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Oil slid by more than $3 on Friday, with U.S. crude falling below $100, after an earthquake rocked Japan, creating a 10-meter tsunami and shutting down dozens of plants in the world's third-largest oil consumer.

Brent crude futures fell below $113 on Friday as a massive earthquake rocked Japan, creating a 10-meter tsunami and shutting down dozens of plants in the world's third-largest oil consumer.

U.S. stocks ended lower on Friday as a spike in oil prices (driven by deepening unrest in Libya) overshadowed a strong February jobs report.

Asian stock markets declined first time in three days on Monday as sentiment was dampened by higher oil prices amid continuing political unrest in the Middle East.

International private equity firms may be tempted to Russia by two potential initiatives -- a fund and a committee to look at investment in the country, a source briefed on the situation said on Sunday.

Asian stocks are heading for their biggest weekly gain in three months on bargain-hunting after their recent drop while the euro perked up after the central bank signaled a rate hike as early as next month.

Asian stocks were poised for their best weekly gains in three months as market players hunted for bargains while the euro perked up after the European Central Bank signaled a rate hike as early as next month.

The European Central Bank will exercise strong vigilance over rising inflation, President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Thursday, and may raise interest rates as soon as next month.

Fears of a supply disruption arising from continued unrest in Libya have pushed up oil prices, but a leading Libyan oil official warns they could spike even higher if there is no immediate resolution to the ongoing violence.

OPEC output fell in February from a two-year high the previous month as the uprising in Libya curbed supplies from Africa's third-largest producer, even as Saudi Arabia pumped more, a Reuters survey showed on Tuesday.

Shanghai and Hong Kong look set for a collision course as they seek to attract yuan listings by foreign firms, in a battle where the mainland market may have the upper hand initially.

Consumer spending rose modestly in January, getting the year off to a soft start, as households took advantage of tax cuts to rebuild their savings.

Asian shares on Monday slipped back toward a three-month low hit last week, with emerging Asian equities seen likely to keep lagging developed markets as investors fret about risks from inflation.

Oil hovered above $112 a barrel on Friday and Asian stocks broke a four-day losing streak as concerns eased that a recent surge in energy prices would hurt demand for riskier assets and threaten broader economic growth.

Oil rose more than $1 a barrel to over $112 on Friday as unrest in Libya sparked fears of supply shortages, despite assurances by top oil exporter Saudi Arabia that it would step in to fill any shortfall.

Oil eased below $111 on Friday as top world exporter Saudi Arabia sought to assure key importers it would fill any supply shortfall left by beleaguered fellow OPEC member Libya, soothing fears over a disruption in supplies that had carried prices to a 2-1/2-year high a day earlier.

Oil prices continue to rise amidst fears that violent unrest in Libya will not only cut off supplies from that nation, but perhaps spread to other, larger oil producers, including Saudi Arabia.

West Africa's regional body ECOWAS said on Tuesday it was unable to join an African Union mission to mediate in Ivory Coast's power struggle due to threats of violence against it.

Activity in the euro zone's private sector grew faster than expected this month, particularly in the bloc's factories, but the upturn is driving prices higher, business surveys showed on Monday.

Tennis World Number 1 Rafael Nadal will make the comeback from his injury against Belgium for Spain's Davis Cup game.

Ivory Coast's biggest bank, a unit of Societe Generale, suspended operations on Thursday, the latest in an exodus of foreign banks that is turning a political crisis into financial meltdown.

BNP Paribas , France's biggest listed bank, said it had no appetite for acquisitions just yet after posting solid fourth-quarter results which soaked up a surprise charge on the value of its stake in AXA .

BNP Paribas , France's biggest listed bank, missed forecasts for fourth-quarter profit on Thursday after it booked a 534 million euro ($722.6 million) charge on the value of its stake in insurer AXA .

French bank Societe Generale said it would stick to its 2012 profit target of 6 billion euros ($8.1 billion) after it resisted jittery markets and almost quadrupled fourth-quarter 2010 profit.

Market activity since the start of 2011 has improved from the fourth quarter 2010, which was hit by the rescue of Ireland and sovereign debt fears, French bank Societe Generale's deputy chief executive told Reuters Insider television.

The euro zone economy ended last year with stable growth, failing to meet expectations for an acceleration as expansion in the three largest nations fell short of forecasts and Greece and Portugal contracted.

Gold rose above $1,360 an ounce on Monday as the dollar's retreat from highs versus the euro took some pressure off prices, with a second consecutive weekly price rise underpinning investors' confidence in the metal.

Two large international banks suspended operations in Ivory Coast on Monday as a power struggle following a disputed presidential election tightened its grip on the economy of the world's top cocoa grower.

World stocks and oil prices ebbed from recent highs on Tuesday after China raised interest rates for the second time in just over a month, spurring worries of the hike's impact on global economic demand.