Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Lisbon and other Portuguese cities Saturday to protest against the government's austerity measures aimed at rescuing the debt-hit eurozone nation.

Beppe Grillo, whose anti-establishment party unexpectedly captured a quarter of the vote in Italy's inconclusive elections, wants to renegotiate his crisis-hit country's debt, according to a German report on Saturday.

Beppe Grillo, whose anti-establishment party unexpectedly captured a quarter of the vote in Italy's inconclusive elections, wants to renegotiate his crisis-hit country's debt, according to a German report on Saturday.

Official data Friday painted a far from encouraging picture of the European economy, with unemployment running at record and "unacceptable" highs in the eurozone while inflation fell sharply, highlighting the weakness of consumer demand.

Europe's main stock markets fell on Friday before the weekend as investors fretted over Italy's post-election deadlock, poor economic data, looming US budget cutbacks and a raft of company results.

London shares opened flat on Friday as state-rescued Lloyds Bank announced continuing losses.

London shares inched up on Thursday as dealers focused on upbeat jobs data in the United States, dealers said.

International Airlines Group, parent of British Airways, plunged into an annual net loss of 943 million euros ($1.2 billion) in 2012 on severe financial strains at its Spanish arm Iberia and owing to a soaring fuel bill.

Bailed-out Spanish banking giant Bankia suffered a loss of 19 billion euros ($25 billion) in 2012, it said in an earnings statement Thursday.

Asian markets rose Thursday after the Dow on Wall Street hit a more than five-year high, while the head of the European Central Bank soothed concerns over the eurozone.

The German labour market continues to defy the eurozone debt crisis, with the jobless total falling to its lowest level in five months in February, official data showed on Thursday.

Bailed-out Spanish banking giant Bankia suffered a loss of 19 billion euros ($25 billion) in 2012, it said in an earnings statement Thursday.

London shares opened higher on Thursday following a strong lead from Wall Street and helped by strong results from the owner of British Airways, dealers said.

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa's year-old centre-right government fell late Wednesday after lawmakers backed a no-confidence motion following weeks of political turmoil in the small eurozone country.

Slovenian lawmakers voted Wednesday in favour of a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Janez Jansa's centre-right government following weeks of political turmoil in the small eurozone country.

The end was nigh for Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa late Wednesday as lawmakers prepared to vote on a no-confidence motion after weeks of political turmoil in the small eurozone country.

London shares closed slightly higher on Wednesday on better-than-expected bond auctions in Italy, a day after stocks slumped on inconclusive elections in the debt-laden eurozone country.

European stock markets slumped and the euro hit a near two-month dollar low on Tuesday as dealers assessed the fallout of Italy's political impasse after elections in the indebted eurozone country.

London shares closed lower on Tuesday as dealers assessed the fallout of Italy's political impasse after elections in the indebted eurozone country.

Europe's main stock markets closed sharply lower on Tuesday following inconclusive elections in Italy, with Milan's FTSE Mib index plunging 4.89 percent to 16,552 points.