Growth in eurozone business activity grew at its slowest rate for over a year in March, a key survey showed on Thursday, signalling that the economic recovery in the single currency area's was losing momentum.

German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said Thursday Europe could still avoid a trade war with the United States by securing an exemption from metals tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.

The dollar extended losses in Asia on Thursday after the Federal Reserve stuck to its target for interest rate hikes this year, but fresh fears of a trade war hit equity markets as Donald Trump prepared fresh sanctions on China.

Forty-four African countries have signed an agreement establishing a free trade area seen as vital to the continent's economic development, the head of the African Union said Wednesday.

Wall Street stocks dipped early Wednesday ahead of a Federal Reserve policy decision that will signal whether the U.S. central bank plans to accelerate its pace of interest rate hikes.

A Riyadh gold souk festooned with glittering jewellery has run short of salesmen after a government edict to replace foreign workers with Saudis, part of contentious efforts to tackle high unemployment.

Energy firms in Asia rose on the back of a rush into oil after data indicated a jump in US demand, but regional markets struggled to maintain early upward momentum ahead of a crucial Federal Reserve policy meeting later in the day.

Egypt's administrative court issued a ruling on Tuesday stopping the operations of Uber and Careem, state media reported, although both ride-sharing apps said their services were not suspended.

The United States is not seeking a trade war over tariffs but does not fear one, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday at the end of a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Argentina.

Qatar Petroleum aims to boost Doha's gas production by more than 20 percent with a contract awarded to Japanese Chiyoda, the state-owned energy giant has said.