A rebound in Europe's battered banking shares was beginning to wane on Thursday, as a 50 billion Swiss franc ($53.94 billion) lifeline for beleaguered lender Credit Suisse teed up a pivotal European Central Bank interest rate decision.

Growth in pay in Britain - which the Bank of England is watching closely as it weighs up whether to pause its run of interest rate hikes next week - lost pace in the three months to January, official data showed on Tuesday.

Government bond yields fell on Monday as investors rushed into safe-haven assets while assessing the possible fallout from Silicon Valley Bank's (SVB) collapse amid bets on less aggressive tightening from the U.S.

Australia's central bank raised its cash rate to the highest in more than a decade on Tuesday, but suggested it might be nearly done tightening as consumer spending was slowing and there was less risk of a wages-driven inflation blow-out.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment fell again last week, pointing to sustained labor market strength and adding to financial market fears that the Federal Reserve could keep hiking interest rates for longer.

World shares limped toward their biggest weekly fall of the year on Friday, though investors took heart from a brief dip in government bond yields as the incoming Bank of Japan chief ruled out an early end to its super-easy monetary policy.

The dollar stood near a seven-week high against the euro and the Aussie on Thursday, as expectations the Federal Reserve is likely to stay on its aggressive rate-hike path, reinforced by minutes from its last policy meeting, set the tone for markets.

Asian shares got off to a subdued start on Monday as a U.S. holiday made for slow trading.

China's job fairs are making a comeback after being forced online by COVID-19 for three years, but subdued wages and less abundant offerings in sectors exposed to weakening external demand point to an uneven and guarded economic recovery.

Goldman Sachs said it was expecting the U.S. Federal Reserve to raise interest rates three more times this year by a quarter of a percentage point each, after data this week pointed to persistent inflation and resilience in the labor market.

Australia employment surprised in January by falling for a second straight month while the jobless rate jumped to its highest since last May, a soft result that could lessen pressure for further aggressive interest rate hikes.

Europe's economy will grow more than previously forecast this year as it avoids a winter recession, with inflation expected to ease as gas prices have fallen, the European Commission said Monday.

U.S. main stock indexes rose on Thursday with Disney and Salesforce boosting the blue-chip Dow index, while data showing a rise in weekly jobless claims helped ease concerns about the Federal Reserve's rate-hike path.

A number of people living in the UK have moved towards smaller towns or places with higher perks and salaries.

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.

Stock markets slid and the dollar firmed Monday after a forecast-busting US jobs report fanned expectations of more Federal Reserve interest rate hikes to cool sky-high inflation.

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.

The eurozone's annual inflation rate has fallen for a third consecutive month, official data showed on Wednesday, but uncertainty over the figures and continued price growth cooled optimism.

European Union banking regulators on Tuesday launched a stress test to check how banks could cope with a long period of high inflation and interest rates just as the European Central Bank is expected to raise borrowing costs further.

Three years after its departure from the European Union, Britain is yet to benefit from the Brexit dividend that was promised for its economy as it lags its peers on multiple fronts, including trade and investment.

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

Australia employment unexpectedly dipped in December following an outsized gain the month before in a sign the red-hot labour market might be cooling, though the jobless rate stayed near five-decade lows.

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.

Steps taken by the government so far to try to generate growth have been questionable.

Slowing the economy typically means that job creation also decelerates, as borrowing becomes more expensive.

Bank of England Chief Economist Huw Pill said on Monday that Britain is at risk of persistent inflationary pressure from a tight labour market, even if natural gas prices stabilise or fall, implying further rate rises may be needed.

The Federal Reserve's effort to shock the economy back to lower inflation is in its early days, making it tough for the U.S. central bank to avoid overdoing it.

Euro zone inflation tumbled last month but underlying price pressures are still rising and economic growth indicators are surprisingly benign, suggesting that the European Central Bank will keep raising interest rates for months to come.

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits dropped to a three-month low last week while layoffs fell 43% in December, pointing to a still-tight labor market that could force the Federal Reserve to keep hiking interest rates.

European shares slipped in the last trading session of a rough year marked by geopolitical tensions and fears of a recession as central banks tightened monetary policies.