Start The Week

The weekend is supposed to offer a bit of breathing space and down time ... it normally allows problems to be put in perspective so they can be dealt with more effectivey when the new week starts.

Well, having rested up it seems like Europe's leadership and punditocracy have used their two days off to get even more nervous about the economic prospects of Europa.

The main reason is the lack of anything substantial out of a meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German chancellor Angela Merkel. Sarkozy assured the press after the meeting, "We are very conscious that France and Germany have a particular responsibility for stabilising the euro."