Australia's economy was stronger-than-expected in the first quarter of the year as exports and consumer spending boosted growth, data showed Wednesday, reinforcing a decision to keep interest rates on hold after two cuts this year.

EUROPEAN Central Bank president Mario Draghi said Wednesday that the ECB wanted Greece to remain in the single currency, but that a

Growth in Britain's service sector suffered its steepest slowdown in nearly four years in May, according to a survey that suggested the economy might not recover as quickly as hoped after stumbling in early 2015.

The OECD on Wednesday sharply lowered its global growth forecasts for 2015 and 2016, dragged down partly by a "transitory" shortfall in US performance and by businesses and governments skimping on investment.

Unemployment in the eurozone dropped to a three-year low of 11.1 percent in April, official data showed on Wednesday, in a sign that the fragile jobs market in Europe could be on the mend.

Recent unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has little impact on oil prices because the market has become "comfortable" with risk, Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister said Wednesday.

China and South Korea on Monday formally signed a free trade agreement (FTA) that would remove most tariffs between Asia's largest and fourth-largest economies, whose trade is already worth more than $200 billion.

Malaysia Airlines is "technically bankrupt", its new German CEO said Monday as the carrier slashed 6,000 jobs as part of plans to

Chicken prices in India soared to a record high after a heat wave killed more than 17 million birds in May, as temperatures regularly

South Africa on Monday rolled out tough new visa regulations requiring children travelling into the country to carry unabridged birth

Indonesia's inflation accelerated in May to its highest level in five months due to increased food prices, data showed Monday, as people stocked up before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The World Bank on Monday said it saw some improvement in Russia's battered economy, predicting it would shrink by 2.7 percent this year and return to growth of 0.7 percent in 2016.

Indonesia's inflation accelerated in May to its highest level in five months due to increased food prices, data showed Monday, as people stocked up before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The Reserve Bank of India is set to cut interest rates on Tuesday for the third time this year as inflation has eased enough to allow the

Standard Chartered's incoming Chief Executive Bill Winters is expected to raise capital and cut the bank's dividend later this year, potentially forced to act by a tough stress test of its Asian loans, investors and analysts said.

Shares of US automakers may finally be able to accelerate. Investors are closely awaiting next week's May sales data, expected to come in near record levels.

North Korea has updated farming methods and switched crops that could help soften the blow of drought and avert a disastrous food shortage, an aid worker and an analyst said on Sunday, after a UN official warned of another "huge food deficit".

Years of uncertainty and economic pain spent keeping Greece in the euro zone boils down in June to a handful of make-or-break

Smart living and wearable technology will take centre stage at Asia's largest tech trade show from Tuesday with gadgets promising to do everything from analysing state of mind to identifying burglars.

Chancellor Angela Merkel tried to drum up support in Germany for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) ahead of