Berenberg Bank

Angela Merkel's conservatives were heaving a sigh of relief on June 7 after a convincing win in the last regional vote before a general election that also exposed the weaknesses of the Green party, their main rival at the national level.

A recent analysis by Germany's Berenberg Bank iargues that after the Eurogroup's debt relief decision last month, Greece is ready for a fresh start with decent economic recovery potential.

Economists and other experts have told Anadolu Agency that investor confidence in Turkey will not flag despite potential political instability after June 7's general election.

The election saw four parties earn enough votes to enter the Turkish parliament, sparking speculation about a return to coalition government or a second, snap election.

By Jeff Black

Mario Draghi is trying to make the euro area a hard place to leave.

By Paul Gordon & Alessandro Speciale

When the world?s top finance ministers and central-bank chiefs meet in Dresden this week, they may struggle to stick to an agenda set by their German hosts that doesn?t mention Greece.

The boss of Russian energy giant Gazprom will meet Greece?s prime minister in Athens on Tuesday, after reports that the two parties are set to sign a pipeline deal in which Russia would make billions in an advance payment to cash-strapped Greece.

By Nikos Chrysoloras & Antonis Galanopoulos

Greek stocks and bonds slumped after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras opted to bring forward the process of choosing a new head of state, risking parliamentary elections in Europe’s most indebted state as early as January.

Economic crisis in Russia and sluggish demand from Turkey weighed on hopes for an export-led recovery in the eurozone in June, official data showed on Monday.

Exports from the 18-nation single currency zone dipped by 0.5 percent in June compared with May to 162.2 billion euros ($217 billion), the Eurostat statistics agency said.

Marcus Bensasson & Nikos Chrysoloras

Greece’s economy contracted at its slowest pace in almost six years, adding to signs that the country is set for a 2014 exit from its deepest recession in half a century as it emerges from its debt crisis.

By Ian Wishart

Voters across the European Union give their verdict today on policy makers’ handling of the euro- area debt crisis in elections to the European Parliament that may shape the future of the 28-nation bloc.