Euro zone Q1 GDP growth revised down to 0.7 pct

Guardian (Jul 9 - 09:44 GMT)

The euro zone economy rebounded less strongly than previously thought in the first quarter of 2008, data showed on Wednesday, adding to worries about the health of the currency area. read

German trade surplus shrinks, points to sharp slowdown

Guardian (Jul 9 - 07:42 GMT)

Germany's trade surplus narrowed more than expected in May as exports fell sharply, data showed on Wednesday, adding to evidence that Europe's largest economy slowed sharply in the second quarter and may have contracted. read

ECB head says inflation will linger

AP (Jul 9 - 10:40 GMT)

European Central Bank Governor Jean-Claude Trichet has warned that high inflation could linger in the euro-zone for "some time." read

Steinbruck at odds with French over ECB

FT (Jul 8 - 08:34 GMT)

Peer Steinbruck, Germany’s finance minister, has said he disagrees with French criticism of the European Central Bank and fully supports the ECB’s legally enshrined independence from political pressure. read

Paris keeps ECB under pressure pre-eurozone talks

Guardian (Jul 7 - 10:50 GMT)

France said on Monday it hoped the latest rise in euro zone interest rates was a one-off, setting the stage for a meeting where European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet will explain the move in person to the bloc's finance ministers. read

German Industrial Production Unexpectedly Falls Most in 9 Years

Bloomberg (Jul 7 - 10:42 GMT)

German industrial production unexpectedly declined for a third month in May, further evidence that Europe's largest economy is losing momentum. read

German Factory Orders Unexpectedly Drop a Sixth Month

Bloomberg (Jul 4 - 11:33 GMT)

German manufacturing orders unexpectedly declined for a sixth straight month in May, adding to signs that Europe's largest economy is cooling. read

Euro zone May retail sales rise more than expected

Guardian (Jul 3 - 11:01 GMT)

Retail sales in the euro zone rose more than expected in May, data showed, but analysts saw the jump in the volatile indicator as unlikely to point to improving health for a slowing economy burdened by inflation. read

Euro zone services contract as Spain sinks-PMI

Guardian (Jul 3 - 10:20 GMT)

The euro zone's services economy fell further into contraction in June than previously thought as Spanish activity sank deeper into recession, while inflationary pressures jumped, a survey showed on Thursday. read

Euro zone may PPI up 1.2% vs April, up 7.1% year-on-year

ReutersFXHub (Jul 2 - 09:00 GMT)

Euro zone producer prices rose 1.2 percent compared to April and were up 7.1 percent year-on-year, EU statistics office Eurostat said. read

ECB takes flak on rates as France takes EU helm

Guardian (Jul 1 - 11:29 GMT)

The European Central Bank faced renewed pressure to think twice about raising interest rates as France took over the EU presidency for six months on Tuesday, with Nicolas Sarkozy leading the charge. read

German June Unemployment Falls to Lowest in 16 Years

Bloomberg (Jul 1 - 10:58 GMT)

Germany's unemployment rate declined to the lowest level in almost 16 years in June, as Europe's largest economy resists a global slowdown. read

Euro-zone June manufacturing PMI falls to 49.2

MarketWatch (Jul 1 - 09:55 GMT)

A purchasing managers index for the euro-zone manufacturing sector came in slightly better than expected, but still signaled a contraction in activity in June, news reports said. read

Euro zone inflation soars to 4.0 pct, all-time high

Forbes (Jun 30 - 09:32 GMT)

Euro zone inflation jumped to a new record high of 4.0 percent year-on-year in June, data showed on Monday, cementing expectations that the European Central Bank will raise rates this week despite slowing growth. read

Trichet Sides With ECB's Inflation Hawks, Risking Weaker Growth

Bloomberg (Jun 30 - 07:30 GMT)

For all his talk of consensus, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet is having to acknowledge he can't please all of the people all of the time. read

Euro area May M3 growth unchanged at 10.5 pct year-on-year

Forbes (Jun 26 - 09:39 GMT)

Euro area M3 grew 10.5 percent year-on-year in May, unchanged from April and in line with the forecast by economists polled by Thomson Financial News. read

Euro zone April orders much stronger than expected

Guardian (Jun 25 - 11:03 GMT)

Euro zone industrial new orders were much stronger than expected in April, likely reinforcing the ECB's view the economy was sound and that it could go ahead with an rate rise to anchor price expectations. read

Euro hits 11-mth high vs yen, dlr awaits Fed

Guardian (Jun 24 - 11:39 GMT)

The euro gained broadly on Tuesday, hitting an 11-month high versus the yen, as stronger than expected French data backed expectations of a European Central Bank interest rate hike next week. read

EU's Bajuk says ECB should keep options open

Guardian (Jun 24 - 11:30 GMT)

The European Central Bank must keep all its options open when it comes to dealing with inflation, Slovenian Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk said on Tuesday. read

Inflation worries cloud German consumer outlook

Guardian (Jun 24 - 06:50 GMT )

German consumers are likely to be less ready to spend money in July as concerns grow about the impact of rising energy bills, clouding the outlook for Europe's largest economy, a report by market research firm GfK showed. read

European Industries Shrink, German Business Confidence Declines

Bloomberg (Jun 23 - 12:13 GMT)

Europe's manufacturing and services industries unexpectedly shrank and German business confidence slumped in June, increasing concern the European Central Bank's plan to raise interest rates next month will hurt economic growth.

