Borrowing costs for Italy's indebted government fell to their lowest level in years last week, a move the country's Finance Mininster Vittorio Grilli says is justified even though the economy is entrenched in a recession and the risk of political instability following elections next month looms.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti will step down as finance minister and the current deputy minister Vittorio Grilli will take his place, the government said today.
At least half of euro zone governments as well as banks and large companies are making contingency plans in case Greece decides to leave the single currency area, even though the preferred option is still for Athens to keep the euro.