Experts from companies specializing in mergers and acquisitions expect a good year, despite a slow start. There is an abundance of distressed assets around the world, and company valuations are way down, all courtesy of the world economic crisis.

The financial crisis has had a profound impact on patterns of M&A in financial services (FS) across Europe during 2008, reversing many well-established trends in deal activity. Some of the most notable changes include a steep fall in the value of M&A involving private sector bidders: a shift away from the emerging markets to domestic priorities and a renewed focus on stability and solvency at the expense of top-line growth.

The million-hryvnia question: When is the right time to start buying? The March rally in equity markets from Hong Kong to New York stirred interest among investors floundering for a place to store capital.

Investors are dubious that Wall Street's best week since November means the stock market has found a bottom. Even though the Dow industrials advanced 9 percent for the week and the S&P 500 shot up over 10 percent from the close on March 6, investors still fear the same problems.

Ukraine is under the threat of a financial meltdown which could lead to an economic collapse. Unless immediate and drastic actions are undertaken now by the Ukrainian authorities and the international community, the world will witness a major economic, social and geopolitical disruption on the doorstep of the European Union.

Austrian, Swedish and other banks with subsidiaries in eastern European may face rating downgrades as economies in the region deteriorate, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

Three major European retailers unveiled plans to cut costs and investment on Tuesday as they battle to protect profits in the economic downturn.

Russia and Ukraine have signed a 10-year gas deal, which their prime ministers say will bring their long-running dispute to an end.