Oil prices slipped back in Asian trade on Thursday, as a Senate vote on a massive stimulus package to help the coronavirus-ravaged US economy was delayed.

Gold, prized by investors in times of crisis as a safe haven, is experiencing surging demand in the face of the coronavirus outbreak -- from both commodity traders and retail buyers.

Asian markets mostly rose Thursday as investors breathed a sigh of relief that US senators have finally passed a gargantuan stimulus package for the world's top economy after being delayed by wrangling over details.

The former head of Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse pocketed nearly $11 million last year as the company grappled with a massive spying scandal, the bank indicated in its annual report Wednesday.

Moscow on Tuesday confirmed world powers, including President Vladimir Putin, will be holding an emergency G20 online summit this week to discuss a global coronavirus response.

U.S. President Donald Trump insisted Tuesday that he wants the coronavirus lockdown relaxed in the United States by mid-April, warning that keeping the measures in place could "destroy" the country.

"A lot of people agree with me. Our country -- it's not built to shut down," he said on Fox News. "You can destroy a country this way by closing it down."

With American life upended, lawmakers in the U.S. Congress are negotiating over a massive stimulus package to help pull the economy out of the steep decline caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Legislators are still negotiating the $2 trillion rescue which could be the largest emergency spending effort ever and contains vast sums of money directed at consumers and businesses alike.

Businesses in the eurozone suffered "an unprecedented collapse" this month because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a closely watched indicator released Tuesday by IHS Markit.

The International Monetary Fund called for urgent action from Middle East governments Tuesday as the coronavirus pandemic threatens a persistent slump in oil revenues and a "big drop" in growth. 

Democrats on Monday again blocked a nearly $2 trillion rescue package for the teetering U.S. economy, highlighting a bitter partisan battle over how to best protect struggling Americans and crippled businesses from the ravages of coronavirus.

With the deadly pandemic spreading rapidly and forcing entire states including New York and California into lockdown, Capitol Hill was under immense pressure to pass legislation that injects a historic amount of federal funding to prevent a devastating economic collapse.