Articles by Karen Maley

Financial markets will remain tense this week, as investors wait to see whether Europe will finally fire the first shots in the “Battle for Spain”.

As a Spanish bailout looks increasingly unavoidable, investors are worrying the country will be forced down the same austerity route as Greece, condemning its future and that of the eurozone.

As criminal probes into the Libor rate-rigging scandal multiply, bankers are becoming increasingly worried that they might finally be held to account for their role in the global financial crisis.

Global financial markets again face a turbulent week, as the latest agreement between European leaders aimed at solving the region’s debt crisis threatens to unravel.

Giant global insurance and pension funds are watching the unfolding Libor scandal with intense interest, as they contemplate massive legal actions against the major banks involved.

Tensions in Europe are now close to breaking point, with Greeks reacting furiously to biting criticisms from IMF boss Christine Lagarde.

As European leaders nervously draw up their emergency plans for a possible Greek exit from the eurozone, one particular thought fills them with dread: what if the country simply refuses to leave?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will have to perform a wily balancing act at tonight’s summit of European leaders. Growth strategies have to be combined with deficit reduction.

Although global markets staged a rally overnight on fresh hopes of Chinese stimulus, many observers are wary of the growing fractures that are emerging in Europe.

Athens is lurching dangerously out of control, after the failure of Antonis Samaras’ to form a coalition government sharply increased the likelihood that the country will quit the eurozone.

When Westpac boss Gail Kelly unveils the bank’s full-year results on Thursday, investors will be keenly focused on what she has to say about the bank’s growth strategy.

Japanese officials are no doubt breathing a sigh of relief as the yen has weakened against the US dollar this year.

The US central bank is grappling with the thorny problem of how to apply an extra monetary stimulus to the US economy before the upcoming presidential election.

Financial markets suffered a bout of disappointment overnight after US central bank boss Ben Bernanke signalled that he wasn’t in a hurry to start a new round of bond buying.

China’s central bank will be reluctant to launch a massive monetary stimulus despite the looming threat from the eurozone debt crisis, a former senior official has warned.

Tensions between Athens and the rest of Europe have risen to dangerous levels, with several European countries now pushing to delay Greece’s second €130 billion bailout package.

US investors heaved a sigh of relief overnight, as the Obama administration unveiled a $25 billion settlement with five major home lenders over foreclosure abuses.