Reuters

A near $30 billion bid for Shire could emerge as the stand-out deal in the European pharmaceutical universe this year, a highlight for bankers in a market otherwise likely to be dominated by bolt-on acquisitions.

The Bank of England looks set to inject more cash into the economy to shore up a stuttering recovery, despite signs that the country may have avoided slipping back into recession.

If both the perma-bears and perma-bulls are wrong in their immovable convictions about the long-term global investment outlook, then 2012 may require a more agile beast and possibly one with both claws and hooves.

Travel group Thomas Cook said it had managed to hold on to market share despite tough trading conditions, rebuffing comments by rival TUI Travel which has said it is benefiting from its rival's difficulties.

Eurozone finance ministers told Greece it could not go ahead with an agreed deal to restructure privately held debt until it guaranteed to implement reforms to secure a second financing package from the euro zone and the IMF.

British consumer morale climbed to its highest in more than half a year in January, as lower energy costs and retailer discounts provided hard-pressed consumers with some relief, at least for now, researchers GfK NOP said on Tuesday.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble again rejected calls to boost the eurozone's firewall and said that all indications so far are that the size right now is sufficient.

Equities, commodities and the euro extended gains on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates low for a much longer-than-expected period, providing ample liquidity to help spur growth.

From the outside, it can be hard to know just who has the upper hand in the negotiations between Greece, the international community and holders of the Mediterranean country's bonds.

Japan logged its first annual trade deficit in 2011 for over 30 years as the aftermath of the March earthquake raised fuel import costs.