A round-up of the key stories across the specialist financial media, including reports that data from December 2011 suggests that the Eurozone is verging on a recession.
Euro-zone data point to recession
New economic data brought has more signs that the eurozone could be verging on a recession, with December consumer spending in the France and Germany dropping significantly and unemployment rising in the region as a whole.
The former UK chief executive of private equity house JC Flowers has been ordered to pay a £2.9 million fine and banned from working in the industry following a fraudulent invoice scheme.
The French stock market, Europe’s second-biggest by value, may see a fall in popularity after President Nicolas Sarkozy unveiled plans to impose a 0.1 percent tax on financial transactions.