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Euro zone finance ministers are ready to back an EU/IMF bailout of Portugal at a Monday meeting overshadowed by the arrest of International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on sexual assault charges.

Speculation is growing that Greece may need a second financial bail-out from the international community

A Moody's downgrade and growing speculation Greece may eventually restructure its debt took the shine off Ireland's thumbs-up from the EU and the IMF on Friday for its efforts to claw its way back from crisis.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded two of the euro zone's most troubled member states, citing fears that the pair may have to restructure their debt after 2013.

Germany's economy in 2010 grew at its strongest rate since the country's reunification, propelled by exports and rising investment, the Federal Statistics Office said.

Spain's beloved Christmas lottery sprinkled euro2.3 billion ($3 billion) in holiday cheer across the country Wednesday, winnings eagerly welcomed by a nation facing 20 percent unemployment....

If we did not find ourselves smack in the middle of the Holiday season, I’d probably be talking about how the bull camp’s momentum appears to be waning and that we should be bracing for a meaningful pullback in response to the tiring trend, the overbought condition, and the overly optimistic sentiment readings. And while these issues are indeed present, it appears that the holiday spirit and the corresponding portfolio allocations may be the primary driver to what I will loosely term the current trend.

The United States will lead the rich world's economic recovery over the next two years while Japan and major European economies flounder by comparison, according to Reuters polls of more than 200 economists.

The Belgian finance minister and International Monetary Fund suggested that the scope of measures to stabilize the euro should be strengthened.

As they try to recover, the U.S. and Europe could use a refresher course in Eastern studies.