Bernard Hickey with ten questions about the European debt mess and what it might mean for New Zealand.

Those who think that the Euro will disintegrate are not fully aware of the dynamics of the European Union, the EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in Auckland today.

Disappointment about the outcome of a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy ruled investor sentiment on both sides of the Atlantic overnight.

The New Zealand dollar may rise this week, as equity markets recover from a three-week selloff following the US credit rating downgrade.

The NZ stock exchange has fallen 2.5 per cent on opening, following a big slump on world markets overnight. The NZX 50 Index shed 80.89 points to 3297.86, the lowest level since December.

Balancing tax and spending is not a task we can afford to cede to appointed experts...

A Mexican standoff in the US debt talks, with a potential credit ratings downgrade and a government default at stake, kept investors on the sidelines overnight.

A proposed Trans Pacific Partnership is the top trade priority for Barack Obama and John Key.

Fear that the debt crisis in Europe is spreading has sent investors running for the exits, hammering both global equities and the euro.

The world's leading credit ratings agencies have been threatened with tighter regulation and break-up by some of Europe's most powerful politicians.

VW's TAP system creates some very smart cars, writes Matt Greenop

The tone on Wall Street and Europe's equity markets remained positive overnight amid optimism the EU is making progress in its efforts to avert a Greek default.