Nationwide: UK house prices picked up in August

UK house prices rose during August at a much faster monthly pace than expected, according to a survey by Nationwide on Friday that contrasted with other signs of cooling in the housing market.

Russian rouble falls to new low on sanctions threat

The Russian rouble fell to a record low against the dollar as investors fear further sanctions against the nation.

Scottish independence: Firms say 'Yes' vote would benefit economy

More than 200 business figures have signed an open letter backing Scottish independence. Stagecoach chairman Sir Brian Souter and Clyde Blowers boss Jim McColl are among signatories who say independence is in Scotland's economic interest.

Japan's growth outlook dims further, BOJ policy prospects unclear - Reuters Poll

TOKYO August 27 (Reuters) - Japan's economic outlook has dimmed further and inflation is stalling but analysts in a Reuters poll were split on whether the central bank would ease policy this year or wait until 2015 to try and revive growth.

Merkel says Ukraine crisis is hurting German economy

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA Spain (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the crisis in Ukraine was taking its toll on Germany, Europe's largest economy, which suffered a surprise 0.2 percent contraction in the second quarter.

Swedish Mortgage Cap May Be Relaxed in Social Democrat Plan

Sweden’s Social Democratic Party, which polls show will oust Prime MinisterFredrik Reinfeldt’s ruling coalition in elections next month, is ready to relax a regulatory limit on mortgage financing.

Germany Approves Sale of Utility’s Oil and Gas Unit to Russians

BERLIN — The German government has approved the sale of the utility RWE’s oil and natural gas subsidiary, RWE Dea, to a team of Russian investors, the company confirmed on Friday.

Italian Bond Yields Fall to Record With Spain’s on ECB Outlook

Italian 10-year government bond yields fell to a record in the week on bets European Central Bank officials will maintain monetary stimulus even as their peers in the U.K. and U.S. consider tighter policy.

Jackson Hole Message Is Labor Markets Don’t Justify Higher Rates

Global central bankers led by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said labor markets still have further to heal before their economies can weather higher interest rates.

Swedish government cuts growth forecast, says to raise more taxes if re-elected

(Reuters) - Sweden's centre-right government on Saturday delivered a gloomy message to voters ahead of a Sept. 14 general election, cutting its growth forecast due to lingering weakness in the global economy and saying it will raise taxes further if re-elected.

Argentina’s Peso Weakening at Fastest Pace Since January

First came the default, then a proposed debt swap aimed at circumventing a U.S. court ruling that could normalize Argentina’s relations with foreign investors.

Fed's George says U.S. economy is ready for a rate hike: CNBC

(Reuters) - The time has come for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, a top U.S. central banker said on Thursday, citing improvements in the labor market.

Argentina bonds, peso reel on country's debt swap plan

(Reuters) - Argentina's new plan to skirt U.S. courts and resume payment on defaulted bonds aims to protect creditors who participated in two debt restructurings, the economy minister said on Wednesday as the local peso currency weakened to a new historic low.

Self-employment in UK at highest level since records began

Britain's deepest postwar recession has led to record numbers of self-employed people, who are earning lower wages and working longer hours than other workers, a study suggests.

Western firms accuse China of intimidation

European companies have accused China of using "intimidation tactics" in an antitrust crackdown that has ensnared many big Western brands.

U.S. mortgage applications fall in latest week: MBA

NEW YORK - Applications for U.S. home mortgages fell last week as both purchase and refinancing applications declined, an industry group said on Wednesday.

Italian PM Renzi meets ECB's Draghi as economy slides

(Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi confirmed he met European Central Bank President Mario Draghi this week, just days after Draghi urged faster action to overhaul Italy's economy.

U.K. Said to Rule Out Pre-Election Lloyds Retail Offering

The British government is unlikely to sell shares in Lloyds Banking Group Plc (LLOY) to individual investors ahead of general elections in May 2015, two people familiar with the matter said.

Global stocks fall on Russian crisis; Euro at nine-month low

European shares fell on Tuesday, throwing a rally in the United States and Asia into reverse, and the euro dipped towards nine-month lows against the dollar as reports a Russian aid convoy was heading to Ukraine ratcheted up tension between Kiev and Moscow.

U.S. jobs rose since '08 crisis, but pay is 23 pct less: report

(Reuters) - Jobs growth in the U.S. since the 2008 recession has been undermined by lower wages, with workers earning an average 23 percent less than earnings from jobs which were lost, a report by an organization representing U.S. cities said on Monday.

Italy crashes back into shock recession as Spain recovers

Italy has unexpectedly slipped into its third recession since the global financial crisis, underlining the ongoing economic agonies of the eurozone’s third largest economy.

Markets nervous as Obama authorises Iraq air strikes

Stock markets reacted volatilely on Friday over ongoing worries about the impact of conflicts in Iraq and Ukraine.

Italy approves economic package amid scepticism, recession

(Reuters) - Italy has pushed through a package of support measures for the economy that offers some help to businesses, but pressure is rising on Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to take more significant steps to pull the country out of recession.

Many U.S. families feel economic stress, few see wages rising: Fed

(Reuters) - A quarter of U.S. families feel they are under economic stress due to the aftershock of the Great Recession and most do not expect their wages to increase in the next year, according to a new Federal Reserve study released on Thursday.

Italy falls back into recession

Italy's economy has fallen back into recession, latest official figures show, after contracting for two quarters in a row.

Federal Reserve tells banks: you're not prepared and you could cause another crisis

US regulators have warned 11 giant banks which submitted unrealistic contingency plans in the event of bankruptcy that unprepared lenders could plunge the world into a new financial crisis.

New South Korea finance chief has a brand; product to follow?

(Reuters) - Three frenetic weeks into the job, South Korea's new finance minister Choi Kyung-hwan has made such a splash that his name already describes Seoul's plans to rev-up faltering growth.

Dollar Gains Most Since January on U.S. Economic Growth

The dollar rose the most in six months versus a basket of peers after economic reports showed U.S. growth rebounded, boosting bets the Federal Reserve is on pace to raise interest rates next year.

Argentina debt talks must continue after default: U.S. Judge

(Reuters) - Argentina cannot turn its back on negotiations with holdout creditors after defaulting on its sovereign debt, a U.S. judge instructed on Friday, just as the country's failure to service a June interest payment was declared a "credit event."

World Trade Organisation deal on global customs falls through

Eleventh-hour attempts to salvage a World Trade Organisation deal on simplifying global customs have collapsed, leaving the future of the Geneva-based institution in doubt.

Jobless Claims in U.S. in Past Month Drop to Eight-Year Low

Fewer Americans filed applications for unemployment insurance benefits over the past month than at any time in more than eight years, signaling employers are hanging on to workers as demand improves.