Reuters

European stocks wilted after a delay in a vote on tax reform in the U.S. deflated a rally in financials and drove regional benchmarks to start December with a loss.

Sterling slipped from a two-month high against the dollar on Friday, getting only a temporary boost from better-than-expected UK manufacturing data, as investors flagged concerns about Britain reaching a deal with the EU over the Irish border.

Executives from Chinese companies specializing in offering consumers small, easy-to-get loans became something of a fixture on Wall Street this year.

Oil futures rose on Friday after OPEC and other major producers agreed to extend their production curbs in a widely expected move aimed at ending a persistent glut in global supplies.

Japan’s core consumer prices rose in October from a year earlier, marking the 10th straight month of gains, but a narrower measure that excludes energy showed inflation has not accelerated for three consecutive months.

The U.S. Senate on Thursday delayed voting on a Republican tax overhaul as the bill was tripped up by problems with an amendment sought by fiscal hawks.

The Canadian dollar clawed back losses against the greenback on Thursday, after hitting an earlier four-week low as data showed widening in the country’s current account deficit.

The dollar slipped to a four-day low against the euro on Thursday, hurt by selling pressure due to month-end adjustments, but rallied against the Japanese yen as U.S. Treasury yields rose on optimism about U.S. tax overhaul efforts.

Sterling topped $1.35 on Thursday, hitting a two-month peak, as hopes grew of a deal between Britain and the European Union at a summit next month.

The dollar slipped to a four-day low against the euro and was generally softer against most other major currencies, as its rebound after last week’s weakness ran out of steam and month-end adjustments created selling pressure.