Falling prices in the eurozone are turning up the heat on the European Central Bank to prevent the single currency area from slipping into a dangerous downward spiral of deflation.

But many ECB watchers say they do not expect the guardian of the euro to take any action just yet when its decision-making governing council convenes in Malta this coming week. 

Jessica caught the travel bug and never came back, Frederic wanted a bigger market for his start-up and Nicolas was just tired of the vexing daily grind in France that was eating away at his joie de vivre.

So they left to Australia, New York or Canada, becoming part of the growing wave of young French citizens seeking a future elsewhere.

Greece's parliament on Friday narrowly adopted further reforms demanded by the country's international creditors in return for further bailout funds.

A majority of 154 lawmakers, out of a total of 300 deputies in the single-chamber parliament, backed the sweeping bill, which provides for further tax hikes and pension cuts.

World markets pushed higher Friday on increasing hopes that the Federal Reserve would push back an interest hike in reaction to a stream of weak economic data.

European stocks advanced after a fresh round of gains in Asia, as investors bet the U.S. central bank would keep rates at record-lows close to zero for the time being.

Greece's parliament was expected to approve later Friday a first batch of reforms and tax cuts stemming from its third EU bailout.

The vote, scheduled for around midnight, is expected to be won by the leftist government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, which has 155 lawmakers in the 300-seat chamber.

Pakistan and Russia signed an agreement on Friday to build a gas pipeline stretching hundreds of kilometers from Karachi on the Arabian Sea to the eastern city of Lahore.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Pakistan Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi signed the agreement at a ceremony witnessed by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and broadcast live.

Oil prices advanced in Asia Friday, ending four days of straight losses on news that Russia was prepared to talk about output cuts in a meeting with OPEC crude producers next week.

Oil prices had been tumbling since Monday on data showing that a global crude supply glut could persist well into next year.

U.S. funding needs will top its borrowing limit on November 3, leaving the government short of the cash necessary to fund budgeted operations, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew warned Thursday.

Lew said in a letter to Congress that the legislature's failure to raise the country's borrowing ceiling by then would leave the Treasury unable to fully pay all of the government's obligations, which include salaries, retirement benefits, debt service, and other commitments.

Volkswagen said Thursday it will recall a total of 8.5 million diesel vehicles Europe-wide as police raided the carmaker's office in Italy and those of its sports car unit Lamborghini over a global pollution-cheating scandal.

The massive recall in all 28 of the EU's member states would begin in January 2016 while for countries outside the bloc, the company is still examining which vehicles were affected, VW said in a statement.

Spanish oil giant Repsol said Thursday it will sell just over six billion euros ($6.8 billion) in assets and slash capital spending over the next five years as it tries to protect investors' dividends.

The global firm said its new five year strategic plan "guarantees Repsol's strength and ability to create value even with low oil prices."