Reuters

By Martin Santa

Eurozone economic sentiment improved more than expected in May and inflation expectations among consumers and companies rose for the first time since December, European Commission data showed on Wednesday.

Police closed off the flashpoint Al-Aqsa compound to visitors on Wednesday as Israelis marked Jerusalem Day, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledging to never allow the city to be divided.        

"Thousands of troops withdraw, tens of thousands remain"

BELGRADE -- Russia withdrew several thousand troops from the border with Ukraine, but tens of thousands still remain there, said an unnamed NATO official.

Gambling monopoly OPAP posted higher-than-expected quarterly profit due to a rise in sports betting and cost-cutting.

The company said first-quarter net profit rose 27.6 percent to 49.7 million euros, beating the average forecast of seven analysts in a Reuters poll of 44.5 million euros.

More than 50 pro-Russian rebels were killed in an unprecedented assault by Ukrainian government forces, which raged into a second day on Tuesday after a newly-elected president vowed to crush the revolt in the east once and for all.
   

Greece’s anti-terrorism squad was investigating on Sunday an apparent attack at the headquarters of the co-ruling Socialist PASOK party after two bullets pierced its windows, police said.

Greeks began voting in a second round of local and European Parliament elections on Sunday, seen as a litmus test for support for Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’s shaky government.

An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude struck off the coast of northern Greece on Saturday and was felt as far as neighboring Turkey and Bulgaria but there were no reports of casualties or serious destruction, police and fire brigade officials said.

Moody’s announced on Friday there is no rating impact on National Bank of Greece’s covered bonds following an amendment to the bond transaction documents.

The amendment will allow bondholders of any series to sell a pro rata share of the cover pool after the issuer has defaulted or following an extension of the relevant series.

Greece's current account deficit shrank in March from the same month last year, according to balance of payments figures released by the central bank on Thursday.

The deficit stood at 44 million euros ($60.12 million) from 1.24 billion euros in March 2013.

Tourism revenues rose to 195 million euros in March from 151 million in the same month in 2013. [Reuters]

Portuguese bond yields touched a two-month high on Wednesday as a sell-off in lower-rated eurozone bonds deepened amid concern that European Union elections this week might derail economic reforms.