European stock markets were in idle mode Monday as falling infection rates and upbeat vaccine news failed to allay nagging concerns over high share valuations and inflation.

Boeing confirmed Monday that dozens of its 777 aircraft were grounded worldwide, while Britain announced a temporary ban on those jets following a weekend scare involving a United Airlines plane in Colorado.

Markets mostly fell Monday as falling infection rates and more good news on the vaccine front were overshadowed by growing worries about high valuations and inflation.

Sudan said Sunday it was ditching its fixed exchange rate and adopting a managed float, in line with an IMF program but at the risk of fanning already-smoldering popular discontent.

German car makers Volkswagen and Audi said that an energy crunch caused by a cold snap in the United States would hit production from Thursday at their plants in central Mexico.

Streaming companies such as Spotify and Deezer are credited with rescuing the music industry from piracy, but while label executives rejoice in billion-dollar revenues, even top-level artists are struggling to survive.

In a Lebanese textile workshop, Umm Omar recalled making school uniforms and holiday garments -- before surging coronavirus cases forced her into the grim business of body bags.

European aircraft giant Airbus said Thursday it was able to limit its losses last year, even as the airline sector collapsed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Asian markets mostly fell Thursday on profit-taking and growing worries about inflation, which offset long-running optimism about the global recovery as vaccines are rolled out, infection rates slow and Joe Biden's stimulus winds through Congress.

Most markets fell in Asia on Wednesday, hit by profit-taking after a strong rally across the world in recent weeks, with investors worried valuations may have gone too far for now.