Even if it survives the next three months teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, Greece may have blown its best chance of a long-term debt deal by alienating its eurozone partners when it most needed their support.

The global economy is strengthening but faces threats from super-low inflation and outflows of capital from emerging economies, the International Monetary Fund warned.

The ECB cannot ease up on bank stress tests this year, otherwise the eurozone risks being lumbered with a zombie banking system and stagnant growth for the foreseeable future, according to a leading banking expert.

The European Central Bank has unveiled its most ambitious plan yet to halt Europe's financial crisis with a pledge to buy unlimited amounts of the government bonds of countries struggling to manage their debts.

Spain ate humble pie and became the fourth and largest country to ask Europe to rescue its failing banks.

American energy company Eaton’s decision to buy Cooper Industries and place the combined company’s headquarters in Cooper’s Irish home instead of Eaton’s Cleveland, will save $160m (€125m) a year in taxes by 2016, the firms have said.

CHRISTINE Lagarde has been named as the first woman head of the International Monetary Fund to take on Europe’s debt crisis and balance the demands of fast-growing emerging nations with the needs of a recovering developed world.

The World Trade Organisation said Britain and other European countries gave billions to Airbus in illegal subsidies, in a trade dispute ruling that backed its rival, US aviation giant Boeing.

Over 120 leading Irish and international economists, economic commentators and senior policy makers from Ireland and the North took part in the first high level North-South economic forum in Dublin today.