U.S. shoppers officially kicked off the critical holiday shopping season with annual "Black Friday" promotions as a pressured retail sector competes over precious consumer dollars in the low-growth economy.

The shopping frenzy also triggered some violence. There was a shooting, a stabbing and a number of other disruptions, though no deaths reported as in prior years.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed Friday to arrest shopkeepers who defy government price controls, the latest salvo in a populist "economic war" ahead of key municipal elections.

Maduro delivered the warning in a nationally televised address that laid the ground for tougher enforcement of a three-week crackdown on actions seen as fueling Venezuela's soaring inflation.

Ratings agency Moody's late Friday upgraded Greece's credit rating, citing improved results in the crisis-hit country's economic adjustment program.

The agency announced the two-notch upgrade from C to Caa3 — still well below investment grade — in a move seen as a boost for the government that has promised to end a crippling recession and return to international markets next year.

Eurozone inflation rose to 0.9 percent in November from a four-year low of 0.7 percent in October, easing concerns the bloc risks a damaging cycle of falling prices, official data showed Friday.

Eurostat data showed that energy prices continued to fall in November, down 1.1 percent after a drop of 1.7 percent in October, while food, drinks and alcohol rose 1.6 percent, compared with a gain of 1.9 percent.

Global rating agency Standard & Poor's upgraded its outlook for Spain's debt on Friday, highlighting the prospects for export-led growth in the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.

The New York-based agency kept Spain's long-term credit rating at "BBB minus", just a notch above junk bond status, but raised the outlook to "stable" from "negative".

Oil prices were flat in Asian trade Friday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, with investors increasingly concerned over growing U.S. crude stockpiles, analysts said.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for January delivery, was down eight cents at $92.22 in afternoon trade while Brent North Sea crude for January eased one cent to $110.85.

The United Nations on Thursday began distributing fuel in Gaza to keep critical infrastructure running as fears of a health crisis grow over accumulating rubbish and sewage, an official said.

"Fuel is actually coming in, as of today, through the Kerem Shalom (goods crossing with Israel), purchased by UNRWA and distributed by the U.N.," U.N. Middle East special coordinator Robert Serry told a news conference in northern Gaza.

Germany's unemployment rate was steady in November, but the country's much lauded "jobs miracle" could be running out of steam, analysts said Thursday.

While Germany's jobless rate -- the proportion of people out of work compared with the working population as a whole -- was unchanged in both unadjusted and seasonally-adjusted terms in November, the actual jobless totals increased, according to data published by the Federal Labor Office.

The Philippine economy expanded 7 percent in the third quarter, but growth is expected to slow because of devastation from the super typhoon that hit eastern and central regions earlier this month.

Statistics agency chief Jose Ramon Albert said Thursday that growth in the latest quarter was driven by services and industry.

Venezuela's leftist President Nicolas Maduro announced Wednesday he will unveil a second package of economic measures under an emergency decree to counter what he calls an economic war by the business sector.

He said the measures to be announced Friday will regulate imports, on which the oil-rich nation is highly dependent for basic goods.