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European nations aim to formally launch the biggest ever financial bailout of a country this week, hoping to calm markets wary that Greece's rescue may be the first of several, expensive measures to shore up other economies.

(Corrects fall in euro to more than 12 pct from 14 pct in paragraph 12)

European finance ministers triggered a record 110 billion euro ($147 billion) bailout for debt-stricken Greece on Sunday after Athens committed itself to years of painful austerity.

Greece committed itself to years of painful sacrifices to secure a massive European Union and IMF financial bailout on Sunday, and Germany's chancellor finally threw her full support behind the rescue.

Greece has sealed a deal with the European Union and IMF that opens the door to a multi-billion euro financial bailout and will require big sacrifices from the Greek people, Prime Minister George Papandreou said on Sunday.

Greece has sealed a deal with the EU and IMF that opens the door to a multi-billion euro financial bailout but will require major sacrifices from the Greek people, Prime Minister George Papandreou said on Sunday.

Greece has sealed a deal with the European Union and the IMF that opens the door to a multi-billion euro financial bailout of the heavily indebted euro zone member, a senior government official said on Sunday.

Greece appeared set to announce a deal with the European Union and the IMF for a multi-billion euro financial bailout on Sunday, a day after thousands protested in Athens against planned state cutbacks.

Greece hopes to secure a deal with the European Union and the IMF for a multi-billion euro financial bailout to be announced on Sunday, a day after thousands protested in Athens against planned state cutbacks.

Greece expects to conclude talks with European Union and IMF officials on a multi-billion euro financial bailout on Saturday, a government official said, while thousands protested in Athens against planned state cutbacks.

Australia: Overnight we saw risk appetite return to the markets after some positive earning results, positive data releases and reports that the bailout agreement for Greece is very close.

Greece readied severe austerity measures on Thursday to secure a multi-billion-euro aid package and avoid debt default, providing relief to financial markets but drawing threats of a mighty battle from unions.

Greece readied severe austerity measures on Thursday to secure multi-billion dollar aid, providing relief to financial markets but drawing threats of a mighty battle from Greek unions.

ECB Governing Council member Axel Weber said on Thursday the impact of any Greek debt default on other states would be incalculable and urged quick approval of an aid package to prevent market upheaval and contagion to other states.

The euro inched higher on Thursday from a one-year low the previous day as senior European officials gave assurances that they were serious about helping Greece find a way out of its escalating debt crisis.

The euro steadied on Thursday, rebounding from a one-year low the previous day, as the Federal Reserve released a more upbeat view of the U.S. economy, offering some respite for markets as Europe continued to haggle over a bailout package for Greece.

China's yuan remains undervalued, but increased currency flexibility is just part of a range of policies needed for rebalancing in Asia, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday Greece's international bailout must be accelerated for the sake of the entire euro zone, as the far bigger Spanish economy suffered a credit rating downgrade.

The international bailout of Greece is likely to total up to 120 billion euros, a German lawmaker said on Wednesday after International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn held talks in Berlin.

Fears that a planned rescue of Greece could stall and extend the financial crisis to other euro zone countries hit European markets on Wednesday as investors worried that Athens may default on its debt.

Greece might have to quit the euro zone for a time if the country failed to tighten its belt sufficiently to qualify for emergency aid, a budget expert with Germany's junior coalition party said on Tuesday.

Germany said on Monday it could offer aid for Greece within days if it agreed to painful new austerity measures, but rescue jitters pushed the cost of insuring against a Greek debt default to a record high.

Uncertainty over an aid package for Greece pushed up its borrowing costs to a 12-year high on Monday, with demands from Germany for further austerity measures before aid is granted heightening the tension.

Venezuela's economy could shrink for the second consecutive year in 2010, President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday, reversing an earlier forecast of growth in a sign the OPEC nation is struggling to recover from recession.

The International Monetary Fund pledged on Sunday to keep working on plans to make bankers bear the burden of their own bad behavior and not to lose heart over opposition to their first ideas for a global bank tax.

China overtook large European nations in a shift in voting power at the World Bank on Sunday that was designed to give emerging economies greater influence in the global development institution.

Greece's finance minister said on Sunday that aid will arrive in time to avert the euro zone's first sovereign debt default as signs grew that a 45 billion-euro ($60.49 billion) rescue would have to be bigger.

Greece's finance minister said Sunday aid will arrive in time to avert the euro zone's first sovereign debt default as signs grew that a 45 billion-euro ($60.49 billion) rescue would have to be bigger.

Greece's finance minister said on Sunday aid would arrive fast enough to avert a debt default as signs grew that a 45 billion euro ($60.49 billion) rescue package would have to be increased.