USA: A crook got away with a wad of notes from a Florida petrol station but was caught after making a stupid mistake.

Red numbers lit up screen across all major European bourses yesterday as stocks fell further.

World stocks rose more than 1% yesterday and the euro gained amid optimism the world’s central banks will provide more economic stimulus as the eurozone debt crisis worsens.

Spanish stocks have dropped sharply after ratings agency Moody’s downgraded its credit score of 16 Spanish banks in the latest blow to the troubled financial sector.

Spain has paid sharply higher interest rates to raise €2.5bn in a medium-term debt auction, reflecting fears it will be caught up in the fallout of the Greek crisis.

Spain’s economy contracted 0.4% in the first quarter of the year and the country is now in a technical recession, the central bank said today.

European stocks rebounded from a two-month low yesterday and Spanish bonds rose after an ECB official signalled that the bank may revive its bond-purchase programme.

Worries about Spain’s finances are intensifying as the country’s bond yields on international markets rose despite expectations of a new round of austerity measures.

A slide in Spanish stocks and bonds deepened yesterday as investors’ concerns that prime minister Mariano Rajoy may require international aid rattled international markets.

THE ISEQ continued its solid start to the week with another 1% rise, pushing the market back up towards the 3,000 point, a psychological marker it has not breached since May 2011.

BETTER-than-expected business sentiment data from Germany failed to halt falls on international stock markets yesterday but helped slow their declines.

Spain’s new government has begun the gigantic task of lifting the country out of its worst economic crisis in decades, following an overwhelming general election victory.

A FALL in Italian bond yields helped some international markets buck a three-day losing streak, yesterday but new concerns over France blocked any real growth.

THE ISEQ index of Irish shares fell over 4% yesterday, a pattern consistent across all major international stock exchanges in light of Greece’s decision to hold a referendum on its latest bailout offer.

EUROPEAN markets were down yesterday, with investors jittery ahead of today’s EU summit meeting in Brussels — the second in four days — amid concerns that leaders may struggle to find a solution to the eurozone debt crisis.

EUROPEAN markets were down yesterday as Germany said that a G20 ultimatum for a concrete solution to the eurozone debt crisis to be in place by early next week was unrealistic.

IRISH bond yields shot back up yesterday, to their highest level in more than three months — another knock-on effect of investor uncertainty over a solution to the eurozone debt crisis being found.

THE ISEQ’s good week continued yesterday with it rising for a third day out of four, gaining another 2.8%.

MOST stock markets gave away some of the gains made earlier in the week yesterday — failing in their bid for a third consecutive day’s rally.

INTERNATIONAL stock markets enjoyed a rare consecutive day’s rise yesterday as optimism surrounding positive solutions to the eurozone debt crisis being found gathered momentum.

OPTIMISM amongst investors over some kind of solution being found by policymakers to stem the debt crisis in the eurozone saw gains on most international markets yesterday.

INTERNATIONAL stock markets rallied in afternoon trading on the back of bullish talk from G20 finance ministers, and despite further talk of a Greek default — from the country’s own finance minister.

THIS summer’s volatility across global stock markets continued yesterday, with Thursday’s gains wiped out amid widespread investor nervousness over the European banking sector and whether US President Barack Obama’s $447 billion (€327bn) job creation plan stands up.

The eurozone needs to make further changes to its bailout fund – including boosting its size – to ensure it can stop the debt crisis from drawing in big economies like Italy and Spain, a top European Union official said.

The Government will try to finalise a deal with Independent TDs Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy Rae today to pass key Budget votes in the Dáil tomorrow night, after "Intensive discussions" at the weekend aimed at securing their support.

BANKS and airlines had a bad day on the stockmarket yesterday as Ireland’s ISEQ Index slid 4.2%.

European stock markets have fallen, led by concerns over debt-ridden Greece and Portugal and whether their governments will be able to push through unpopular austerity programs to tame their ballooning deficits.

London shares ended a six-session run of successive losses when it closed up today boosted by a recovery in telecom stocks, strength in oils - led by an update from Shell - and gains in the heavyweight banking sector after Royal Bank of Scotland issued an upbeat trading statement, dealers said.