Debt troubles hit central Europe

Central European currencies softened and stock markets dropped on the 5 February 2010 as the region’s financial community reacted to the troubles experienced by the debt-laden economies of Greece, Portugal and Spain, but the overall impact of the turmoil in the eurozone was smaller than expected.

Unlike in early 2009, when the region had been seen in danger of a meltdown due to the global economic crisis, investor interest in the more solid economies of central Europe such as Poland and the Czech Republic remained strong.