Giant US cinema chain AMC Entertainment has signed a deal to build and operate movie theatres in Saudi Arabia after the conservative kingdom lifted a decades-old ban.

British inflation has hit its highest level in almost six years, official data showed Tuesday, forcing Bank of England governor Mark Carney to explain the rise in an exceptional letter. 

Asian markets mostly fell after a recent rally as investors cashed in while also looking ahead to key central bank meetings that could provide some idea about monetary policy in the new year.

Wall Street provided yet another record-breaking lead as the selling that hit equities at the start of the month abates, while energy firms were supported by stronger oil prices.

European stock markets softened Monday, weighed down by a cautious start on Wall Street, as investors prepared for a number of central bank policy meetings later this week, traders said.

Wall Street stocks edged higher early Monday as investors shrugged off an explosion near Times Square that resulted in a handful of injuries, none life-threatening.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the explosion, which took place at the Port Authority bus terminal, was an "attempted terrorist attack." Four people were injured in the blast, firefighters said.

Turkey's economy grew by a strong 11.1 percent in the third quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year, official statistics showed on Monday, with the high reading driven by one-off effects as well as resilient output.

Bitcoin surged past $18,000 after it began trading on its first major global exchange Sunday, the latest in a series of highs that have excited some investors while leaving others nervous of a bubble.

The U.S. economy continued to see robust job creation in November, with strong gains in manufacturing, health care and construction, the government reported Friday.

Employers added 288,000 new positions, far more than economists expected, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent.

Japan is growing twice as fast as previously estimated, official data showed on Friday, with the world's third-largest economy posting its longest string of gains in more than two decades.

Russia launches Friday its Yamal gas plant in Arctic Siberia, a gigantic project in one of the world's most remote areas, as the region becomes more accessible due to climate change.

Russia's privately owned gas producer Novatek has partnered with France's Total and China's CNPC at the helm of the project, which was scheduled to send its first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the port of Sabetta on Friday.