European Business & Economy
• Italy seeks private sponsors to restore Colosseum
(AP)
AP - Italian officials are seeking to raise some euro25 million (about $32 million) in private money to finance the restoration of one of the country's iconic landmarks: the Colosseum.
• Euro zone economic sentiment rises to 28-month high
(Reuters)
Reuters - Euro zone economic sentiment rose strongly in July, buoyed by figures from Germany that point to a recovery as the currency area overcomes the sovereign debt crisis, but the outlook remains uncertain.
• German jobless rate edges up to 7.6 percent
(AP)
AP - Germany's unemployment rate edged up slightly to 7.6 percent in July from 7.5 percent the previous month as summer vacations started, but the labor market is still on the road to recovery, new data showed Thursday.
• Eurozone economic confidence 'highest in two years'
(AFP)
AFP - Business and consumer confidence in the 16-nation eurozone jumped in July to its highest level in more than two years, driven by regional powerhouse German, the European Union said Thursday.
• Police question French minister in L'Oreal affair
(AP)
AP - Financial police are questioning Labor Minister Eric Woerth about his connection to the heiress of the L'Oreal cosmetics fortune in a scandal that has reached the highest levels of President Nicolas Sarkozy's government.
• Eurozone economic sentiment up again in July
(AP)
AP - Economic sentiment in the 16 countries that use the euro is at its highest level for over two years, the European Commission said Thursday.
• British PM works to deepen Indian economic ties
(AP)
AP - British Prime Minister David Cameron worked to deepen his nation's ties with India on Thursday, using his trip to the former colony turned rising regional power to rake in millions of dollars in new business for the struggling British economy.
• Greek police tear gas protesting fuel drivers
(AP)
AP - Greek police used tear gas Thursday to disperse protesting fuel-truck drivers, whose strike is hurting tourism and industry, after the government issued an emergency order to force them back to work.
• Chemicals maker BASF sees Q2 earnings triple
(AP)
AP - Second-quarter profits at BASF SE more than tripled as a recovering global economy boosted demand and industry restocked inventories after the recession, the chemicals company said Thursday.
• Siemens quarterly earnings up 9 percent
(AP)
AP - A strong increase in orders in a recovering economy helped push earnings at Siemens AG 9 percent higher in the most recent quarter, the industrial conglomerate said Thursday.
• FTSE 100 edges up in early deals
(AFP)
<p>AFP - London's leading shares rose slightly at the start of trading on Thursday as positive corporate earnings figures countered weak US economic data.
• FTSE shares falter on weak US goods data
(AFP)
AFP - Leading shares in London faltered on Wednesday after weak US data raised fresh doubts over the strength of the economic recovery, dealers said.
• US economic data disappointment weighs on markets
(AP)
<p>AP - An unexpected decline in U.S. durable goods orders during June weighed on stock markets Wednesday as it reinforced concerns that the recovery in the world's biggest economy is rapidly running out of steam.
• Bank of England chief says stimulus still needed
(AP)
AP - The governor of the Bank of England said Wednesday that the need to stimulate the economy still takes precedence over concerns about high inflation at a time when the outlook for the global economy remains uncertain.
• Summary Box: German consumer confidence rises
(AP)
AP - FEELING BETTER: A new GfK institute survey shows German consumer confidence is up strongly, rising to 3.9 points for August from 3.6 points in July. That's its highest level since November 2009.
• UK's Cameron in India on mission to woo old ally
(AP)
AP - Seeking to win a key ally outside Washington and a booming business partner to spur Britain's fragile economic recovery, British Prime Minister David Cameron heads to India on Tuesday to lead his country's most brazen charm offensive in decades.
• Former Northern Rock executive fined, banned
(AP)
AP - Britain's financial regulator has banned the former finance director of mortgage lender Northern Rock — the country's first major casualty of the global credit crunch — and fined him 320,000 pounds ($500,000) for misreporting figures on loan arrears.
• UBS outshines Deutsche Bank as wealth turnaround nears
(Reuters)
Reuters - UBS flagged a return to client inflows this year as strong equities and forex trading gains helped it outdo Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) and other rivals, which were hit hard by Europe's sovereign debt crisis.
• Good news gives Dow 3rd straight triple digit gain
(AP)
AP - The Dow Jones industrial average gained more than 100 points for the third straight day Monday after traders got some unexpected good news about the economy.
• European stocks mixed amid stress-test doubts
(AFP)
AFP - Scepticism over European banking-sector stress tests, which have cleared all but seven European lenders, cast a shadow over the continent's stock markets on Monday.
