Money Snatchers

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou confronted more anti-austerity protests Thursday and tested international support for his battle against debt with a new multi-billion-euro bond.

Greece’s debt agency announced Thursday that it would issue 8 billion euros in five-year bonds a day after its government announced new austerity measures worth 4.8 billion euros to battle its rampant deficit.

The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe has settled its tax debt with the IRS and lined up a loan that will enable it to buy back the 11 square miles of land the IRS sold at auction in December, the tribal chairman said.

China remained the top holder in the ballooning US debt last year, revised data showed, after earlier indications it had been eclipsed by Japan drew speculation about Beijing’s motives.

Credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings said Tuesday it upgraded ArvinMeritor’s main debt after the auto parts supplier announced plans to raise money through the sale of debt and stock to the public.

Even hedge funds without direct exposure to Greece have been insulating their portfolios against collateral damage in the currency or credit markets, as concerns over Greece’s ability to service its heavy debt have grown.

The Greek press has started naming names as it looks for the culprits betting against its debt and the euro, and its accusation has been taken up by the blogosphere.

Feb. 18 — President Barack Obama signed an executive order creating an 18-member bipartisan panel to recommend steps to reduce record debt and deficits that he said threaten to “hobble our economy.”

It’s bad enough that Greece’s debt problems have rattled global financial markets. In the world’s largest economic and military power, there’s a far more serious debt dilemma.

Greece’s economy shrank more than feared last quarter and the government on Friday sharply revised down its figures for the previous three quarters as well, increasing doubts about its ability to resolve its debt crisis.