Economy of the European Union

Greece saw the biggest rise in the European Union between 2011 and 2012 in terms of the proportion of its population that is at risk of poverty, according to the European Commission's latest Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review, which was published on Monday.

Euro area annual inflation reached its lowest level since 2009 in March 2014, according to an estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

The latest data reveals a 0.5% inflation in March 2014, down by 0.7% in February, which is the lowest annual rate of inflation since November 2009.

By Corina Ruhe, Nikos Chrysoloras & Rebecca Christie

Euro area finance chiefs will decide tomorrow on the amount and pace of Greece’s next aid payments, Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said.

The government is bracing for a crucial week, with eurozone finance ministers expected to discuss the release of further rescue loans to Greece at an informal summit in Athens starting on Tuesday.

US and British investors bought the bulk of Alpha Bank’s 1.2-billion-euro new share issue, it said on Friday, providing further evidence that foreign investors are warming to Greece.

By Martin Santa

Optimism in the eurozone's economy brightened more than expected in March, as European consumer confidence showed its strongest monthly jump in nearly five years.

BY Jan Strupczewski & Martin Santa

The eurozone is not making any preparations for a third bailout for Greece and will consider it only if expressly asked by Athens, which has not happened so far, a senior eurozone official said on Thursday.

 Decision hinges on Greek Parliament’s voting on the multi-bill

Eurozone banks mainly increased their holdings of sovereign debt in February after banks passed the year-end deadline for balance sheet data under the European Central Bank's asset review, ECB data showed on Thursday.

Paul Tugwell & Nikos Chrysoloras

A venture led by Lamda Development increased its initial offer by 25 percent for 100 percent of Hellenikon SA, topping an independent valuation, the Greek state-asset sales fund said.