Italy 1Q Adj Jobless Up At 6.5% On Youth Unemployment

Fxstreet.com (Jun 19 - 10:09 GMT)

Italian seasonally-adjusted unemployment rose against expectations to 6.5% in the first quarter from an upwardly revised 6.2% in the fourth quarter of 2007, as unemployment continued to grow in most regions and among young people, statistics office Istat said Thursday. read

Euro zone April trade surplus 2.3 bln euros vs deficit 1.5 bln euros in March Thomson FXHub (Jun 17 - 09:00 GMT)

The euro zone posted a provisional unadjusted trade surplus of 2.3 billion euros in April compared with a revised deficit of 1.5 billion in March, EU statistics office Eurostat said. read

Euro could feel heat from Irish referendum

MarketWatch (Jun 12 - 10:31 GMT)

Irish voters head to the polls Thursday to decide the fate of a controversial treaty designed to streamline how the European Union operates. read

Rise in euro zone output points to ECB rate hike

Reuters (Jun 12 - 10:20 GMT)

Euro zone industrial output rose more than expected in April, boding well for the currency area's fragile economic health and boosting expectations of an interest rate rise by the European Central Bank. read

ECB not preparing a series of rate rises, central banker says

Intl. Herald Tribune (Jun 11 - 09:10 GMT)

A European Central Bank Executive Board member, Jurgen Stark, said the bank is not preparing for a series of interest rate increases. read

ECB's Trichet Says Price Stability Is Vital for Jobs, Growth

Bloomberg (Jun 10 - 11:37 GMT)

ECB President Jean- Claude Trichet said controlling inflation is vital for supporting growth and job creation in the euro area. read

Zapatero should explain ECB criticism, Germany says

Guardian (Jun 9 - 11:06 GMT)

Germany urged Spain's prime minister on Monday to explain his criticism of the European Central Bank after he said ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet should be more prudent in his comments about interest rates. read

German Industrial Output Unexpectedly Drops on Manufacturing

Bloomberg ( Jun 6 - 10:01 GMT)

Industrial production in Germany, Europe's largest economy, unexpectedly declined for a second month in April, led by a drop in construction and manufacturing. read

ECB on high alert over high inflation-Trichet

Guardian (Jun 5 - 13:18 GMT)

The European Central Bank is in a state of heightened alertness on euro inflation, which is now expected to remain high for longer than previously thought, President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Thursday. read

Trichet Says ECB May Consider Raising Interest Rates Next Month

Bloomberg (Jun 5 - 13:13 GMT)

European Central Bank President Jean- Claude Trichet said policy makers may raise interest rates as soon as July after increasing the inflation forecast for this year and next. read

ECB Leaves Benchmark Rate at Six-Year High to Fight Inflation

Bloomberg (Jun 5 - 11:46 GMT)

The European Central Bank kept interest rates at a six-year high today to fight inflation even as the euro-region economy cools. read

German Factory Orders Unexpectedly Drop a Fifth Month

Bloomberg (Jun 5 - 11:07 GMT)

German manufacturing orders unexpectedly declined for a fifth month in April, adding to evidence that growth in Europe's largest economy is slowing. read

Euro zone retail sales fall in April

Guardian (Jun 4 - 09:13 GMT)

Euro zone retail trade declined more than expected in April, dragged down by falling sales of food, drinks and tobacco and poor figures in Germany, data showed on Wednesday in another sign of slowing economic growth. read

Euro zone services PMI near stagnation, prices up

Guardian (Jun 4 - 08:59 GMT)

Euro zone services activity slipped close to contraction in May, in line with expectations, as growth took a sharp hit in France, while inflationary pressures mounted, a key survey showed on Wednesday. read

Euro zone Q1 growth faster than expected, PPI jumps

Guardian (Jun 3 - 10:20 GMT)

The euro zone economy rebounded more strongly than previously expected in the first quarter against the previous three months, mainly thanks to rising investment and inventories, data showed on Tuesday. read

With joy and some gloating, ECB and euro are feted

Intl. Herald Tribune (Jun 2 - 22:00 GMT)

Top European officials on Monday celebrated the 10th anniversary of the European Central Bank, the institution responsible for the stability of the common European currency, in a ceremony heavy on economic prescriptions and light on rhetoric. read