A mounting death toll in Baghdad and across southern Iraq coupled with reimposed internet restrictions sparked concerns on Tuesday that anti-government protests would once again trigger chaos.

From tapping lenders to selling personal assets, Saudis are scrambling to raise cash to invest in Aramco stocks after the oil giant announced its blockbuster market debut even as it offered few listing details.

Hong Kong's economic woes showed no sign of easing Wednesday after a key measure of business confidence fell to its lowest level in more than a decade as the city reels from the global trade war and violent democracy protests.

The United Arab Emirates, a leading OPEC producer, on Monday announced "significant" oil and gas discoveries and launched a new pricing mechanism for Abu Dhabi flagship Murban crude.

Saudi stocks sagged two percent Sunday after the announcement that the blockbuster listing of state energy firm Aramco was headed its way, as analysts warned it risked overwhelming the local bourse.

Shopkeepers in Iraq's Kurdish region have been responding to activists' calls to boycott Turkish goods in protest at Ankara's assault on Kurdish forces in neighbouring Syria. 

Many foreign women at Saudi Arabia's Davos-style investment conference have donned an array of colorful tunics, happily avoiding the austere black "abaya", a garment until recently obligatory in the ultra-conservative country.

Global stock markets suffered losses Thursday as China-U.S. trade tensions resurfaced, with gloomy sentiment exacerbated by news of a recession in Hong Kong.

Peugeot-maker PSA and Fiat Chrysler unveiled Thursday a plan for a 50-50 merger that aims to create the world's fourth-largest car manufacturer, but quickly came under pressure to preserve jobs.

Economic growth in the eurozone remained at a weak 0.2 percent in the third quarter and inflation fell in October, underlining the risk of stagnation in the 19-nation single-currency bloc.

According to official Eurostat figures published Thursday, inflation fell from 0.8 percent in September to 0.7 percent in October, well below the European Central Bank's target rate of just under two percent.