The Euro 2012 tournament is coming to an end with 4 strong semifinalists: Spain, Portugal, Germany and Italy.

FORBES: Euro 2012 - What It Takes To Win

For the Poles, Euro 2012 is something of a coming of age party, a chance to show the world it has moved on from its communist past.

CNN: June 8, 2012 -- Updated 1346 GMT (2146 HKT)

But, more seriously, the coming of the euro is part of a process involving the centralisation of economic power and decision-making in pan-European bodies.

ECONOMIST: Who wants the euro, and why | The

The first-half double saw the young Manchester City striker double his international goal tally -- having scored just once coming in to Euro 2012 Balotelli is now the tournament's joint leading goalscorer on three.

CNN: Balotelli double sends Italy through to Euro 2012 final

And by conflating a decision on the euro with Britain's war history, she is coming dangerously close to expressing the very views for which in 1990 she was forced to sack the late Nicholas Ridley when, in an unguarded interview as trade and industry secretary, he called the European Monetary System a German plot to dominate Europe.

ECONOMIST: A stirring in the attic | The

The greenback is seeing buying support coming from the weakening Euro currency amid the EU debt crisis.

FORBES: Comex Gold Firmer on Fresh Safe-Haven Demand

The pressure to merge is coming from Europe's looming single currency, the euro.

ECONOMIST: Italian banking

The worry for Greeks is that with Spain and Italy coming under attack in financial markets, some euro-zone members may be tempted to sacrifice Greece.

ECONOMIST: Greek bail-out

As for solidarity, adoption of the fiscal compact is her condition for granting new bail-outs under the permanent euro-zone rescue fund coming into effect this year.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

This does not mean that one should get complacent as the market is likely to receive more shocks in the coming weeks from both the fiscal cliff and the always festering Euro debt crisis.

FORBES: The Week Ahead: Be a Smart Buyer