European debt crisis

Greece will have completed its early repayment of loans to the International Monetary fund by early December, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Thursday.

"It will be concluded in the next two to three weeks," Staikouras told a conference in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, referring to the early repayment of loans worth around 2.7 billion euros ($2.98 billion).

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Romania's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'BBB-' with a Stable Outlook, according to a Friday release of the credit ratings and research agency. Romania's Country Ceiling was affirmed at 'BBB+', Short-Term Foreign-Currency IDR affirmed at 'F3' and Short-Term Local-Currency IDR affirmed at 'F3', according to the release.

Germany's benchmark 10-year bond yield fell slightly on Wednesday to below a recent three-month high, as the European Central Bank resumed its asset-purchase program and investors awaited the outcome of a US Federal Reserve meeting.

The benefits of Greece's early repayment of a chunk of its loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lie mainly in improving debt sustainability in the long run, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) said in its recommendation to the Parliaments of eurozone member-states.

Greece's foray into the markets in October, when investors bought its short-term debt at a loss, shows the country's painful efforts to shore up its finances and economy were a success, the outgoing president of the European Central Bank (ECB), Mario Draghi, said on Thursday.

European finance ministers have agreed on the details of a relatively small investment and reform budget within the euro area, which will start operating in 2021.

The euro zone budget, known as the Budgetary Instrument for Convergence and Competitiveness (BICC), is expected to be finalized next year and start operating in 2021, Eurogroup President Mario Centeno said on Thursday.

The euro zone economy needs more spending from countries that have money to invest, euro zone finance ministers said on Wednesday ahead of a meeting at which they will discuss the slowing growth in the euro one economy.

More than a year after Greece exited its bailout programs, investors - in a historic first - have bought its short-term debt at a loss.

The country's debt management agency said Wednesday it raised 487.5 million euros ($535 million) selling 13-week treasury bills, for which the yield was -0.02 percent.

Outgoing European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi says that he was never part of the camp that wanted "to let Greece go" from the eurozone during the deadlock between lenders and the then recently elected SYRIZA party in 2015.

Greece needs to agree with its eurozone lenders on a lower fiscal target path to achieve a sustainable economic and social recovery, the International Monetary Fund said on Friday after a mission visit to Athens.