BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium’s economy returned to growth in the first quarter and was not in recession in the second half of 2011 as initially thought, data showed on Wednesday, in an encouraging sign for the broader euro zone.

Gross domestic product grew 0.3 percent in the first quarter from the last three months of 2011 and by 0.5 percent compared with same period last year, Belgium’s central bank said.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Unemployment in the euro zone rose to a 15-year high of 10.9 percent in March, driven by lay-offs in Italy and Spain, and economists said worse was to come as the impact of the debt crisis extracts an ever greater toll.

The jobless rate in the 17 nations using the single currency increased by a tenth of a percentage point from February, as expected by economists polled by Reuters, the EU’s statistics office Eurostat reported on Wednesday.

BRUSSELS, April 26 (Reuters) – Bailed out Franco-Belgian
bank Dexia SA may need fresh capital at some point,
but is not in urgent need of funds to stay afloat, Belgium’s
central bank governor told a parliamentary committee, according
to lawmakers.

Bank governor Luc Coene spoke on Wednesday to a hearing of
the finance committee, some of which was held behind closed
doors.

BRUSSELS, April 18 (Reuters) – Heineken, the
world’s third-largest brewer, sold more beer than expected in
the first quarter and persuaded consumers to switch to premium
brands, helping its shares to a four-year high.

Europe’s largest beermaker said on Wednesday beer volume
grew 4.7 percent on a like-for-like basis, with revenue up 6.8
percent. Volume growth was more than double the rate the market
had expected.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Oil prices at record levels in euro terms are threatening to rock the euro zone’s economy more than might be expected, with those countries least capable of riding out a shock being the worst hit.

Standard estimates of the impact of oil prices on the euro zone economy are that a 10 percent price hike dents annual growth by some 0.2 percent in the ensuing three years, with disagreement over whether the hit is greater at the start or at the end.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Oil prices at record levels in euro terms are threatening to rock the euro zone’s economy more than might be expected, with those countries least capable of riding out a shock being the worst hit.

Standard estimates of the impact of oil prices on the euro zone economy are that a 10 percent price hike dents annual growth by some 0.2 percent in the ensuing three years, with disagreement over whether the hit is greater at the start or at the end.

LONDON/BRUSSELS, March 28 (Reuters) – Belgium’s Dexia
is hoping that rival suitors for Denizbank
will return after it failed to get a higher price from Qatar
National Bank for its Turkish unit, people familiar
with the matter said.

The Qatari bank, whose chairman is also the country’s
finance minister, was the only party left bidding for Denizbank,
as crippled Dexia dismantles itself after a state bail-out at
the height of the euro zone debt crisis last year.

BRUSSELS/LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) – Discontent is building
against executive bonuses totaling more than 1 billion euros
($1.33 billion) at Anheuser-Busch InBev triggered when
the brewer cut its huge debt two years ahead of target following
the acquisition of the maker of Budweiser.

Executive options were set on how rapidly the world’s
biggest brewer could cut debt, and with the target now reached
Chief Executive Carlos Brito is in line for a windfall of more
than 100 million euros among 40 AB InBev executives set to
benefit from the scheme.

BRUGES, Belgium (Reuters) – Europe needs to get its own single market in order before opening its doors wider to foreign trade and must ensure deals are truly balanced, the head of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said on Tuesday.

ACEA president Sergio Marchionne, also chief executive of Fiat (FIA.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) and Chrysler, told a conference a strong and functioning single EU market was the most effective competitor to take on growing economic rivals.

BRUGES, Belgium, March 20 (Reuters) – Europe needs to get
its own single market in order before opening its doors wider to
foreign trade and must ensure deals are truly balanced, the head
of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said on
Tuesday.

ACEA president Sergio Marchionne, also chief executive of
Fiat and Chrysler, told a conference a strong and
functioning single EU market was the most effective competitor
to take on growing economic rivals.