British bank Lloyds, bailed-out by the UK government at the height of the financial crisis, said Wednesday that it had returned to full private ownership.

"Lloyds Banking Group has... notified the market that the government's stake in the group has been reduced to zero; as such, the group has returned to full private ownership," it said in a statement. 

U.S. auto giant Ford is poised to cut thousands of jobs worldwide, with reductions expected to total about 10 percent of its global workforce, the Wall Street Journal reported late Monday.

Greek unions on Tuesday kicked off two days of labor action, shutting down ferries and news services ahead of a Wednesday general strike aimed at a new round of austerity cuts.

Kuwait on Tuesday backed a call by top oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia to extend a deal on crude production cuts for nine more months.

"Kuwait gives its full backing and support to the joint position of Saudi Arabia and Russia to extend the oil output cuts deal between OPEC and other producers until March 2018," Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouk said in a statement.

IFP Group (International Fairs and Promotions) announced that it is organizing the 10th edition of Beirut Boat, under the patronage of President Michel Aoun, at Marina Solidere, from 20 to 24 May 2017, a press release said on Tuesday.

The world's biggest oil producers Russia and Saudi Arabia on Monday called for extending an output reduction deal ahead of an OPEC meeting later this month. 

The London stock market soared Monday to a record high as the energy sector was boosted by jumping oil prices, while eurozone equities also forged higher.

The investment gold rush that was supposed to follow Iran's nuclear deal with world powers and revitalize the economy has not materialized, leaving many voters disillusioned ahead of Friday's election.

The U.S. Treasury Department said Saturday it will play a "leading role" in protecting the global financial system's IT infrastructure.

China on Sunday touted its new Silk Road as "a project of the century" at a summit highlighting its growing leadership on globalization, but a North Korean missile test competed for attention.