Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / BUSINESS
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Business Contents:  Your Money | Economy Companies

18:40 GMT, Sunday, 5 October 2008 19:40 UK

Iceland moves to shore up economy

By Ray Furlong
BBC News, Reykjavik

Fish in a boat

Talks are being held in Iceland to persuade the country's trade unions to repatriate a sizeable portion of their foreign-invested pension funds.

To help stabilise Iceland's troubled economy, they are also being urged to agree wage restraint, despite the country's inflation rate of 14%.

But in return, the unions want Iceland to apply for EU membership - a move it has resisted for decades.

The government nationalised Iceland's third largest bank, Glitnir, last week.

This sent the national currency, the Krona, plummeting. It lost a fifth of its value against the dollar by Friday.

Also, the nationalisation led ratings agencies to downgrade Iceland's credit rating, and many analysts have said they doubt that Iceland can afford to bail out its other banks, which are also in trouble.

There's pressure for a deal before markets open, on Monday, to prevent further turmoil.


What is your reaction to the financial crisis? Send us your experiences using the form below:

In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below.

Name


Your E-mail address


Town & Country


Phone number (optional):


Comments


The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.

Terms & Conditions




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Iceland nationalises Glitnir bank (29 Sep 08 |  Business )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Central Bank of Iceland
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Business Contents:  Your Money | Economy Companies

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©