by Calculated Risk on 6/22/2012 02:18:00 PM

From the WSJ: European Leaders Push for €130 Billion to Help Growth

Italy, France, Spain and Germany agreed to push European leaders at a key summit next week to sign off on a €130 billion ($163 billion) euro plan aimed at increasing growth in Europe's beleaguered economies.

This was a small meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande, Spanish Premier Mariano Rajoy, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti. This was preparation for the two day European summit in Brussels that starts next Thursday, June 28th.

From the NY Times: Euro Leaders Agree to Push for Stimulus Package

After a two-hour meeting here, the leaders of France, Germany, Spain and Italy also pledged to give a clearer, more comprehensive vision of the future, while acknowledging the serious crisis sweeping the Continent.

“The 130 billion euros is a strong signal,” French President Francois Hollande said at the news conference following the private meeting, and is part of “a road map that presupposes fiscal and banking union.”