U.S. President Barack Obama will press Vladimir Putin over Russia's role in the Syrian crisis when they meet on Monday but appears to have little chance of persuading him to budge on Moscow's resistance to tougher U.N. action against Damascus. After a week of Cold War-style recriminations between U.S. and Russian diplomats, the talks at

Political parties supporting Greece's international bailout begin forging a government on Monday after an election victory over radical leftists staved off the prospect of the debt-laden country leaving the euro and brought relief to global markets. Conservative New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras called for broad support after winning Sunday's election over the SYRIZA party, which

The euro hit a one-month high, Asian shares rose more than 1.5 percent and European index futures jumped on Monday after Greece's election delivered a slim parliamentary majority to pro-bailout parties, a result seen as crucial to European leaders' efforts to hold the euro together. Futures for the Euro STOXX 50 opened up 1.6 percent,

The Greek elections set the stage for a volatile week in the financial markets but, barring a surprisingly negative result, immediate policy changes look unlikely though a heavy schedule of high level meetings will keep investors on edge. G20 leaders gather in Mexico on Monday, the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate setting committee meets for two

World markets rallied on Friday as investor fears of euro zone chaos following Sunday's Greek election were at least partly offset by talk of a coordinated response by the world's major central banks to any market dislocation. G20 officials told Reuters on Thursday that the top central banks stood ready to stabilise financial markets by

Scandalous details of the lavish life of a former minister who spent 20,000 euros on curtain rods while cash-strapped Greeks buckled under tax hikes and wage cuts have driven anger against the establishment to boiling point before Sunday's election. Akis Tsohatzopoulos, 72, a once-powerful Socialist arrested on charges of taking bribes and evading taxes, has

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Friday the bank stood ready to support the euro zone's banking system should it be required. "The Eurosystem will continue to supply liquidity to solvent banks where needed," he said at a conference. He also said the full impact of the ECB's low-interest, three-year loan programme (LTROs)