See also:
– Jim Rogers Says New Greece Deal Can’t Save Europe
– Eurozone debt crisis: Markets dive on Greek referendum (BBC News,Nov. 1, 2011):
US and European markets have fallen following Monday’s announcement of a Greek referendum on the latest aid package to solve its debt crisis.
Eurozone leaders agreed a 50% debt write-off for Greece last week as well as strengthening Europe’s bailout fund.
But the Greek move has cast doubt on whether the deal can go ahead.
New York’s Dow Jones ended the day 2.5% lower, after a mid-afternoon rally on hope that Greek MPs may block the referendum proved short-lived.
One of Mr Papandreou’s MPs, Milena Apostolaki, resigned from the ruling Pasok parliamentary group on Tuesday, leaving the government with a two-seat majority in parliament.
Six other party members have called for Mr Papandreou to resign, according to the state news agency.
There are doubts whether the government will last long enough to hold the referendum, pencilled in for January.
A confidence vote is due to take place in the Greek parliament on Friday.
Banks down
Earlier in the day, London’s FTSE 100 had ended trading down 2.2%, while the Frankfurt Dax fell 5% and the Paris Cac 40 some 5.4%.
Shares in French banks saw the biggest falls, with Societe Generale down 16.2%, BNP Paribas 13.1% and Credit Agricole 12.5%.
Other European banks also fared badly for the second day, with Germany’s Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank and the UK’s Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland all 8% to 10% lower.
In the US, Bank of America fell 6.3%, while Morgan Stanley was down 8% at the close of trading.