Asian markets mostly rose Thursday as investors tracked a rally on Wall Street, with investors growing increasingly confident Joe Biden and Democrats will win the White House and both houses of Congress, paving the way for a huge new stimulus.

Financial firms will move around 150 billion euros (137 billion pounds, $176.6 billion) from Britain to France by the end of the year, when Britain's post-Brexit transition period ends, the head of the Bank of France said Wednesday.

Facing resurgent virus infections, Spain's government will on Wednesday unveil a recovery plan aimed at yanking the country out of its worst economic slump in decades.

Asian markets fluctuated Wednesday as traders weighed Donald Trump's decision to call off talks on a much-needed stimulus against expectations a rescue package will eventually be passed by whoever wins next month's election.

The shock move came just as US lawmakers appeared to be making some progress in months-long haggling and sent Wall Street plunging, reversing gains that had been fuelled by hopes for a breakthrough to help the beleaguered economy.

The U.S. recovery from the pandemic downturn will be "stronger and faster" with more government aid to protect against the potential for accelerating job losses, Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday.

Spain's leftist government on Tuesday forecast a deeper-than-feared contraction of the economy in 2020 as the country grapples with a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

Europe's main stock markets steadied in opening trade on Tuesday with investors relieved that US President Donald Trump has returned to the White House following hospital treatment for Covid-19.

The International Monetary Fund on Monday approved new emergency aid for 28 of the world's poorest countries to help them alleviate their debt and better cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wall Street stocks climbed at the open on Monday, shrugging off worries over U.S. President Donald Trump's health after he was hospitalized following a positive Covid-19 diagnosis last week.

An exceedingly rare 102-carat flawless white diamond sold for $15.7 million at an online auction in Hong Kong on Monday evening.