1.   Banks and most retailers have been preparing for the switch to euro cash for at least a year.

2.   But for all that, the first day of euro cash unfolded remarkably smoothly.

3.   But the first day of euro cash unfolded remarkably smoothly.

4.   Banks will begin loading retailers with new euro cash this autumn.

5.   Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders became the first European to take euro cash from an ATM Saturday.

6.   Belgium proposes early launch of euro cash.

7.   Despite some shortages of new euro cash among stores and customers alike, the worst fears of endless queues and angry scenes at cash registers were mostly unfounded.

8.   German retailers have rejected claims from consumer groups that say they are using the transition to euro cash to raise prices.

9.   With attention focused on the launch of euro cash, the European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged Thursday for the dozen countries using the new currency.

10.   Zalm will symbolically withdraw the first euro cash from an automated teller machine just after the switchover.