German Yields Hit Record Low, French Bond Spreads Widen as Political Concerns Intensify

Germany’s two-year government bond yields hit a record low Monday amid rising political uncertainty in the region as officials meet in Brussels to debate the ongoing bailout in Greece. Germany’s two-year government bond yields hit a record low Monday amid rising political uncertainty in the region as officials meet in Brussels to debate the ongoing bailout in Greece and polls indicate rising support for far-right Presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.

Germany Picks Ex-Foreign Minister Steinmeier as President

A special assembly elected former German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier by an overwhelming majority Sunday to be the country’s new president. Steinmeier was elected in Berlin by the assembly made up of the 630 members of parliament’s lower house and an equal number of representatives from Germany’s 16 states.

Germany Picks Anti-Trump President as Trans-Atlantic Bonds Fray

The Social Democrat who served two stints as foreign minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel emerged as her governing coalition’s candidate last November as the parties sought to avoid a political spat over the appointment in an election year. With the support of Merkel’s Christian Democratic-led bloc and the Social Democrats in a special assembly on Sunday, Steinmeier is all but assured victory to the mostly ceremonial post.  While Merkel steered clear of sharing her views on Trump before his election as president, her top diplomat vociferously derided what he saw as a campaign that broke taboos and threatened trans-Atlantic bonds.

Facebook to Test Fake News Filtering in Germany

The social media giant has announced a series of measure to curb online disinformation ahead of Germany’s national election later this year. Facebook on Sunday announced it will take measures to identify and reduced the distribution of fake news on its platform in Germany.