Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, CNBCMay 2, 2013 14:15

European stock markets have rallied in the last few months as it has become clear that bureaucrats in Brussels will be more lenient on countries, giving them more time to reduce their deficits and debt levels. It has led many market participants to herald "the end of austerity" in Europe, thrilling holders of equities.

Germans among the poorest in Europe: ECB study

Shai Ahmed, CNBCApril 10, 2013 14:12

Germans are one of the poorest groups in Europe, even poorer than those in the troubled peripheral nations of Greece, Spain and Italy, according to the surprising findings of a joint survey by various divisions within the European Central Bank.

The latest comments that have everyone worried the ECB won't deliver

Simone Foxman, Business InsiderAugust 14, 2012 11:39

Investors continue to debate the importance of European Central Bank President Mario Draghi's promises to "do whatever it takes" to save the euro.

Europe: What happens now?

Simone Foxman, Business InsiderAugust 2, 2012 12:43

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi failed to announce any definitive measures at a press conference this morning.

ECB cuts rates by 25 basis points to 0.75 percent

Simone Foxman, Business InsiderJuly 5, 2012 14:25

The European Central Bank just cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 0.75 percent. While this is an important move for the ECB, it is not clear whether this development will do anything to bolster confidence in the bank or the markets as it was largely expected.

Michael GoldfarbFebruary 8, 2012 13:10

Greek leaders meet: Europe shrugs

In or out, Europe is now prepared for any eventuality.

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Greek Prime Minister Papademos and leaders of Greece's main political parties before their meeting today in Athens. (ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images)

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Tick-tock, tick-tock … the clock on the Greek crisis is running down for real. As I write, leaders of Greece's three main political parties are meeting with Prime Minister Lucas Papademos to agree on the terms of a harsh budget that will allow the country to qualify for its next bail-out from the EU.

The meeting has been scheduled and postponed often in the last four or five days. As I blogged on Friday, last autumn this would have had the markets in a tizzy. Now, they shrug. So do leading eurocrats in Brussels.

"It’s not the end of the world if someone leaves the euro zone," Neelie Kroes, the European Commission vice-president, told Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant. "It’s always said, if you let one nation go, or ask one to leave, the entire structure will collapse. But that is just not true."

Michael GoldfarbFebruary 3, 2012 14:18

Greek bail-out: where's the panic?

A deal has been expected for a couple of weeks, why is every one so blase about the delay?

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The terms of the Greek bail-out package were supposed to be agreed with its private bond-holders two weeks ago, then last Friday, then definitely before last Monday's EU leaders' summit in Brussels and then again by today.

Nothing is happening … and it's not clear when there will be agreement. The EU's finance ministers were scheduled to meet Monday in Brussels to discuss details of the EU's 130 billion euro rescue package for the country. But that package is conditional on the country's private creditors agreeing to take a substantial loss on the bonds they hold.

Six months ago this would have triggered panic in the markets. Today the FTSE 100 closed at a seven month high, up 1.8 percent on the day. The Paris CAC and Frankfurt Dax posted similar gains.

What gives?

Germany rejects European Central Bank write-down of Greek debt

Siobhan DowlingFebruary 3, 2012 14:36

Berlin — Berlin is refusing to allow the ECB get involved in Greece’s debt restructuring.

Michael GoldfarbJanuary 27, 2012 14:01

Mario Draghi at Davos

ECB chief says bond markets are overestimating the risk attached to many euro zone countries' sovereign debt

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An interesting week in the euro zone crisis is over. Most of the important players made it to Davos so nothing definitive was being decided. As I wrote yesterday, Davos isn't a place where policy is made.

It's clear it has been a week where the center held and the sense that a corner has been turned continued to frame the week's activities. Even Greece and her creditors inability to reach final agreement on debt reduction hasn't ruffled feathers.

Michael GoldfarbJanuary 27, 2012 08:16

Portugal: the new Greece

Unsustainable bond yields being used to finance unpayable debts.

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Things are really rough all over the Iberian peninsula as Portugal's Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho (R) seems to be telling his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy. (PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP/Getty Images)

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In Portugal the numbers are all bad:

The deficit is 9.1 percent of GDP. The economy is expected to contract by anywhere between 3.1 and 5 percent this year. It took a bailout from the EU, ECB, IMF "troika" of 78 billion euros ($102.6 billion) and will have a hard time paying it back because its credit rating is now "junk." Five year bond yields yesterday broke a record: 18.9 percent. Three year bond yields hit 21 percent.

Oh, and unemployment stands at a record 13.2 percent.