World finance: What you need to know today Greek protesters burn an EU flag during a demonstration in Athens overnight. THE Australian dollar is lower after the release of some good US employment data and the minutes of the US Federal Reserve's December policy meeting. At 0700 AEDT on Thursday, the local unit was trading at 89.07 US cents, down from 89.25 cents on Wednesday. And the Australian share market looks set to open looks set to open lower after falls on Wall Street overnight. At 0735 AEDT on Thursday, the March share price index futures contract was down nine points at 5,278. WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve agreed last month to modestly reduce its bond purchases because of improvements in the job market that many Fed members felt would be sustained. WASHINGTON - US private-sector job growth surged in December, topping November for the strongest pace of the year with a net new 238,000 jobs added, payrolls firm ADP says. BRUSSELS - Eurozone unemployment continued near record highs in November at 12.1 per cent but there are signs the bad times may be easing as the debt crisis peaks out, analysts say. BERLIN - US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew has called for export powerhouse Germany to spur domestic demand and find the right balance to help drive European and global growth. BRUSSELS - The European Parliament has launched "tough negotiations" with EU member states on enacting a new bank regulatory system meant to prevent any repetition of the financial crisis. ATHENS - Authorities have shut down roads and deployed riot police in central Athens as Greece prepares to formally assume the European Union's rotating six-month presidency with a ceremony to be attended by EU commissioners. BRASLIA - Standard and Poor's is mulling a potential credit downgrade for Brazil ahead of the country's October presidential elections, media reports say. WASHINGTON - The US Chamber of Commerce, the leading business lobby, has unveiled its 2014 agenda calling for policies and reforms to drive stronger growth in the nation's economy.