Wall Street stocks fell modestly and the dollar advanced after the Federal Reserve Wednesday lifted its benchmark interest rate for only the second time in a decade.

The policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously to increase the key federal funds rate to a range of 0.5 to 0.75 percent, but repeated that it expects the world's biggest economy will require only "gradual" increases going forward.

Striking workers kept the Eiffel Tower shut for a second day Wednesday in protest over an upcoming paint job at the famous Paris landmark which they say risks damaging their health.

Eurozone finance ministers on Wednesday suspended debt relief for bailed-out Greece after Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras hiked spending for pensioners, angering austerity champion Germany.

Chinese bank lending grew modestly month-on-month in November, official data showed Wednesday, after being almost halved in October, the latest indication that the country's economy may be stabilising.

New loans extended by banks rose to 794.6 billion yuan ($115.1 billion) last month, compared with 651.3 billion yuan in October, said the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), the country's central bank.

California Governor Jerry Brown on Tuesday urged US President Barack Obama to ban oil and gas drilling off the state's coast to protect the oceans and fight global warming.

Brazil's Senate approved Tuesday a 20-year freeze on government spending billed as the centerpiece of austerity reforms aimed at restoring economic health to the troubled Latin American giant.

The upper house voted 53 to 16 to lock in the spending ceiling.

Qatar flew home 10,000 workers who were victims of labor abuse during 2015, official government figures have revealed.

Oil companies in Qatar and Kuwait on Tuesday announced that they will reduce production levels from the beginning of the year.

Moody's on Tuesday dragged its credit rating on Sony back from junk status, saying the Japanese firm's balance sheet has "dramatically improved".

The ratings agency lifted its rating on Sony by one notch to Baa3 -- bringing it back to investment grade -- nearly three years after it cut its view to junk status as Sony wallowed in massive losses.

Iran signed preliminary agreements with Russia's Gazprom on Tuesday to develop two major oil fields in the latest of a flurry of deals with foreign firms, local media reported. 

The deals open the way for Gazprom to carry out studies at the Cheshmekosh and Changouleh fields near the border with Iraq, according to the Shana news agency, which is linked to the oil ministry.