Irish airline Ryanair kept its full-year profit forecast on Tuesday which analysts said it looked to outperform comfortably after first-quarter earnings beat expectations and fares rose. Europe's biggest low-cost carrier said its net profit for the three months to the end of June fell 24% on disruption caused by a volcanic ash cloud. It maintained

Financial markets juggled with competing drivers on Tuesday as investors generally boosted stocks in the hope of more good earnings reports and the dollar slipped on concerns about the U.S. economy. Key earnings from Goldman Sachs and Apple lay ahead but there was growing concern about the U.S. economy after the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market

Greek banks will pass European Union stress tests conducted to assess how the sector would cope with another economic downturn, the country's Finance Minister said. "I'm certain that Greek banks will pass these tests intact," George Papaconstantinou said. Greece's central bank chief George Provopoulos also said on Saturday he expected the country's banks to come

* EU wants to keep up pressure for continent-wide cuts * Troubled euro zone borrowers Greece, Spain in focus * Little compromise seen ahead of Hungary local elections * Romania, Latvia IMF deals also vulnerable to politics The collapse of Hungary's deal with international lenders marks the greatest challenge by a government so far to

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Ireland's government bond ratings to Aa2 from Aa1. The main drivers for the downgrade are: 1. The government's gradual but significant loss of financial strength, as reflected by the substantial increase in the debt-to-GDP ratio and weakening debt affordability (as represented by interest payment to government revenue). 2. Ireland's weakened

National Bank of Greece <NBGr.AT>, the country's top bank, will not make any merger or acquisition move soon, a bank source said on Monday, dismissing a press report that such a step was imminent. Newspaper Vima reported on Saturday that NBG would move within the next 10 days to seek partners in Greece or abroad,

The euro extended losses on Monday, pulling further away from two-month highs, after Moody's cut Ireland's credit rating, highlighting the fragility of Europe's fiscal health. The euro quickly fell to the day's lows of $1.2868 after the rating agency cut Ireland's government bond ratings to Aa2, from Aa1, saying the country had suffered a "significant

Cyprus expects the UN and the international community to turn their attention to Turkey because, ''in order to pave the way for a solution'' of the Cyprus problem, ''Turkey must leave behind words and slogans, and show in practice that it is ready for an honorable, viable and functional compromise,'' President of the Republic of

Property issue is probably the most difficult issue to be discussed in the direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities, Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou has said, noting that it is directly linked with many other aspects of the Cyprus problem, such as the issue of refugees, the territorial and the issue of settlers.

Asian stocks fell on Monday as a sharp drop in U.S. consumer sentiment added to worries that its economic recovery is losing momentum, with the cautious tone also pulling the euro from two-month highs. The MSCI index for Asian stocks outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> dropped 1 percent, its worse daily performance this month, as investors sold