A Greek exit from the euro would pose a “significantly smaller” risk of contagion to the rest of the currency area than two years ago before Greece asked for aid, two lawmakers from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party said. “The whole reason why we jumped into action wasn’t necessarily out of sympathy with Greece, but rather because we said that there could be a shockwave to the financial system,” Michael Meister, deputy parliamentary caucus leader for Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, said in a phone interview today. “I think the scale of the threat from Greece has diminished.” Meister’s comments are the second time ... (full story)