German factory orders unexpectedly declined in January as foreign demand for investment goods such as machinery slumped.

THE European Central Bank (ECB) is likely to delay its next interest rate hike as figures show inflation is still high in the EU.

G20 LEADERS have vowed to avoid currency manipulation and trade protectionism, but bad blood between China and the United States blocked deeper progress in rebalancing the skewed global economy.

THE net cost to the taxpayer of the collapse and nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank will be €25 billion, according to the governor of the Central Bank Patrick Honohan.

BANKS continued their bad run on the markets yesterday as a top ratings agency expressed concerns about their future.