ECB provides 530bn euros of cheap loans for banks

The European Central Bank (ECB) has provided a further 530bn euros ($713bn; £448m) of low-interest loans to 800 banks across the European Union.

It is the second round of such loans that the ECB offered, and follows after 489bn euros was lent in December.

The loans are aimed to help continue to ease the eurozone debt crisis, and help banks improve their liquidity.

They have also helped such countries as Italy, as some banks have used the bonds to buy government bonds.