AFP - The Mediterranean island states of Cyprus and Malta welcomed in the new year with a new currency on Tuesday, taking the number of countries now using the euro to 15.

Canadian Press - BERLIN - Germany's economy minister and a leading economic institute said Wednesday they expect 2008 growth to cool amid rising food and oil prices and fallout from the U.S. subprime mortgage loan crisis.

AFP - German unemployment rose only slightly in December, official data showed Thursday, capping a year of robust recovery in the job market and bucking the usual winter trend in Europe's biggest economy.

AP - Inflation in the countries that share the euro currency was expected to hold at a year-on-year rate of 3.1 percent in December, its highest-ever level for a second straight month, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said Friday.

Canadian Press - LONDON - Companies are more pessimistic now about the British economy than at any other time in the last five years, a survey by Lloyds TSB indicates.

AFP - Confidence in the European economy fell slightly in December but not by as much as economists had expected in the eurozone, a European Union survey showed Monday.

AFP - Europe's economy faces a rougher time in 2008 than last year in the face of financial market stress and surging oil and food prices, the European Union's Slovenian presidency warned Tuesday.

AFP - Leading shares closed lower after Marks and Spencer lost nearly 20 percent of its value after revealing it had endured its worst quarterly performance in several years, while BP was on the back foot after analysts slashed forecasts.

AP - The European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 4 percent Thursday amid signs inflation in the euro zone is on the rise. The Bank of England earlier held its benchmark rate steady at 5.5 percent, resisting calls for a cut amid mounting signs of a slowing domestic economy.

Reuters - The European Commission may cut its growth forecast for the euro zone economy this year, Luxembourg's prime minister said on Saturday, as other EU leaders voiced concern about the euro's strength.

AFP - Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to call Monday for Britain to be 'fully engaged' with the European Union so that it can influence economic reforms in the 27-nation bloc.

Reuters - Prime Minister Gordon Brown, often accused of being lukewarm towards the European Union, said on Monday it would be a mistake to question Britain's EU membership at a time of global economic problems.

AFP - The leading share index fell below 6,000 points for the first time since August 2007, with mining issues the biggest casualties amid fears of a global economic slowdown, dealers said Wednesday.

Investor's Business Daily - Last year, the United Kingdom was still coasting on an uninterrupted growth cycle that began in 1992. It averaged annual GDP growth of 2.5% for years. In September, the British pound hit a high of $2.03. Many expected the British economy to kick into overdrive and reach a 3% increase for 2007.

AFP - The Germany economy will slow down this year in the wake of the global financial crisis, but should remain fundamentally solid, Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said Friday in an interview.

FT.com - Britain's campaign to persuade the European Union to adopt its light-touch approach on financial regulation has been damaged by the debacle over Northern Rock, according to leading City figures.

Canadian Press - TOKYO - Asian and European stock markets plunged Monday after declines on Wall Street last week amid investor pessimism over the U.S. government's stimulus plan to prevent a recession.

AFP - London's key stock market endured a volatile morning's trade Tuesday as investors faced uncertainty over the threat of recession to the US economy.

Reuters - Indian shares extended gains to 7 percent by Wednesday afternoon, after index futures showed European stocks were set to open higher as aggressive U.S. interest rate cut boosted sentiment in equity markets.

AFP - Shares rose in early trading in London Thursday, in line with other European markets, after a recovery for Japanese share prices and an overnight rebound on Wall Street.

FT.com - Asian markets rallied Friday in a positive end to a volatile week, following overnight rises in US and European markets and buoyed by a US government agreement on a stimulus package aimed at staving off a recession.

Canadian Press - PARIS - The number two bank in France is releasing some details about how a young trader evaded all its controls to bet some $73 billion on European markets.

AFP - The health of the British economy is threatened by the risk of recession in the United States and interest rate cuts are required, a member of the Bank of England's rate-setting committee said Monday.

FT.com - London equities rose in opening trade on Tuesday, with mining stocks boosted by record prices for gold and platinum.

FT.com - London equities rallied at the close to finish higher after spending much of the day in negative territory.