French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that the European Union must "react quickly" to U.S. plans for tariffs on steel and aluminum imports which he said clearly breached global trade rules.

China warned Sunday that it was ready to hit back if the United States damaged its economic interests, fueling fears of a trade war after President Donald Trump unveiled tariffs on steel and aluminium.

The EU will soon unveil a plan for taxing major internet companies like Amazon and Facebook by imposing a levy of two to six percent on revenues in every country where they operate, French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said Sunday.

Ukraine on Sunday said it had resolved its gas shortage caused by the refusal of Russia's Gazprom to restart natural gas deliveries.

This year's Geneva Motor Show comes at a curious time for an auto world enjoying record profits yet also gripped by doubt midway through the grand transition from diesel to electric and self-driving vehicles.

The Trump administration's plan to place tariffs on steel and aluminum sparked an outcry among major producing nations and stock market plunges Friday, fuelling fears of an imminent tit-for-tat trade war.

Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi said Thursday they would deepen their alliance as they sought to cut costs and increase output and remain the world's top car manufacturing group.

The EU on Tuesday approved the proposed merger between French lens-maker Essilor and Luxottica, the Italian eyewear company that produces Ray-Ban and Oakley sunglasses.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he aims to cut his country's "unacceptable" poverty rate in half over the next six years, in a state of the nation address on Thursday. 

AB InBev, the world's biggest brewer, on Thursday posted a huge jump in net profit for last year, drinking in the synergies from its blockbuster acquisition of rival SABMiller in 2016.