European stocks pause ahead of Fed, ECB

European shares were steady around midday on Wednesday as investors waited to see if policymakers would back up pledges to support the euro zone with decisive measures such as buying bonds of

Alpha Bank offers to buy Emporiki

Greece's third largest lender Alpha Bank on Tuesday offered to buy local rival Emporiki from France's Credit Agricole, heralding a long-awaited consolidation in the battered sector. Alpha's announcement comes days after rival