Spread steady at 224 points

(ANSA) – Rome, December 11 – The spread between Italian 10-year bonds and their AAA-rated German equivalents, the premium investors pay to hold Italian paper, on Wednesday closed steady on 224 points with a 4.05% yield, still its lowest since July 2011.

A narrower spread indicates greater investor confidence in the Italian economy and Rome’s ability to pay down its huge debt.

Analysts said the markets were responding to firmer prospects of political stability after confidence votes in Italy’s new right-left government.

The Milan bourse closed 1.44% down amid mostly slight losses across Europe.

London was 0.24% down, Frankfurt 0.40%, Paris 0.10%, Madrid 0.84% and Athens 0.31% down.