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A closely-watched survey shows German investor sentiment grew in December, ending a nine-month downward trend.
However, the rise was not as big as expected as Europe’s raging debt crisis weighs heavily on the continent’s largest economy.
The ZEW investor sentiment index for December released Tuesday was up 1.4 points to minus 53.8 points overall. Analysts had forecast […]

The president of the European Council says a new treaty will include 17 euro states plus 6 other EU states _ but not all 27 EU members.
Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, said the countries would provide up to euro200 billion ($268 billion) in extra resources to the International Monetary fund.
French President Nicolas […]

Citigroup says it is cutting 4,500 jobs over the next few quarters.
CEO Vikram Pandit said the job cuts are part of the New York bank’s efforts to reduce costs. Pandit made the remarks Tuesday at a financial services conference hosted by Goldman Sachs & Co.
Citigroup Inc.’s fourth-quarter results will include $400 million in expenses related […]

The leaders of France and Germany will meet next week and plan to push for fundamental changes to the European treaty governing the currency shared by 17 nations, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Thursday.
Sarkozy said in a speech in the southern port city of Toulon that during their meeting in Paris on Monday he and German […]

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A U.S.-backed plan to forge a Pacific free trade bloc got a big boost Sunday when leaders of Canada and Mexico joined Japan in expressing support for a deal that has received a cool reception from China, the region’s rising power.
The news was a coup for President Barack Obama, who made progress on the pact […]

Centrue Financial Corp., the holding company for Centrue Bank, reported a net loss of $4.7 million in the third quarter, or 87 cents a share, compared to a net loss of $16.4 million, or $2.79 a share, a year earlier.
The bank’s nonperforming loans declined 49.5 percent to $3.9 million in the third quarter that ended […]

Tens of thousands of stranded Qantas Airways passengers worldwide scrambled to reach their destinations Sunday after the airline abruptly grounded its global fleet over a dispute with striking workers. Australia’s government sought a court order to force the flagship carrier’s planes back in the air.
Australian officials expressed frustration over the sudden action by the world’s […]

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