HELP FOR THE HURTING: Spain appeared to be inching closer to making a formal request for financial help, while Greece’s euro partners hinted that the heavily-indebted country may get more time, but not money, to get its public finances into shape.
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THE BACKGROUND: The two countries topped the agenda of the first day of an informal meeting of European finance ministers Friday in the Cypriot capital. The ministers, as well as European Central Bank president Mario Draghi and Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, cautiously acknowledged that conditions improved.
THE OUTLOOK: Greece is fighting for its survival in the 17-country eurozone. Spain is considering whether it will tap a new ECB bond-buying plan, widely-credited for improvement in markets recently.
