European Central Bank

By Yiannis Papadoyiannis & Sotiris Nikas

The state has absorbed liquidity of 11 billion euros through the issue of treasury bills, and there is concern in the market that this amount may well grow further in the coming months so that the state can safeguard its cash reserves.

By Chryssa Liaggou

A few hours after the second vote for a new president in Parliament on Tuesday, industrialists called on political parties to reach a national consensus on four key points.

German 10-year yields were about three basis points from a record low on Tuesday, outperforming higher-yielding peers, as Greece’s failure to elect a president boosted the anti-austerity opposition’s chances of ousting the government.

European Central Bank officials are considering ways to ensure weak countries that stand to gain most from a fresh round of money printing bear more of the risk and cost.

Speculation about a possible overture by European leaders in support of the Greek government rose on Friday after French President Francois Hollande said he would work together with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to ensure that "things do not get more complicated for Greece."

The European Central Bank's recent monetary policy actions have reduced risks in the euro zone's banking system but strong vigilance is still needed, Greek central bank governor Yannis Stournaras said on Sunday.

It was not the way Greeks thought they would spend their Christmas this year. Actually, many had already planned their holidays long ago. Judging from the record number of bookings, many had chosen to spend their Christmas at the popular winter resorts on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The crisis is over, claimed the tour operators.

 Goldman Sachs says ECB may pull plug on Greek banks, while Moody’s hints at credit rating downgrade

By Sotiris Nikas

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The European Central bank has warned against proposed amendments to the Deposit Insurance Act, saying they could constitute an infringement on the national bank's independence.

In a statement the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), Bulgaria's central regulator, cites the letter from ECB signed by the European institution's head Mario Draghi.

Menda Stoyanova, Chair of the parliamentary budget committee, has suggested that Bulgaria is unlikely to be penalized by the European Commission over the budget deficit exceeding 3% as it is a one-off case.