Swiss currency shock: blame the bank in Frankfurt not Zurich

Another day, another bout of extreme market turbulence. The last cue for mayhem has been the decision by the Swiss National Bank to abandon its attempts to prevent the franc from appreciating against the euro.

Years of dithering has given Draghi a QE dilemma

If the Swiss National Bank can’t stand the heat about to emerge from the European Central Bank’s monetary kitchen, Mario Draghi must be cooking something explosive, right? That, at least, is what many in the market assume – that Draghi has persuaded the doubters and the ECB will serve full-blown quantitative easing on a colossal scale next week.

Franc, European shares soar after Swiss currency cap lifted

(Reuters) - Switzerland's move to jettison a three-year-old cap on the franc threw global markets into turmoil on Thursday, sending the currency and most European shares soaring while bond yields and Swiss equities tumbled.

Fed may hike rates even in absence of inflation pickup: Lockhart

(Reuters) - Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Dennis Lockhart said on Monday the central bank may begin raising interest rates even if inflation is not clearly rising to its 2 percent target.

U.S. jobless claims dip; 2014 layoffs lowest in 17 years

(Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week and job cuts declined sharply in December, suggesting the labor market is tightening.

Shop prices fell in every month of 2014 as deflation continues

Prices in UK shops fell in every month of 2014, according to an industry group that predicts tumbling oil prices will continue the deflationary pattern this year.

Bank Chiefs See Consolidation Among Lenders in Italy, Germany

Cooperative banks will be at the forefront of a wave of mergers among lenders in Italy and Germany, the chief executive officers of Intesa Sanpaolo SpA (ISP) and Commerzbank AG (CBK) said.