A round-up of the key stories across the specialist financial media, including news that Spain’s benchmark government bond yields rose above 5.5% for the first time in two months
Spain’s borrowing costs back over 5.5%
Spain’s benchmark government bond yields rose above 5.5% for the first time in two months on Thursday, as investors fretted about Madrid’s deficit and weak growth prospects for both the country and the eurozone.
Slovakia seeks to lose euro troublemaker image, Fico says
Slovakia, which held up approval of the euro area’s rescue mechanism last year, won’t cause any more problems for the currency region in its fight to end the sovereign-debt crisis, Premier-elect Robert Fico said.
Indian stocks plunge most in Asia amid global sell-off
Indian stocks tumbled the most in Asia after manufacturing contracted in China and Europe, the South Asian nation’s biggest trading partner, and as the rupee weakened to a two-month low.
Chinese factory activity is slowing sharply, dragging on employment amid a deepening slowdown in global demand and aggravated by a stall in domestic consumption, according to March survey data showing new orders at a four-month low.
Brent crude dropped below $124 a barrel on Thursday, after weak Chinese manufacturing data sparked concerns that energy demand growth could slow in the world's second-largest oil consumer.
