Following the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy meeting Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee announced it plans to stand pat on interest rates for the time being.
Greek banks opened their doors Monday for the first time in over three weeks, a move the government hopes will help the economy get back to normal following a period dominated by fears over the country's future in the euro.
Greece got a triple dose of good news on Thursday, when creditors agreed to open talks on a third bailout package, to give the country an interim loan to cover its debts, and to provide more support to its shuttered banks.
After months of acrimony, Greece finally clinched a bailout agreement with its European creditors on Monday that will, if implemented, secure the country's place in the euro and avoid financial collapse.
Greece submitted a request for aid from Europe's bailout fund Wednesday, and is rushing to detail a plan of economic reforms that creditors want to see this week if they are to save the country from financial collapse and keep it in Europe's joint currency.
With their country struggling to stave off financial collapse, Greek officials restarted talks with skeptical creditors on a new rescue deal, but showed up Tuesday without the concrete proposals their European counterparts had demanded.
Greece and its membership in Europe's joint currency faced an uncertain future Monday, with the country under pressure to restart bailout talks with creditors as soon as possible after Greeks resoundingly rejected the notion of more austerity in exchange for aid.
Losses intensified on the Toronto stock market near midday as worries grew over whether Greece could be headed for a debt default.
Anxious Greek pensioners swarmed closed bank branches Monday in the hope of getting their pensions, while queues formed at ATMs as they gradually began dispensing cash again following the imposition of strict controls on capital.
Greece and its international creditors remained at loggerheads Thursday over reform measures that Athens must introduce to unlock billions of euros in loans and prevent a likely bankruptcy of the country.