IMF takes note of Greece referendum, US markets open low

The Washington-based International Monetary Fund, one of Greece’s troika of creditors, said on Monday that it had taken note of the Sunday referendum and it continues to monitor the situation.

The Washington-based International Monetary Fund, one of Greece’s troika of creditors, said on Monday that it had taken note of the Sunday referendum and it continues to monitor the situation.

US markets fell on early on Monday morning but there were no major concerns. Most Americans continued to bask in previous night’s Fifa Women's World Cup win.

“The IMF has taken note of yesterday’s referendum held in Greece,” Fund head Christine Lagarde said in a statement. “We are monitoring the situation closely and stand ready to assist Greece if requested to do so.”

But the US remained largely unmoved. Stocks fell and bond prices rose as investors looked for better options. That was all there was though.

Experts and commentators have been saying that the world’s largest economy has nothing to fear from the Greek crisis, as it is well prepared and suitably insulated from it.

Greece is something that “we take seriously”, President Barack Obama had said earlier this month at a new briefing, but “it’s not something that I think should prompt overreactions”.

And there have been no over-reactions —- or even any reaction. The US was on its July 04 Independence Day holiday, that ended on Sunday night with the women’s football team winning the world cup.