4:27pm

ECB’s market backstop faces Italy test

Politicians likely to reject conditions that accompany help

4:11pm

Live: Italy’s election aftermath

World watches as political horse-trading begins

2:24pm

Polls leave Italy in political deadlock

Grillo’s party emerges with largest share of vote

A voting official counts the ballots in a polling station in Rome ©Reuters 10:18am

Final vote results confirm Italy deadlock

Sell-off in Italian bonds and equities at prospect of instability

Global Insight 10:04am

Italy rejected a lot more than austerity

Voter discontent aimed at the political system

The World 7:51am

The World: An ungovernable ‘pig’s mess’

Italian former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi casts his ballot at a polling station on February 24 2013 in Milan. Italians fed up with austerity went to the polls on Sunday in elections where the centre-left is the favourite, as Europe held its bre ©Getty 12:18am

Berlusconi secures key regional triumph

Convincing victory in Lombardy for former prime minister

MPS Shareholder Meeting ©EPA 11:17pm

Grillo’s novices set to take centre stage

Five Star Movement storms to an electoral triumph

Democratic Party's Pier Luigi Bersani, the favourite to become Italy's prime minister after the general election, casts his ballot in a polling station on February 24 2013 in Piacenza. Italians fed up with austerity went to the polls on Sunday in elections where the centre-left is the favourite, as Europe held its breath for signs of fresh instability in the eurozone's third economy. ©Getty 10:06pm

As it happened: Italian elections

The inconclusive election result unsettles markets

A man casts his vote for the Italian Senate, in Piacenza, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Italy votes in a watershed parliamentary election Sunday and Monday that could shape the future of one of Europe's biggest economies. ©AP 8:02pm

Angry Italians deliver austerity warning

Populist and anti-establishment messages win over voters

6:21pm

Brussels challenges Madrid on regulator plan

Spain accused of legal infringement over watchdog merger

From MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA 4:57pm

Sanctions offer in Iran nuclear talks

World powers seek Tehran steps to scale back on programme

From UK 4:28pm

UK accused of Litvinenko cover-up

Hague asks for documents to be withheld from inquest

From LEX 1:18pm

Italy: joke backfires

Post-election gridlock may be worse than instability

From MARKETS 12:03pm

Election jolt fractures fragile sentiment

Fears of rising anti-euro bias among Italian voters hit markets

From COMPANIES 12:01pm

‘Action plan’ for unified EU mobile market

Kroes open to using treaty powers to force telecoms overhaul

Wolfgang Munchau from COMMENT 2:04am

The case for a grand coalition in Italy

Partnership among the divergent majorities can break the political gridlock

From COMPANIES 10:50pm

Ireland ripe for M&A surge, says report

Potential deals highlighted in pharmaceutical and medical sectors

Global Insight 7:20pm

German president renews Europe debate

Joachim Gauck wants an EU commonwealth of nations and a European public space for debate

From GLOBAL ECONOMY 5:39pm

Bundesbank tells France to stick to budget

Weidmann warns over need to hit deficit target

MOST POPULAR NOW ON FT.COM