President Barack Obama declined to comment on the activities of the central bank due to its traditional independence from the executive branch.

FORBES: SATIRE: Federal Reserve Announces 'Operation Zero Deficit'

To state the bloomin' obvious, when a bank can't borrow from anywhere, even from the central bank, to repay its own debts as they fall due, well that's what causes panic and bank runs - because no one would leave their money in a bank that can't repay its debts.

BBC: Why banks are eurozone's fault line

Inspectors from the EU, IMF and European Central Bank, known as the troika, are due in Greece this week.

BBC: Longer working week suggested for Greece