It is indeed ironic that it was the French Emperor, Napoleon, who once said "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." I wonder whether this thought was echoing in David Cameron's head as he decided to use Britain's veto?
As 2011 draws to a close, it would be nice to report on some sort of conclusion to the eurozone crisis.
Barclays was among six global banking groups to be downgraded by Fitch last night, with the ratings agency pointing to challenging financial markets.
The eurozone faces a "mild" recession in the first half of next year, restricting full-year economic growth in the region to just 0.1%, according to Ernst & Young.
Britons rank second in a list of non-US nationals most keen to tip America's regulators off about suspected financial crime, according to the first annual report on the Securities & Exchange Commission's whistleblower programme.
Lloyds Banking Group CEO António Horta-Osório is to return as group chief executive on 9 January 2012 after a period of medical leave.