Asian investors traded cautiously Wednesday after the previous day's strong rally, with optimism over a possible vaccine tempered by profit-taking and concerns about the slow progress being made by US lawmakers in drafting a new stimulus package.

European leaders for the first time on Tuesday agreed to link payment of EU funds to a member state with respect for the bloc's legal norms -- although Poland and Hungary insisted they had blocked tougher planned measures.

President Donald Trump changed his tune in favor of face masks as a tool to combat the coronavirus in the United States, as European leaders on Tuesday agreed on a massive aid package for their pandemic-ravaged economies.

Exhausted EU leaders will cautiously try to get a summit on a huge coronavirus rescue package back on track Monday after a furious row about grants for member states.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Monday said he would not allow the EU to put "rule-of law" conditions on Poland receiving EU budget cash.

Emirates NBD, Dubai's largest bank, said on Monday its net profits plunged in the second quarter as it made huge provisions to counter the potential impact of the coronavirus crisis.

The United Arab Emirates' second-largest lender saw its net profit in the second quarter this year dive by 58 percent to $545 million from $1.3 billion a year ago.

Most equities fell Monday as a spike in new coronavirus infections across the planet forced governments to impose fresh containment measures, fuelling fears about the stuttering economic recovery.

An EU summit to agree a huge coronavirus economic rescue package was at risk of collapse without a deal on Sunday as bickering leaders struggled to find compromises on a third day of talks.

After months of working from home, stir-crazy Americans have finally reached the long, hot days of summer only to watch their vacation horizons dim, with travel options shrinking as the country's coronavirus cases soar.

European Union leaders were due to meet for a third day Sunday to try and agree on a giant post-coronavirus economic recovery plan as the global death toll climbed to more than 600,000, an AFP tally showed.