We had some thises some m isses from france and germany. 53. 1, which is an improvement on decembers 52. 8, above estimates. The services is below expectations. The combination of the Services Manufacturing 54. Similar to germinate, similar to france. Both composite measures missed expectations similar to germany, similar to france. So, today is the day. Washington, d. C. , is the place. The federal open Market Committee will release its policy statement at 2 00 p. M. Eastern. We will find out if the worlds biggest economy will get its first racte rise since 2006. Lets get straight out to Michael Mckee for a look at what to expect. What a big day. You have got in store for yourself. Mike we have a very big day, indeed. Of complication, confusion, and volatility. Sounds like a solicitors office. Complication because the fed has to set five Interest Rates today. Whiche fed funds target is the rate banks would pay if they were barring any overnight market. Rate theynt rate, the would pay
Bloombergs European Headquarters in london. Im anna edwards. Greece cross the first of many hurdles today by paying its obligation to the imf. What is next for the country that is still locked up in talks with creditors over reforms . For more, we are joined by manus cranny in paris at the same event as greeces finance minister, yanis varoufakis. Now that this bill has been paid, will greece make it this month . What is the next crunch time . Hopefully so. There is one billion still to be rolled over next week. There is the 1. 5 billion euros to be paid in pensions. Greece hasnt had any Financial Aid since last august. It has been depleting cash reserves quickly and heavily. Theres not much left in the greek offers. Thats for sure. The republic has been tapping reserves from every source imaginable. There hasnt been a very heavy burden from the payments front. I think that was a technicality. The greek republic will not default on that debt. I think the april 24 meeting of the eurogrou
Francine and im Francine Lacqua. Euro area finance ministers convene in brussels today. Greece will be front and center of their discussion. Greece is facing challenges on several fronts, the euro sliding as a debt payment is due tomorrow. Chancellor Angela Merkel faces domestic pressures to give up on greece. Guy Tom Mackenzie is in brussels. Marcus bensasson is in athens. Tom, what will this meeting deliver . Tom you might be thinking, here we go again. Greece faces some very concrete deadlines. That is a 150 million euro payment to the imf tomorrow followed by another one in june and a huge payment to the ecb in july and august. Expectations being dull down because of the tensions between the two sides. Recently the french finance minister coming out, saying that to reach an agreement, we have days or weeks. It follows comments by wolfgang schaeuble, saying, warning that greece could accidentally default. And Jeroen Dijsselbloem saying that greece has not done enough. Great Prime Mi