Deutsche Bank AG, Germany’s largest bank, said fourth-quarter profit fell 76%, more than analysts estimated, as Europe’s debt crisis curbed trading and the company wrote down holdings.

Germany’s Deutsche Bank saw net profit fall 69% to €186m in the fourth quarter as the eurozone debt crisis hit its businesses in investment banking and trading stocks and bonds.

A letter bomb has exploded at an office of Italy’s tax collection agency, slightly wounding its director.

A suspicious package addressed to Deutsche Bank chief Josef Ackermann contained a fully functional bomb, German authorities say.

EUROPEAN Central Bank chief Mario Draghi told eurozone governments yesterday to act fast to get their rescue fund up and running.

Deutsche Bank said today that it made €777m in net profit in a turbulent third quarter, beating analysts’ estimates.

EUROZONE finance ministers agreed last night to give Greece the next tranche of its EU/IMF loan of €8 billion, ensuring it will not default in the next few weeks, but the battle between France and Germany on extending the firepower of the EU’s rescue fund continued to rage.

GERMAN banks are preparing for losses of as much as 60% on their Greek government debt holdings as European officials push for more private-investor involvement in a rescue of the debt-stricken country.

European markets slumped deep into the red today as renewed fears over the continent’s debt crisis rocked banks across the continent.

FRANCE yesterday offered a radical solution for banks to roll over holdings of Greek debt for 30 years as the Greek government fought to get backbench rebels to support a crucial austerity plan to avert bankruptcy.

FEARS about the future of the euro yesterday led to the currency collapsing to its lowest level since the fall of Lehman Brothers, while Irish shares fell almost 4%.

Government regulators from the US and Europe laid out their financial reform plans today before a sceptical banking industry, asking financiers for input but adamant that change was coming with or without their support.

Deutsche Bank today reported a hefty net loss for the fourth quarter and for the whole of 2008, citing “unprecedented” operating conditions and “weaknesses in our business model”.

Fears were raised over jobs at Deutsche Bank’s UK office today after the European banking giant said it was axing more than 4,000 positions.

Germany’s top banker and five co-defendants were acquitted of criminal charges today over payments to executives during a high-profile 2000 telecom takeover battle.

Vodafone’s former chief executive testified today that his company’s takeover in 2000 of mobile phone firm Mannesmann was determined purely by market pressures, and was not influenced by executive payments under scrutiny at the trial of the German mobile operator’s former head.

Germany’s most powerful banker lashed out against the country’s justice system today as he went on trial on charges he improperly approved executive bonuses and retirement packages worth millions in a high-profile telecoms takeover.

Germany’s most powerful banker went on trial today accused of improperly approving large executive payments during a high-stakes takeover deal that has focused the nation’s attention on boardroom behaviour.

A German court has ordered five former officials of the Mannesmann mobile phone company to stand trial over their roles in the 2000 takeover of Mannesmann by Vodafone.

German prosecutors have filed charges against six people in connection with the 2000 takeover of Germany’s mobile phone operator Mannesmann by Vodafone.

Deutsche Bank chairman Josef Ackermann has called on the European banking industry to face up to the threat of US banking dominance by setting up a number of cross border mergers.

A lawyer in the inquiry into whether illegal payments were made in Vodafone's takeover of a German mobile firm, says charges are likely.

Charges are likely soon following an inquiry into whether illegal payments were made in the takeover of German mobile phone company Mannesmann by British rival Vodafone, a lawyer for a top union official who is under investigation said today.

Vodafone boss Chris Gent is being investigated by Germany's public prosecutor over alleged irregularities in the company's takeover of Mannesmann.