The leaders of the U.S. Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke and European Central Bank (ECB) Jean-Claude Trichet stressed in separate statements that developing economies are a key factor for global financial stability. According to Bernanke the global economy increasingly dependent on emerging markets to maintain strong domestic demand and economic and financial stability. The improvement of policies and regulatory frameworks in emerging markets has an effect beyond those economies themselves, he said. In a separate statement prepared for a press conference during a meeting of finance ministers and heads of central banks of the G-20 in South Korea at the end of this week, Trichet stated that developing economies have been a source of strength in the world financial crisis. Characteristic aspect of this crisis was that going from industrialized economies. Developing countries were also severely affected, but as a group remained the lifeblood of the global economy, Trichet said in a pre-prepared statement for the press conference. Speaking of Bernanke is also pre-recorded for the event. Bernanke gives an example South Korea, saying the government and the central bank of the country, launched after the Asian financial crisis of the late 90’s of last century, helped South Korea to resist the current crisis.
Read the full story

The European Central Bank expects modest growth in the euro area economy in 2010, prospects are encased in a large uncertainty. It said the institution’s president Jean-Claude Trichet after today’s decision by the bank interest. The base rate has been kept in its record low level of 1.0 percent for the 12th consecutive month today. According to Trichet data for some individual countries are encouraging and some of the achievements that exceeded forecasts. However, the situation was still quite uncertain because of large fiscal imbalances that occur in some countries. Trichet defended the decision to distortion of the ECB for loans made as a reverence to Greece, with the explanation that the requirements of our southern neighbors were quite strict. Therefore, the central bank wanted to show their support for Athens. “Bankruptcy of Greece to me is off. Everything is simple. I do not discuss this issue and I have nothing more to say, “said Trichet, said on CNBC. Asked whether Portugal is expected to be the next victim of the crisis, will have to be saved, Trichet said that Greece and Portugal are not in the same boat. At today’s meeting of the heads of the ECB have not been discussed ideas and options to buy government bonds to help banks in the euro zone, said Trichet. This was based on market interest today, as speculation was that the ECB will strongly support the banks to fight crisis. Expression of this depreciation of the euro rose to 1,2692 EUR / USD during the Trichet press conference.
Read the full story

The indexes in Europe ended with the first trading increases day of the week. Thus the old continent growth seen for the fifth time in six sessions. Today, the regional index Dow Jones Stoxx 600 advanced by 0,4 percent to 242 points. It was continued growth of 1,5 per cent achieved over the last week. Then indexes in Europe have risen in four consecutive days, but weak GDP data for the euro area led to a decline on Friday. Greece continues to be the leading news in the financial circles of the Old Continent. Today, the eurozone finance ministers meeting there to discuss the problems of our southern neighbors. ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet did ask the country to tighten its fiscal policy to overcome. Meanwhile, the EU asked Greece to provide explanations for derivative transactions, which was probably artificially lowering the budget deficit in the country. On Britain’s FTSE 100 rose by 0,5 per cent to 5 167 points, the DAX in Germany increased by 0,2 percent to 5 511 points. In France the CAC 40 advanced even by 0,3 percent to 3 609 points. In Central and Eastern Europe also overwhelming optimism. In Hungary BUX added 0.8 percent, while Romanian Beth index advanced by 0,5 percent. Exchanges in the Republic of Poland and even had achieved increases in indices of respectively 1.5 and 1,6 per cent.
Read the full story

The Trading session on the Old Continent ended with divergent movements of major indexes on the background of mixed economic data today. During today’s session of the European Central Bank expected left its main interest rate in the eurozone at a level of 1 percent for the eighth consecutive month in December. Its president, Jean-Claude Trichet surprised markets, however, as announced in December that the planned auction for the granting of loans to commercial banks in the euro area for a period of 1 year will be in the basic rate of 1%. Instead, the interest rate will be indexed to market interest rates in the euro area. Economic data today showed that services sector in Britain and the United States has dropped unexpectedly in November. Moreover, the gross domestic product of the euro area rose by 0.4 percent in the third quarter, but only because of the increase in government spending and exports. Shares of the largest engineering company Siemens in Europe fell by 5.2 percent to 64.08 euros on the stock exchange in Frankfurt, after the conglomerate reported its first quarterly loss for last year. Conglomerate announced that its profit has contracted by 57 percent annually for the preceding fiscal 2009
Read the full story