Within moments after statements of a deal between Greece and its eurozone creditors leaked out, the news instantaneously circulated around the world and in time to significantly boost North American markets.
Bloomberg was one of the first to report statements by officials referring to a deal.
“Greek Officials: Eurogroup appears to have reached an Accord”, writes Bloomberg.
The news agency noted that the information was rather strange, since Reuters only a few minutes earlier reported that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had asked for an EU Summit for Sunday — if Friday’s eurogroup meeting failed.
At the same time Reuters reports that Ministers of Finance agree on a joint text for Greece.
Reuters: “Draft accord reached on bailout extension text-officials”.
CNBC stressed that after the information for a deal the New York Stock Exchange shot up. “US stocks trade near highs amid Greece deal reports”.
“Greek official says it appears Eurogroup has reached an accord”, adds CNBC.
RTE News: “Optimism growing as draft Greek debt deal agreed”.
Growing optimism while the agreement was reached for Greece, writes the Irish website rte.ie.
AFP cited statements of European officials, who said that there seems to be agreement.
The Turkish daily Sabah, on its website, reported that there was an agreement between Greece and Germany on bailout extension for six months.
The Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore wrote about an agreement which “will allow the extension of the program”, which ends on 28 February.
In subsequent reports, Business Insider pointed out that US stocks surged to their highest levels of the day on news of the looming deal, with the Dow up 99 points, the S&P 500 up 6 points, and the Nasdaq up 15 points.
Reuters backed up the mood, stressing that all three major US indexes rose, while propelling the S&P 500 and Dow back into “positive territory”.
The Financial Post quoted as an unnamed Greek official as saying that “there is an initial agreement on a joint draft text among the institutional partners, which is now being presented to all of the ministers,” a Greek government official said following preparatory talks involving the Greek and German ministers, as well as the managing director of the IMF … Details may be defined later. But let’s see.”
An AP dispatch from Brussels, moreover, said the conditions of the deal will be fleshed out by technocrats representing the 19 eurozone members states.
AP quoted another unnamed official who stated that the draft text was being conveyed to euro area FinMins for a final statement that reflects “changes requested by various members”.
Finally, as talks apparently reached a climax, EU Commissioner for economic and finance affairs Pierre Moscovici tweeted that progress was being made at the discussions. “We’re moving ahead, we’re moving ahead, we’re moving ahead,” was his Tweet.
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