Greek woes cast shadow over ECB

European Central Bank policymakers have sanctioned further emergency funding for Greece's banks, a banking source said, amid clear signs that the wider euro zone economy is picking up.

With an ECB survey showing banks expecting the strongest demand for company loans in over a decade, its President Mario Draghi will be able to claim an early success for the 60 billion euros-a-month money printing scheme it launched last month.

The ECB's borrowing rates are all but guaranteed to be held at record lows by policymakers meeting on Wednesday, but continued wrangling between Greece and the euro-zone over reforms for aid is casting uncertainty over the 19-country currency bloc.