Most Asian markets rose Friday but investors struggled to maintain a rally triggered by easing US-Iran tensions the previous day, as focus turned back to the global economic outlook.

Ethiopia and Egypt failed to resolve a long-running dispute over a massive dam being built on the Blue Nile River during the latest round of talks this week.

Cash from the EU's research funds must be spread beyond the "old men's club" of prestigious institutions in richer member states to curb the brain drain exacerbating inequalities across the bloc, a Croatian minister said on Thursday.

Britain has said it could seek a piecemeal post-Brexit deal with the European Union that leaves some issues unresolved but still lets it break free from the bloc at the end of the year.

Asian stock markets rebounded Thursday as anxiety over potential U.S.-Iranian conflict eased.
Tokyo's benchmark gained more than 2%. Shanghai, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia markets also advanced.

China will allow foreign companies to take part in oil and gas exploration and production in the country, in what officials hailed Thursday as a "major reform" opening up the industry.

Wall Street stocks edged higher early Wednesday amid hopes that U.S.-Iran hostilities will not worsen while US hiring data topped expectations.

The burgeoning Iran crisis has sparked oil supply worries over the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital shipping lane for a fifth of global crude -- and also over Iraq's output, analysts say.

World oil prices dipped Wednesday in afternoon European trading, after briefly spiking when Iran launched missile attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq.

The French government and unions are to resume talks Tuesday over a pensions overhaul that has unleashed the longest transport strike in decades, with the premier saying both sides need to "budge a little".
