"The downgrade reflects our view that the political situation in Ukraine has deteriorated substantially," the agency said in a note a day after the deadliest day in the ex-Soviet country's three-month-old political crisis left more than 60 anti-government protesters shot dead.

"We believe that this raises uncertainty regarding the continued provision of Russian financial support over the course of 2014, and puts the government's capability to meet debt service at increasing risk," it said.

A Kuwaiti MP filed a bill Thursday to create a government-funded trust fund for every citizen from birth that would become an 18th birthday present of around $40,000 (29,200 euros).

Under MP Askar al-Enezi's proposal, the government of the oil-rich Gulf state would deposit 50 dinars ($177) each month into an account for each citizen from the time of birth.

Two Jordanian firms have signed a $771-million deal with U.S.-based Noble Energy to supply them with natural gas from an Israeli offshore field, local media reported on Thursday.

The Arab Potash and Jordan Bromine companies singed the agreement on Wednesday to obtain from Noble Energy and its Israeli partners 2 billion cubic meters (around 70 billion cubic feet) of gas from Israel's Tamar field for 15 years.

Iraq's Oil Ministry says crude exports have averaged 2.229 million barrels a day in January, a decrease of nearly 4.8 percent from the previous month.

In a statement posted on its website Wednesday afternoon, the ministry also said last month's revenues stood at $7.074 billion, based on an average price of $102.373 per barrel.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde and British finance minister George Osborne on Thursday demanded emerging economies get their own houses in order, after some attacked U.S. monetary policy in the run-up to G20 talks this weekend.

While Lagarde also cautioned the U.S. Federal Reserve to be "mindful" of the impact of its stimulus exit on major developing players, Osborne urged emerging markets to refrain from "finger-pointing and distractions" at the Sydney meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers.

Business activity in the 18-nation eurozone stayed robust in February but slipped off its highs, a reminder that the economic recovery remains fragile, a key survey showed on Thursday.

Markit Economics' said its Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for February fell to 52.7 points in February from 52.9 in January.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde said Thursday that China was unlikely to suffer a hard landing, describing it as a "poorly understood and poorly interpreted" economy that took a cautious approach to growth.

The International Monetary Fund expects China's economy to expand 7.5 percent in 2014, but subdued inflation and manufacturing data has fueled concern about a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.

France said Wednesday that nearly 16,000 people had declared funds hidden abroad after Switzerland ended its vaunted banking secrecy.

Budget Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the government was on track to collect 230 million euros ($316 million) from only 2,621 of the cases.

Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said Wednesday it was "hugely important" that G20 leaders agree to faster global growth targets when they meet in Sydney this weekend.

Hockey is chairing a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers, and wants not only a commitment for growth targets, but also endorsement for reforms to labor markets, tax rules and infrastructure spending.

Britain's unemployment rate edged up to 7.2 percent in the quarter to December, official data showed on Wednesday, easing pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates.

Unemployment rose from a near five-year low level of 7.1 percent in the quarter to the end of November, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.