Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced an extra 11 billion euro ($13.4 billion) package on Wednesday to help Spain's small and mid-sized companies and the self-employed cope with the economic crisis wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
There was no breakthrough at a "hugely disappointing" meeting between the European Commission and the British government on Wednesday over post-Brexit trade issues in Northern Ireland, the region's first minister, Arlene Foster, said on Wednesday.
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JERUSALEM, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Israeli banks will likely be allowed to resume limited dividend payments later this year after having overcome a wave of loan deferments during the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s banking regulator said.
Yair Avidan, the supervisor of banks at the Bank of Israel, also said he backed banks’ moves into “digital wallets” and expects Apple Pay to enter the Israeli market this year, with similar offerings from Samsung and Google to follow later.
Three of Israel’s largest banks Hapoalim, Leumi and Discount have announced plans to launch digital wallets, which allow customers to pay via mobile phones in stores.
European shares opened generally higher on Wednesday but world shares remained in the red after a weak Asian session, even after Fed Chair Jerome Powell pushed back against inflation fears.
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida said on Wednesday that he's "bullish" on the outlook for the U.S. economy and sees inflation at the Fed's 2% goal by year's end, after what he expects to be a temporary rise above that level before then due to "base effects."