Footballers step in to rescue Italian bond market

Italian footballers have given their support to a day of national action aimed at pushing down yields on the country's debt and improving its public finances.

The Italian footballers' association has given its backing to a campaign encouraging Italians to invest in government bonds, known as BTPs, at the end of a month in which yields on Italian 10-year government debt rose as high as 7.4%. Today marks the Italian Banking Association's ‘BTP Day', when Italians are allowed to buy government bonds without paying bank commission. "Some of us are selected to play for Italy but all of us support our country and above all, we believe in its strengths," said Damiano Tommasi, member of Italy's 2002 World Cup squad and now head of the Italian footba...