European ministers told Greece on Tuesday it may need to take further steps to bring a swollen debt under control and calm "irrational" financial markets, as wage cuts already announced by Athens sparked another strike. At a European Union meeting, finance ministers from Germany, Austria and Sweden led the charge, with Germany's deputy finance minister

Greece's debt-laden economy cannot count on tourism to dig it out of recession this year, with the industry forecasting at best minimal growth and at worst a further decline after a deep slump in 2009. Blessed with sun-drenched beaches, paradise islands and stunning monuments, Greece drew some 15 million foreign tourists a year before the

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday said he had told Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou to turn to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for help. "I have just met with the Greek Prime Minister and I recommended that he turns to the IMF and the World Bank in order to solve the

British inflation shot further above its 2 percent target in January, though the Bank of England will almost certainly say the jump is temporary when it is forced to explain itself to the government later on Tuesday. The Office for National Statistics said consumer price inflation rose to 3.5 percent year-on-year last month from 2.9

European shares gained on Tuesday after UK bank Barclays beat profit forecasts, and the euro rose against the dollar as European finance ministers put more pressure on Greece to resolve its fiscal problems. Greek borrowing costs, however, rose. Oil and metal prices advanced, supported by a weaker U.S. currency, while investors showed more appetite for

European shares rose in early trading on Tuesday, buoyed by stronger banks after Barclays posted forecast-beating results, while oil majors drew strength from rallying crude prices. By 0808 GMT, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was up 1 percent at 1001.67 points, breaching the 1,000 mark for the first time in nearly two weeks. Barclays surged