment until they are sure their country stays in the euro zone.

Europe is entering a new normal, where higher bond yields for peripheral countries like Italy, Spain, and Portugal are here to stay, according to David Nowakowski, director of fixed income strategy at Roubini Global Economics.

European shares were called to open lower sharply lower on Wednesday as investor caution replaced hope ahead of an unofficial European Union summit in Brussels to discuss policy responses to the euro zone crisis.

Mazda Motor is in talks with Fiat to form a business tie-up, a source said, as the loss-making Japanese automaker seeks a revival path after losing its strategic partnership with Ford Motor.

Former Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told CNBC  there are no preparations underway in Greece for possibly exiting the euro, but can't "exclude the possibility" that other countries are making arrangements.

As Greece's financial stability fund approved an 18 billion euro ($23 billion) for the country's biggest banks, former Prime Minister Papademos suggested Greece is prepping to exit the euro zone.

Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, vowed that the organization, which is part-funding Greece’s bailout, will “never leave the table” with its new government.

European shares were set to open higher on Tuesday as investors came to the conclusion that the markets were most likely over-sold and news emerged overnight of around 100 billion euros ($127 billion) of liquidity provided by the European Central Bank to the Greek central bank to prop up Greece’s financial system.

European shares were called to open lower on Monday after world leaders backed keeping Greece in the euro zone on Saturday and vowed to take all steps necessary to combat financial turmoil while revitalizing a global economy increasingly threatened by Europe's debt crisis.

Despite efforts at official reassurance, no one really knows the consequences of a Greek exit from the euro zone, or how rapidly big countries like Spain and Italy, and their banks, will feel the effects, The New York Times reports.

A strong earthquake rocked a large swathe of northern Italy early on Sunday, killing at least four people, injuring dozens and seriously damaging historic buildings such as churches, bell towers and a mediaeval castle.