Currency: Euro strengthened on ECB comments

The European Central Bank on Thursday kept the benchmark interest rate on the main refinancing operations at 0.75 percent. This was not a surprise from the ECB as the only few individual analysts and economists had expected a reduction in European interest rates.

Bonds: Falling interest rates in both the north and south

A fall in the European stock markets Tuesday had investors seeking back in the safe haven in the bond market.

Europe: ECB opened the floodgates

There was distinct relief in European markets after the ECB's presentation of a rescue plan for the euro and the debt-ridden southern European countries. After days of anxious waiting markets could relate to something real, and the investors were not disappointed. Quite the contrary. The wait was finally over, and it created intense activity and sharply rising prices.

Europe: Cautious dance before the ECB meeting

With the exception of London's FTSE 100 index, which fell 0.3 percent, there were generally small increases on the European stock markets on Wednesday.

The general European Stoxx 600 index rose by 0.1 per cent. to 265.56 after taking small jumps up during the day. Among the index stocks, the British soft drinks manufacturer Britvic rose to the top with an increase of 12.6 percent to 369.9 pence. The increase began early in the day, when Bloomberg News reported that there is talk of a merger with soft drink competitor AG Barr, which among other things produces the popular Orangina-soft drink.

Currency: Speculation on the ECB's intentions strengthens euro

Euro strengthened against the dollar and the yen on Tuesday morning on speculation that the ECB's president, Mario Draghi, will give the debt-ridden euro countries a helping hand by buying their bonds in the market.

According to Jean-Paul Gauze, who sits in the European Parliament for France, Mario Draghi said to the European parliament that he was open to the possibility of buying government bonds years in the market with a maturity of up to three.

Moody's: EU credit in the balance

The credit rating of the EU is in danger of being lowered.

The rating agency Moody's said that it has changed its outlook for the current assessment of the EU in a negative direction. It is usually a warning that creditworthiness will soon be downgraded.

Currency: Utter silence ahead of the ECB meeting Thursday

If there was quiet in the international currency markets late last week, there is deafening silence Monday. The market responded only briefly to chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke's speech on the financial summit in Jackson Hole on Friday night.