BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Inflation in the euro zone remained steady for the third straight month in July, offering little comfort to consumers at a time when the number of people out of work continues to climb and the unemployment rate hit a record high.

Consumer prices in the 17 nations sharing the euro rose 2.4 percent in July on an annual basis, the EU’s statistics office Eurostat said on Tuesday, maintaining a level first touched in May as Brent crude fell sharply and brought prices down.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Economic sentiment in the euro zone fell to near a 3-year low in July as the bloc’s economy deepened its slump and businesses became more pessimistic.

The 2-1/2 year debt crisis that spread from Athens – now struggling to stay in the euro zone – has continued to spread across Europe.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Euro zone finance ministers are expected to approve an agreement on Friday to lend up to 100 billion euros to Spain so it can recapitalize its banks, but the exact size of the loan will probably only be determined in September.

Ministers are expected in a conference call to sign off on a lengthy memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Spain spelling out the terms of the aid, which will be fully disbursed by the end of 2013.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Euro zone finance ministers are expected to approve an agreement on Friday to lend up to 100 billion euros to Spain so it can recapitalize its banks, but the exact size of the loan will probably only be determined in September.

Ministers are expected in a conference call to sign off on a lengthy memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Spain spelling out the terms of the aid, which will be fully disbursed by the end of 2013.

BRUSSELS, July 19 (Reuters) – The highest EU court has
cleared a Chinese chemicals company of accusations that Beijing
was controlling its trade with Europe, in a victory for private
Chinese firms who say they are unfairly labelled as subsidised
agents of the Chinese government.

The lower General Court in Luxembourg ruled in 2009 that
China’s Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial Group was
not guilty of dumping – selling for unrealistic prices -
chemicals on European markets.

BRUSSELS, July 18 (Reuters) – The European Union’s trade
chief pushed Europe on Wednesday towards an ambitious trade deal
with Japan despite opposition from carmakers, saying the
region’s auto industry could not make trade a scapegoat for its
falling sales.

The European Union is trying to sign free-trade deals across
the globe to lock in access to fast-growing economies after
years of failure to seal the 10-year old Doha round of global
trade talks.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s trade chief called on Europe on Wednesday to start talks on an ambitious trade deal with Japan despite opposition from carmakers, saying that overlooking one of the world’s biggest economies would be a “serious mistake”.

The European Union is in a race with the United States to sign dozens of free-trade deals across the globe and lock in access to fast-growing economies, especially in Asia, as the 10-year Doha round of global trade talks are deadlocked.