There was considerable interest in the ECB Council meeting earlier this month to see the impact on its policy stance of a marked pick-up in the pace of growth in the eurozone.

ECB won’t tighten monetary policy any time soon, writes Oliver Mangan.

GDP for the opening quarter of 2016 showed the eurozone economy expanded solidly — up both from the previous quarter and on an annual basis.

After years of waiting, it’s finally here: Fed week. Barring a shock, the Federal Reserve will raise US interest rates tomorrow for the first time since June 2006, a full year before the global financial crisis began.

The outcome of last Thursday’s meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council was in line with market expectations, with no changes to monetary policy. Thus, purchases of securities under its quantitive easing (QE) programme will continue to run at a rate of €60bn per month until at least September 2016, with interest rates staying at virtually zero.

German business morale deteriorated slightly in May for the first time in seven months though it remained at a high level overall, a leading survey showed, adding to signs of softening in Europe’s largest economy.

If Britain leaves the European Union, it could knock up to 14% off its GDP by 2030, taking into account all negative factors including lost economic dynamism, a study by two leading German institutes has found.

German business morale rose to its highest level in six months in January, climbing for a third consecutive month, a survey showed yesterday, in a sign that 2015 got off to a strong start for Europe’s largest economy.

Eurozone politicians are not obliged to rescue Greece as the country is no longer of systemic importance to the euro, a senior member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party has said.

The weekend suggestion from Simon Harris, the junior finance minister, that income tax should be cut adds momentum to statements made by senior cabinet ministers Michael Noonan and Simon Coveney. If that expectation is not met, then the political consequences will be severe.

German economic growth will show a revised shrinking towards zero for the second quarter of the year, due to the Ukraine crisis and the tough new economic sanctions imposed on Russia — going down from 0.8% in the first quarter — the head of the Munich-based Ifo institute said at the weekend.

The weak industrial output data from the eurozone and its main economies is highlighting the sluggish nature of the economic recovery in the region.

Last week’s ECB monetary policy meeting saw no changes being made, despite some expectations in the market of a rate cut or some new liquidity measures.

As expected, the ECB left its interest rate policy unchanged at the December meeting of the Governing Council last Thursday. The main refi rate remains at 0.25%, while the deposit rate was left unchanged at 0%.

German business morale surged to its strongest in a year-and-a-half in November, suggesting Europe’s largest economy is gaining steam into the end of the year after growing by a modest 0.3% in the third quarter.

As expected, last week’s meeting of the ECB’s governing council saw no change to interest rate policy, with the main refi rate remaining at 0.5%.

A well-known skipper with an interest in four trawlers says he is contemplating selling out as industry leaders warn that the whitefish sector is on the brink of closure.

The eurozone emerged from an 18-month long recession in the second quarter of this year when GDP rose by 0.3%, the first increase since the third quarter of 2011. This was a double-dip recession as it followed soon after the very severe recession of 2008-2009.

As expected, the ECB left its interest rate policy unchanged at its August meeting last week, with the main refi rate remaining at 0.5%.

The eurozone economy continues to lag behind the other major developed economies in terms of its growth performance and labour market conditions.

The stock market enjoyed some Black Friday cheer, rising sharply as shoppers braved the annual post-Thanksgiving rush. Major stock indexes closed one of their best weeks of the year.

Concerns are growing that the debt crisis across the eurozone is weighing on the German economy following the release of the country’s leading confidence indicator, which shows a downward trend for the fifth month.

FISHING representative groups have warned that current proposals for reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) could further threaten an already ailing industry.

EUROPEAN fishermen have been accused of “mincing” thousands of undersized mackerel for their valuable omega oils and dumping the discarded catches in Irish waters.

Munich: German business confidence unexpectedly rose to a record in December as stronger domestic demand helped bolster the recovery in Europe’s largest economy.

Frankfurt: German business confidence unexpectedly climbed in October to the highest level in three and a half years, suggesting growth may not slow as much as some economists forecast.

Fishermen tonight welcomed the Government’s decision to re-think the downgrading of a coastguard helicopter service.

Fishermen warned today of tragedies at sea after the Government’s decision to scale back a coastguard helicopter service.

Consumer confidence has fallen unexpectedly in both the United States and Germany.

FISHERMEN have appealed for solidarity from voters who they said can help revive their industry by rejecting the Lisbon Treaty.

The Irish Fisherman's Organisation says a 'Yes' vote in the Lisbon Treaty will completely destroy the Irish fishing industry.

Berlin: Germany cut its programme of debt sales as the end of the recession helped boost the finances of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government before Sunday’s elections.

A SIGNIFICANT meeting of fishermen will take place at Cork Airport tomorrow to plot a campaign to secure a no vote in the Lisbon referendum.

A SPLINTER group of farmers has launched a No to Lisbon campaign, claiming its introduction will dilute Irish inheritance laws and slash farming incomes in an enlarged EU.

The Ifo World Economic Climate Indicator rose in the third quarter of 2009 for the second time in succession, it was announced today.

SOCIALIST Party MEP Joe Higgins says he will not link up with any group opposed to abortion when he launched his No to Lisbon campaign in Strasbourg.

The closely-watched Ifo index of German business confidence has risen for the third consecutive month, hitting 85.9 points for June, up from 84.3 points last month.

BRITAIN and France, the second and third-biggest European economies, racked up record trade deficits last year as an appreciation in the euro and the pound curbed export growth.

GERMAN corporate morale surged to its strongest level since reunification this month, showing firms expect the economy to weather a tax hike in 2007 and raising expectations interest rates could rise further.

The Irish Fisherman's Organisation has slammed proposals for a ban on salmon drift-netting in an effort to reverse declining stocks in Irish rivers.

POOR consumer confidence figures in the US knocked the markets sideways yesterday as the worst figures in two years spooked investors.

ANGRY scallop fishermen are expected to wreak havoc at some of the country’s major ports after lifting a suspension yesterday on the threat of blockades.

Business confidence in Germany fell to the lowest in more than a year in November as the euro’s climb to a record value threatened exports and unemployment at a five-year high crimped consumer spending.