WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Spain's fiscal consolidation plan is ambitious but based on potentially optimistic economic projections and targets should be made more credible, the International Monetary Fund said on Friday.

LONDON (AFP) - Europe's main stock markets fell on Friday as investors looked ahead to key economic growth figures from the United States, after dissecting news of a major takeover, company earnings and eurozone data.

LONDON (Reuters) - Severe budget cuts and the possibility of slower growth ahead will force the Bank of England to wait until the second quarter of 2011 to raise interest rates, according to a Reuters poll of 61 economists.

LONDON (Reuters) - Severe budget cuts and the possibility of slower growth ahead will force the Bank of England to wait until the second quarter of 2011 to raise interest rates, according to a Reuters poll of 61 economists.

LONDON (Reuters) - Severe budget cuts and the possibility of slower growth ahead will force the Bank of England to wait until the second quarter of 2011 to raise interest rates, according to a Reuters poll of 61 economists.

LONDON (AFP) - Europe's leading stock markets advanced on Thursday, shaking off falls in Tokyo, as dealers reacted to a barrage of earnings from blue-chip companies, including strong numbers from telecoms.

HONG KONG (AFP) - Concerns about the strength of economic recovery in the United States weighed on Asian stocks Thursday, with traders cashing in profits from recent gains in banks.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank toughened up its lending rules on Wednesday, saying that from next year banks will face higher penalties if they use weaker-rated assets as collateral to borrow ECB cash.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's parliament on Wednesday passed the socialist government's debt relief bill designed to help thousands of households struggling with debt to restructure their loans with banks.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Banks increased their intake of 3-month European Central Bank loans on Wednesday, reversing a recent trend that has seen them cut their consumption and whittle back the amount of excess cash in money markets.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank toughened up its lending rules on Wednesday, saying that from next year banks will face higher penalties if they use weaker-rated assets as collateral to borrow ECB cash.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank toughened up its lending rules on Wednesday, saying that from next year banks will face higher penalties if they use weaker-rated assets as collateral to borrow ECB cash.

LONDON (Reuters) - Daiwa Capital Markets has appointed Chris Brown and Vince Purton to senior management roles in its debt division, the bank said, moving quickly after the departure of senior bankers Sam Amalou and Stephen Apted.

LONDON (AFP) - Europe's main stock markets fell on Wednesday after two days of gains as investors digested mixed company results and acquisition activity.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Euro zone banks expect to continue to toughen lending rules in the third quarter, a European Central Bank survey showed on Wednesday, dashing hopes the low point in the credit downturn had passed.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Treasury on Tuesday promised a plan to reform troubled state-backed mortgage firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by January, firing the starting gun on what is likely to be a rancorous debate.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Treasury on Tuesday promised a plan to reform troubled state-backed mortgage firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by January, firing the starting gun on what is likely to be a rancorous debate.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank said on Tuesday it had net exposure of 1.1 billion euros (920 million pounds) to Greece, 8.1 billion euros to Italy, and 1 billion euros to Spain at the end of March, more than double figures it had previously given.

LONDON (AFP) - Europe's main stock markets climbed on Tuesday, after overnight US gains, as investors welcomed positive banking earnings and the departure of BP's under-fire boss Tony Hayward.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank said on Tuesday it had net exposure of 1.1 billion euros (922.7 million pounds) to Greece, 8.1 billion euros to Italy, and 1 billion euros to Spain -- more than double the figures it had previously published.