Eurozone

Eurozone bank dividends are poised to fall below the levels seen after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, as regulators push for lenders to bolster capital.

The financial crisis engulfing the eurozone took a fresh twist on Friday after Standard & Poor's cut the credit rating on nine eurozone countries, including France's prized AAA, and Greece's debt talks collapsed without agreement.

With volatility set to dominate again this year, experts predict which sector or geographical region will surprise on the upside.

Germany's economy shrank by approximately 0.25% in the fourth quarter of last year, raising fears Europe's second largest economy is on the brink of recession.

Ten years on from the introduction of the euro, opinion is divided over whether the troubled single currency can survive another decade, especially in its present form.

German chancellor Angela Merkel has said she cannot guarantee support of the controversial financial transaction tax - known as the Tobin tax - which threatens to create a rift between Germany and France days before a crucial European summit.

ON UK INCOME

Prime Minister David Cameron has left open the door to Britain giving billions of pounds of new support to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a move likely to infuriate eurosceptic MPs in his own Conservative party.

We ask investment experts for their forecasts for 2012.

UniCredit has seen its shares suspended for the second time after they plunged almost 10% as it unveiled the price of a €7.5bn (£6.3bn) rights issue.