Michael GoldfarbJanuary 9, 2012 05:01

Germany's shadow currency?

In some places the deutschmark is still coin of the realm

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There are still plenty of deutschmarks out there in case Germany decides to pull the plug on the euro. (JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK/AFP/Getty Images)

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On the tenth anniversary of the euro, there are still places in Germany where the deutschmark is accepted as legal tender. Apparently this is not an exercise in nationalism or nostalgia.

Germany is a country where people save - as opposed to the U.S. - and there are still billions of deutschmarks in banks, under mattresses, wherever.

Michael GoldfarbJanuary 4, 2012 12:02

The French and the euro: not so happy anniversary

On 10th anniversary of euro going into circulation a poll shows a majority of the French think the single currency is bad for the country

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Marine Le Pen, presidential candidate of France's far right National Front at a Christmas market last month. An anti-euro campaigner, will she be able to win extra votes out of French disillusionment with the single currency. (FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images)

Exactly ten years ago, the first euro coins and notes began to circulate around Europe. To mark the occasion the newspaper Journal du Dimanche commissioned a poll from Ifop on French attitudes to the single currency. The results are not encouraging for political leaders.

A majority of those polled, almost two-thirds, say the euro is not good for France or for them personally. There is a generational shift underlying this view. Anti-euro feeling is highest among the young. The over-65's are more likely to view the euro positively.

Michael GoldfarbJanuary 4, 2012 05:29

New year, same euro doubts

British economic think tank predicts 2012 will see the beginning of the break-up of the euro

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Homeless men in Athens greet the new year by opening food parcels donated by the city government (LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images)

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Whatever New Year's glow the markets were experiencing on 2012's first day of trading yesterday, London think tank the Centre for Economics and Business Research, poured cold water on it.

In a report published yesterday, the CEBR, projected that Greece will leave the euro this year.

Euro's 10th anniversary: no celebrations planned

Samantha StainburnDecember 31, 2011 17:36

The euro declined against the dollar for the second year in a row, sinking 3.2 percent to $1.2961 against the dollar in New York, Bloomberg News reported.

Michael GoldfarbDecember 14, 2011 13:58

A very bad day in the European markets

Markets give their decision on last week's summit and stocks and the euro plunge

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel strikes a prayerful pose in the Bundestag today - as well she might - given the news from Europe's stock markets. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)

this story is part of globalpost's continuing coverage of world business. for more visit our new business page.

Markets give their decision on last week's summit and stocks and the euro plunge