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Industrial orders fell by 1.7 percent in June from the previous month, led by a slide in orders from other eurozone countries
Italian economy contracts for fourth straight quarter; economy contracted by 0.7 percent in the second quarter of 2012
Separately, a top Cabinet official urged reducing taxes for families and businesses and improving production with fewer resources
The interest rate on Spain's benchmark 10-year bond rose to 7.21 percent in the first hour of trading; later edged back to 6.97 percent
Also, European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 0.75 percent Thursday
Ratings agency also warned of further downgrades over concerns that the country's troubled banks will continue to strain public finances
Analysts say expectations for action are so high that markets could be sorely disappointed if no new bold measures are announced Thursday
EU's statistics office says 17.801 million people were out of work in the eurozone in June; unemployment rate remains at 11.2 percent
U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner travels to Germany to discuss eurozone debt crisis
Country has near 25 percent unemployment and is struggling to avoid having to seek a financial bailout
Markets recovered on Thursday on reports that the European Central Bank may intervene to bring down government borrowing rates
Talks with the EU, IMF and ECB inspectors are focusing on the progress of a program of stringent spending cuts and other austerity measures
Statistics office says economy contracted by a quarterly rate of 0.7 percent in the second quarter; 0.2 percent decline was anticipated
Despite an anticipated economic contraction of 7 percent this year, prime minister predicts Greece could return to growth by 2014
Hundreds of bureaucrats rally in Madrid to protest government austerity measures
Interest rates on Spanish and Italian government debt are again on the rise, highlighting concerns about Europe's debt crisis
European Central Bank cut its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to a record low of 0.75 percent to boost a eurozone economy
Government plans to seek a eurozone bailout in addition to a loan from Russia
Italian premier stressed Italy isn't asking for a rescue or for jointly issued eurobonds
Spain will have access to up to $126 billion in rescue loans from the 17-country eurozone's bailout fund for its banks
Cyprus last week became the fifth EU country to ask for financial aid from its partners in the common currency union
Demands grow for U.K. to consider cutting European Union ties
The EU's statistics office said unemployment rose to 11.1 percent in May; rate was the highest since the euro was launched in 1999
Greece narrowly avoided bankruptcy earlier this year, before winning a major debt structuring deal with banks and additional bailout money from rescue lenders
Eurozone leaders agreed they will let funds intended to bail out indebted governments funnel money directly to struggling banks as well
