China's manufacturing activity expanded as the fastest pace in more than a decade in February, an official index showed on Wednesday, smashing expectations as production zoomed after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions late last year.

When Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, the shelves of the Novus supermarket chain in Kyiv quickly emptied as its supply chains - domestic and overseas - collapsed.

Major stock markets in Europe and Asia mostly fell Tuesday, with investors brushing off positive data ahead of Wall Street's reopening after a long holiday weekend.

Earthquake sends tremors through Turkey's fragile economy

Bao Fan is the CEO of China Renaissance Holdings, one of the country's top investment firms.

British annual inflation dropped further last month on easing transport costs, official data showed Wednesday, but remains above 10 percent, prolonging a cost-of-living crisis that has sparked massive strikes.

British inflation fell by more than expected in January and there were signs of cooling price pressure in parts of the economy watched closely by the Bank of England, adding to signs that further hefty interest rate hikes are unlikely.

Air India's record aircraft deal has put the Tata Group-owned airline in the league of aspiring global carriers.

"Not only are staff struggling but students feel the effects when universities are short-staffed," said UNISON head of education Mike Short.

British employers expect to raise wages for their staff by the most in at least 11 years but the 5% pay deals for workers would still fall well below expected inflation, a survey published on Monday showed.

Recent survey reveals almost a quarter (22%) of those working in financial services have said there are no measures in their workplace to support female employees undergoing menopause.

BP on Tuesday also said its carbon emissions would not fall as quickly as anticipated.

The Bank of England has signalled the tide is turning in its battle against high inflation after a series of interest rate hikes - but it has also said it is too soon declare victory.

Public Storage, the largest U.S. operator of self-storage properties, on Sunday unveiled an $11 billion hostile bid for Life Storage Inc, ratcheting up attempts to buy its smaller rival after its earlier takeover attempts were rebuffed.

The Bank of England on Thursday hiked its interest rate for a tenth time in a row as global authorities race to combat sky-high inflation.

Both the Conservatives and Labour have spent decades racking up debt for the next generation to somehow pay off.

The Bank of England is poised to raise interest rates for the 10th time in a row on Thursday to keep up its fight against rampant inflation, but it might also drop a hint about when the steep climb in borrowing costs will end.

This risk of criminals taking advantage of the relaxed regulation in freeports has been highlighted by several studies.

Whatever new year fillip the euro zone economy got from ebbing natural gas prices, the UK saw none of it - showing just how peculiarly British the downturn there has become and heaping pressure on the Bank of England.

Sri Lanka's central bank held interest rates steady for a third straight meeting on Wednesday, as widely expected, saying the prevailing tight monetary stance is crucial to taming still-high inflation and restoring economic stability.

Since industrial action first started to gather speed last year, concerns have been raised about a wage-price spiral causing entrenched inflation.

British private-sector economic activity fell at its fastest rate in two years in January, a survey showed on Tuesday, as businesses blamed higher Bank of England interest rates, strikes and weak consumer demand for the slowdown.

Euro zone business activity made a surprise return to modest growth in January, adding to signs the downturn in the bloc may not be as deep as feared and that the currency union may escape recession, a survey showed.

British inflation eased last month after hitting a 41-year high in October, offering some comfort to the Bank of England, but the pressure on households remained intense as food and drink prices rose at the fastest pace since 1977.

Pay awards by British employers held at 5% for the second month in a row in December, well below annual inflation of close to 11%, data from human resources company XpertHR showed on Wednesday.

Pay growth in Britain - which is being closely watched by the Bank of England as it gauges how much higher to raise interest rates - picked up more pace in the three months to November, official data showed on Tuesday.

European shares slipped on Tuesday, taking a breather from their sharp rally since the start of this year, after China posted its weakest annual economic growth in nearly half a century, stoking investors' fears of an economic slowdown.

Egypt's government will start selling discounted bread to people not enrolled in its bread subsidy programme as it battles accelerating inflation, the supply minister said on Monday.

Tens of thousands of health workers protested in Madrid on Sunday over what they say is the destruction of the public health system by the conservative regional government.

As with previous rail reforms, progress could be made quickly in shadow mode (before legislation is passed) if the government is clear about the direction of travel.