Economy Briefs: Conservatives’ win in Greece sends euro up

MARKETS

Conservatives’ win in Greece sends euro up

A slim victory for pro-Europe parties Sunday in an election in Greece should relax fears that a country will leave the euro for the first time and ease concerns - at least for the moment - about global financial turmoil.

In early morning trading in Tokyo, the euro soared against the dollar and yen.

And Dow Jones industrial average futures were up 85 points Sunday night, suggesting the market could open higher Monday. But the analysts cautioned that any surge is likely to be brief.

MARYLAND

Food stamps court fight ends as state improves

BALTIMORE | A Baltimore judge says Maryland is processing nearly all of its food stamp applications on time.

The Baltimore Sun reports that last week’s decision by Circuit Court Judge Barry G. Williams resolves a lawsuit that accused the state of failing to timely process the applications.

Human Resources Secretary Ted Dallas says the state has been processing at least 96 percent of the applications on time for 19 months in a row. States are generally expected to process applications within 30 days of receiving them.

Judge Williams in 2009 gave the state one year to improve to 83.5 percent the rate of applications processed within 30 days or less.

Advocates who brought the case say they’re concerned the state doesn’t have measures in place to ensure permanent progress.

EUROPE

World Bank chief: Spain bailout badly handled

LOS CABOS, Mexico | The head of the World Bank said Sunday that Europe’s bailout of the Spanish banking system had been handled very badly and amounted to a wasted opportunity to contain the debt crisis.

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