Topic: France

French President, Francois Hollande has cast himself as the European leader pushing hardest to forge a growth-oriented “new path” through the euro zone’s grinding debt crisis, pitting him against the austerity-minded German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the New York Times reports.

India has threatened to ban European airlines from its airspace if Brussels sanctions Indian carriers in a dispute over an EU plan to charge carriers for their pollution. The FT reports.

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.

Some of Europe’s biggest fund managers have confirmed they are dumping euro assets amid rising fears over a possible Greek exit from the euro zone and single currency turmoil, the Financial Times reports.

The concept of Eurobonds as one tool to tackle the euro zone debt crisis has re-emerged onto the agenda this week. But how would they work and how could they help to solve the crisis?

Ever wondered why European politicians appear so calm when attending summits in Brussels or G8 meetings despite all the talk of a “Grexit” and economic Armageddon?

"He is not in a confrontational mindset. He didn't arrive brandishing a
Kalashnikov and saying 'you must accept euro bonds'," one aide said. "It's a
different approach."

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.

European leaders meet in Brussels this evening for an informal dinner being billed as a showdown between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande over the tricky issue of Eurobonds—bonds issued by the EU and backed by euro zone members collectively.

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.

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.

Germany dismissed a French-led call for euro zone nations to issue common bonds, a day before a European Union leaders' summit which investors are looking to for new measures to counter the bloc's debt crisis.