The near term outlook for the eurozone remains bleak, with the latest International  Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts showing 2013 as another year of falling output for the  region.  Better growth is desperately needed and there is a case for more cyclical support  through easier monetary policy, but there are also structural obstacles to stronger growth.  Unless these are addressed, any pick-up in growth will ultimately flounder. In this Talking  Point I look beyond the near term cyclical challenges and consider what the eurozone  needs to do to ensure its long term viability.......

Monday saw China’s Shanghai Composite benchmark slump by over 3.5%, in large part because of tightening measures on property purchases announced by the central government last Friday......

The newly-constituted Policy Board of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has completed its first meeting under the leadership of Mr Kuroda, the new Governor, and unveiled plans for a new phase of monetary easing.......

Following months of campaigning and deal making, the elections in Italy appear to have resulted in gridlock. .......

Azad Zangana, European Economist