Topic: Germany

Greece is back on top of the international economic and political agenda after a brief respite. How can you build a firewall around your portfolio to insulate yourself from the big fat Greek mess?

The euro zone needs to push ahead with its financial sector reform plans and create a centrally managed and funded body to handle troubled banks, a European Central Bank policymaker said on Friday.

With concern growing about the future of the euro zone, analysts are now debating ideas that, until recently, were considered unthinkable.  One topic being bandied about is the viability of capital controls. 

Shares in Spain's fourth-biggest lender Bankia SA were suspended on the Madrid stock exchange on Friday, ahead of an evening announcement when the bank is expected to ask the state for a rescue of more than 15 billion euros ($19 billion).

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.

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.

The euro zone debt crisis will continue to dominate European stocks in 2012, with even well-run companies in danger of being sucked into the morass, according to S&P Capital IQ.

Four years of economic crisis and market turmoil that have sent German bund yields to record lows now have half of the top bond strategists and economists polled by Reuters fearing a Japan-style "Lost Decade".

There has been no global recession but negative sentiment and maximum uncertainty are clouding the reality of the situation, Frank Appel, Deutsche Post’s CEO told CNBC on “Worldwide Exchange.”

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?

Joint bonds issued by the euro zone, also known as Eurobonds, are one of the possible solutions to Europe’s debt crisis, Joaquin Almunia, vice president of the European Commission told CNBC, “but many conditions would have to be met” before they were introduced.

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?

German business confidence came in lower than expected in May, adding to bad news from the euro zone's paymaster and knocking both stocks and the euro lower on Thursday.

Germany's manufacturing sector has been shrinking at the fastest rate in three years in May, renewing concerns about the stamina of Europe's largest economy, which likely propped up the euro zone in the first quarter but is beginning to show signs of strain.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, finds herself increasingly on the defensive over the bonds, which she opposes as a near-term remedy for the region’s financial woes, The NYT reports.