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Ireland prepares to vote on whether to stay with euro zone
The Wall Street Journal (15 Dec.)

Horta-Osorio to return soon as CEO of Lloyds
Bloomberg (14 Dec.)

Regulatory Roundup

FSA talks with banks about euro-breakup contingency plans
The Financial Services Authority met with chief risk officers from major banks to discuss plans for the possible breakup of the euro zone, sources said. The Wall Street Journal(15 Dec.)

ECB officials appear to be split on bond buying
Jens Weidmann, a policymaker at the European Central Bank, remains opposed to increasing bond purchases. However, the addition of French economist Benoît Coeuré to the ECB policymaking board could give the central bank one more voice in favour of more bond buying. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)(14 Dec.), Reuters(14 Dec.), Bloomberg(14 Dec.)

Financial transaction tax without UK troubles Ireland
Ireland would be at a disadvantage if Britain is not involved in an EU financial transaction tax, Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said. "We are prepared to talk about the tax ... but obviously there will be disadvantages for Ireland if a financial transaction tax will be applied in Dublin and not be applied in London as well," Noonan said. The Telegraph (London)(14 Dec.), Bloomberg Businessweek(14 Dec.), Reuters(14 Dec.)

Bernanke says Fed is not planning to help European banks
Ben Bernanke, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, said the central bank does not intend to rescue European banks. However, Bernanke warned that Europe's troubled could affect the US. "To say that we’re not affected by Europe, I think, would be a mistake," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said after a meeting with Bernanke. "But to say that we’re going to somehow use taxpayer dollars to prop up a European problem is just not right either." Bloomberg(14 Dec.), MarketWatch(14 Dec.), Politico (Washington, D.C.)(14 Dec.)