A much-loved British biscuit has fallen victim to the Brexit-linked slump in the pound, as McVitie's Digestives on Friday said their packets will shrink.

Nearly 140 chief executives from companies around the world will gather at the Versailles Palace outside Paris on Monday, as the French government steps up its efforts to attract more foreign investors.

The Lebanese Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (LVCPEA) was officially launched last week bringing together a number of major players active in fund management in Lebanon, with the aim to exchange ideas, develop policies proposals and act as an advocacy group for the sector.

The United States are set to overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's number two oil producer this year, as shale companies, attracted by rising prices, ramp up drilling, the International Energy Agency said on Friday.

A sharp rise in the currency of war-torn Yemen Thursday following a $2 billion Saudi bailout sparked hope of relief for millions at risk of famine and reliant on imported food.

Iraq signed a contract Thursday with British energy giant BP to develop oil fields in the northern province of Kirkuk that were retaken from the Kurds last year.

Emirates Airlines said Thursday it has struck a $16 billion deal to buy 36 Airbus A380 superjumbos just days after the European manufactuer said it would have to halt production without new orders.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde has joined calls on Germany to invest in future economic growth even at the cost of relaxing its cherished budgetary discipline, raising hackles in Europe's powerhouse.

Goldman Sachs reported a rare quarterly loss Wednesday due to a one-time charge associated with U.S. tax reform. Performance across operating division was mixed.

The U.S. investment banking giant reported a fourth-quarter loss of $2.1 billion, compared with a profit of $2.2 billion in the year-ago period. 

Bitcoin, the dominant digital currency, extended a slump Wednesday following a recent surge to trade below $10,000 for the first time since the start of December.

Around 1410 GMT, bitcoin stood at $9,807.56 to record its lowest value since December 1 and a plunge of almost 50 percent since reaching a record high on December 18, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.