Seoul / AFP South Korea held its key interest rate unchanged on Thursday, despite an earlier US hike, as an ongoing political crisis tightened the reins on an already-slowing economy. In a move widely expected by analysts, the central Bank of Korea held its benchmark rate at its record-low of 1.25 percent for the sixth straight month. South Korea …

  Frankfurt am Main / AFP Eurozone banks increased uptake of zero-interest loans from the European Central Bank in December, data showed on Thursday, as part of a lending scheme to ease access to credit for households and businesses. Banks borrowed 62.2 billion euros ($65.1 billion) in total, compared with September’s figure of 45.3 billion. Subtracting some 14.2 billion euros …

Brussels / Reuters Italy’s banking problems can be solved and the EU will do everything to help, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said, dismissing fears of something akin to the euro crisis. New Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has said his government was prepared to come to the aid of the country’s third largest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena …