The pound built on the previous day's gains in Asia Friday after the Bank of England surprised markets by holding fire on an interest rate cut at its first meeting since Britain voted to leave the European Union.

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo soared again Thursday, taking a week-long rally to 75 percent as investors ride the coattails of the Pokemon Go phenomenon sweeping the planet.

World oil prices rebounded Thursday as dealers snapped up bargain crude, one day after the commodity sank to fresh two-month lows on disappointing US inventories.

Britain's new finance minister Philip Hammond on Thursday ruled out an emergency budget in response to economic turbulence triggered by the country's vote in favor of exiting the European Union.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has extended the country's state of "economic emergency" for another 60 days, an official newspaper reported, a sign of declining conditions in the crisis-hit country.

The state of emergency, in place since January, was necessary due to "extraordinary... social, economic, political, natural and ecological" pressures, according to the presidential decree, signed by Maduro on Tuesday and released Wednesday.

The Bank of England is mulling whether to cut interest rates for the first time in over seven years to curb economic fallout from Britain's vote to exit the EU.

Their heads bowed, young Saudi men concentrate on exam papers in a workshop filled with industrial machines that will help them earn a living.

A year after it fought and lost a tug-of-war with its creditors, Greece remains a country that seems adrift, and many of its citizens view the present as joyless and the future as grim.

Tokyo stocks jumped at the start of trading on Wednesday on stimulus hopes, erasing the steep losses sparked by Britain's vote to tear itself away from the European Union.

Citibank plans to close the account Venezuela uses to make international payments, President Nicolas Maduro said Monday, accusing the US-based bank of a "financial blockade."

"Citibank, with no warning or communication, says that it is going to close the Central Bank and Bank Of Venezuela account. That is what you call a financial blockade," the embattled president said in televised remarks.