Fresh trade worries and uncertainty about the Federal Reserve's plans for cutting interest rates weighed on Asian markets Wednesday while fears of a hard Brexit kept the pound wallowing at more than two-year lows.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Tuesday urged the G7 club of top world economic powers to find an international solution to taxing digital giants at their meeting outside Paris this week.

European stock markets edged higher on Tuesday, while the pound hit the lowest level versus the dollar in more than two years on Brexit deadlock.

Ryanair said Tuesday it will close some of its bases because of problems with Boeing's crisis-hit 737 MAX jet, which has been grounded after two fatal accidents.

Most Asian markets fell Tuesday as investors take a breather after a recent rally and as they await the start of the corporate earnings season.

Wall Street provided another record-breaking lead as an expected Federal Reserve interest rate cut continues to fuel optimism, while top Chinese and US negotiators plan to hold fresh trade talks over the phone this week.

Malaysia will lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization over the European Union's plan to phase out the use of palm oil in biofuels, a minister said Tuesday.

World stock markets wavered Monday on news that China's economy grew at its weakest pace in nearly three decades, hit by the U.S. trade war.

The European Commission dismissed critics of its ambitious trade deal with South America on Monday, insisting that strict EU norms on food standards would be respected.

The Bank of England on Monday said World War II code-breaker Alan Turing had been chosen to feature on the back of Britain's new £50 bank note ($63, 56 euros).

A row over taxing tech giants is set to dominate a meeting of G7 finance ministers near Paris this week, with the world's leading industrialized nations already riven by disruptive US trade policies.