USAToday: As Fed meets amid soft patch, economists eye second half

USA TODAY: As Fed meets amid soft patch, economists eye second half
By Scott Patterson, USA TODAY

The U.S. economy is at a pivot point, teetering between another downturn and a return to the growth path it was on until earlier this year. That problem is sure to weigh on the mind of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke as the Federal Reserve convenes today .

Reuters: Hedge fund bosses cautious ahead of Monaco summit

Reuters: Hedge fund bosses cautious ahead of Monaco summit
By Laurence Fletcher
MONACO | Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:11pm EDT

(Reuters) - European hedge funds' top executives will be in cautious mood this week as they gather in Monaco for their annual summit, after big losses in May took some of the shine off a year of inflows and strong returns.

WSJ: Housing Troubles Have Deep Foundations

AHEAD OF THE TAPE|JUNE 21, 2011
WSJ: Housing Troubles Have Deep Foundations

By DAVID REILLY

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke may be right that recent rises in food and energy prices are transitory. If only the same were true of weakness in the housing market.

Fortune: Europe's sickly banks

Europe's sickly banks
By Colin Barr June 20, 2011: 6:30 AM ET

You could knock Europe's banks over with a feather.

Bloomberg: Greek Default Would Spell ‘Havoc’ for European Banks a Year After Bailout

Related News: Bloomberg, UK, Ireland, Bonds, Economy, Finance, Europe, France, Eastern Europe, Germany
Bloomberg: Greek Default Would Spell ‘Havoc’ for European Banks a Year After Bailout
By Aaron Kirchfeld and Elena Logutenkova - Jun 20, 2011 12:31 PM GMT+0900

A year after European officials bailed out Greece, investors say the region’s banks haven’t raised sufficient capital or cut loans enough to withstand the contagion that may follow a default.

Gov't looks into algae potentials

Gov't looks into algae potentials
By ELLALYN B. DE VERA
June 20, 2011, 2:23pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has consulted algae experts to look into the potentials of algae as a source of biofuel in the country.

Bloomberg: Europe May Withhold Half of Greek Payment

Related News: Economy, Europe, France, Germany, U.K. & Ireland, Bonds, Eastern Europe, Italy, Currencies
Europe May Withhold Half of Greek Payment
By James G. Neuger and Jonathan Stearns - Jun 20, 2011 8:16 AM GMT+0900

European governments weighed withholding half of Greece’s next 12 billion-euro ($17.2 billion) aid payment, seeking to keep the country solvent while maintaining pressure on the government to slash the debt that pitched the euro area into crisis.

CNNMoney: Is the U.S. like Greece?

AMERICA'S DEBT CRISIS
Is the U.S. like Greece?
By Jeanne Sahadi @CNNMoney June 19, 2011: 11:15 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Deficit hawks often cite Greece's debt nightmare as a cautionary tale for the United States.

WSJ: Fresh Greek Shock Waves

EUROPE NEWS|JUNE 16, 2011
WSJ: Fresh Greek Shock Waves
Violent Street Protests in Athens Shake Government, Spark Global Market Woes
By COSTAS PARIS, ALKMAN GRANITSAS and BRUCE ORWALL

ATHENS—Greece shook global markets, intensifying fears of a default, as tens of thousands of demonstrators protested a new round of budget-cutting plans and its prime minister offered to step down to try to preserve them.

Bloomberg: Default by Greece ‘Almost Certain’: Greenspan

Related News: Economy, Eastern Europe, France, Germany, Italy
Default by Greece ‘Almost Certain’: Greenspan
By Vivien Lou Chen - Jun 17, 2011 8:46 AM GMT+0900

Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve chairman, said a default by Greece is “almost certain” and could help drive the U.S. economy into recession.