AFP - EU finance ministers backed plans on Saturday to hike public lending to credit-starved small and mid-sized firms, hoping to give the faltering European economy a boost.

AFP - EU finance ministers clashed Saturday on whether to allow especially reduced sales tax rates for targeted services like restaurant meals or haircuts with Germany leading opposition to the idea.

AFP - EU finance ministers clashed Saturday on whether to shake up European sales tax rules to allow especially reduced rates for targetted services and products.

AFP - Europe's main stock markets rose strongly Friday on prospects that beleaguered US investment bank Lehman Brothers might soon be saved and a report that it was in rescue talks, traders said.

AFP - London shares closed higher on Friday, after three consecutive days of losses, as banks and commodities gave the FTSE a boost.

AFP - EU finance ministers will propose on Saturday that the European Investment Bank boost lending to small- and mid-sized firms by half in 2008 and 2009 to 15 billion euros (21 billion dollars), according to a document seen Friday.

AFP - The euro on Thursday slid below 1.39 dollars for the first time in a year on heightened concerns about the weak European economy, dealers said.

Reuters - Questions remain over the sustainability of the U.S. economic recovery, French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said on Thursday as she played down the risk of recession at home.

AFP - The euro came under heavy pressure against the dollar and yen Thursday on increasing speculation that the eurozone will not be able to escape a recession later this year.

AFP - European stock markets slumped on Thursday in the wake of heavy falls in Asia, pulled down by sharp losses for the banks as the global economic outlook turns darker still, traders said.

AFP - London shares slumped on Thursday in the wake of heavy falls in Asia, pulled down by sharp losses for the banks as the global economic outlook turns darker still.

AFP - London shares slumped for the third day in a row on Thursday, pulled down by losses for retailers and banks as the global economic outlook turned darker still.

AFP - The pound benefitted from a weaker euro on Thursday on heightened concerns about the European economy.