LONDON (Reuters) – Central banks are in a deep easy-money hole of their own digging that they will have to start filling in at some point. But that day still looks quite some way off.

Indeed, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England are staking out a much bolder stance, brushing aside warnings from some that they might be stoking currency wars by depreciating their currencies or sowing the seeds of asset bubbles and inflation.

LONDON (Reuters)- Even as the euro zone periphery starts to spy some glimmers of hope, concern is mounting that Germany is drifting apart from other countries at the core of the single currency bloc, notably France.

Economically, the worry is that insistence on fiscal austerity by an out-performing Germany will delay an upturn in France, which has been steadily losing competitiveness to its larger neighbor.

LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters)- Even as the euro zone periphery
starts to spy some glimmers of hope, concern is mounting that
Germany is drifting apart from other countries at the core of
the single currency bloc, notably France.

Economically, the worry is that insistence on fiscal
austerity by an out-performing Germany will delay an upturn in
France, which has been steadily losing competitiveness to its
larger neighbour.

LONDON (Reuters)- Forthcoming transatlantic trade talks might offer a fresh incentive for Europe to worry a bit less about protecting past economic gains and focus a bit more on securing sources of future prosperity.

The negotiations, announced last week and due to start in June, are also an important chance for the European Union to rejuvenate political ties with the United States as Washington pivots towards a rising Asia.

LONDON (Reuters)- Forthcoming transatlantic trade talks might offer a fresh incentive for Europe to worry a bit less about protecting past economic gains and focus a bit more on securing sources of future prosperity.

The negotiations, announced last week and due to start in June, are also an important chance for the European Union to rejuvenate political ties with the United States as Washington pivots towards a rising Asia.

LONDON, Feb 17 (Reuters) – A raft of business surveys this
week will be combed over for confirmation of hopes that a dire
fourth quarter of 2012 marked the cyclical trough for the world
economy.

An index based on questionnaires sent to euro zone
procurement executives is likely to show activity is picking up,
according to economists polled by Reuters.

LONDON (Reuters) – To the relief of its creditors, Ireland is showing the rest of the struggling euro zone periphery that fiscal and wage discipline will eventually be rewarded by the bond markets, if not appreciated by the man in the street.

A less heartening lesson is that throwing away the crutch of IMF and EU support, as Dublin is likely to be able to do later this year, is no ticket back to pre-crisis prosperity: nations on the euro zone’s rim have dug a debt hole so deep that they face years more of morale-sapping austerity and sub-par growth.

LONDON, Feb 10 (Reuters) – With the road ahead looking a bit
smoother, G20 finance ministers will be happy to ignore the
wreck in the rear-view mirror when they meet this week to steer
a course for the world economy.

The euro zone as a whole and a clutch of its members,
including France, Italy and the Netherlands, are expected to
report that their economies shrank last quarter – joining
Germany and the United States – while Japan’s barely grew,
according to economists polled by Reuters.

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) – The dollar will remain the world’s
dominant reserve currency and is likely to strengthen over time
as the U.S. balance of payments improves, according to a senior
Chinese central banker.

Jin Zhongxia, head of the research institute of the People’s
Bank of China, also said he saw great potential for the yuan
to develop as an international currency as China’s
economy becomes more open and competitive.

LONDON (Reuters) – From competitive devaluations to resource nationalism and financial fragmentation, the sinews of the global economy are feeling the strain of years of sub-par growth, adding urgency to the G20′s efforts to revive demand.

Things could be a lot worse. Traditional trade protectionism is muted. Japan’s success in driving down the yen by pre-announcing an easier monetary policy was a shot heard around the world but it has not touched off feared currency wars.