Government bonds, with the exception of Germany, sold off sharply yesterday, causing yields to rise across the Euro zone.

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In Europe, where strong earnings results were offset by a record rise in euro-zone unemployment, the Stoxx Europe 600 gave up 0.2%.

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One survey earlier this year suggested that over 60% of euro-zone citizens expect prices to rise when euro notes and coins are introduced.

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For the time being, their rise will be most notable in "the zone of sanity, " the vast range of territory between south Texas to the Great Plains, which largely resisted the housing and stock asset bubbles of the past decade.

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Italian politicians, like their colleagues throughout Europe, may rise and fall, but the institutions of the euro zone endure, at least for now.

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Meanwhile, Italy's short-term debt auction showed a rise in borrowing costs, adding to further concerns for the euro zone's third largest economy.

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The rise of China as a major global manufacturer, for example, pushed euro-zone economies in opposite directions.

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The prime minister and other top officials have stressed that if the swell of Syrians seeking refuge in Turkey continues to rise, Ankara could be forced to take harsher steps, including opening a buffer zone on Syrian territory, to protect civilians and ensure national security.

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For instance, Spain, a country which accounts for 12.0% of the euro zone's gross domestic product (GDP), had a relatively large, 5.0% rise in wages.

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