Britain's economy grew slower than expected in the third quarter, revised official data showed on Wednesday.

Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 0.4 percent in the July-September period, down from previous estimates of 0.5-percent growth, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.

Tata Steel on Tuesday said it will enter into talks over selling struggling facilities in Britain and France to a private equity firm, as its Indian parent battles against lower prices.

"This is an extremely critical time for the whole industry, and we have been working hard to explore all options that could provide a future for the Long Products Europe business," Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel’s European operations, said in a company statement.

Crisis-hit Toshiba's woes deepened Tuesday when Moody's cut its credit rating to junk, casting doubt on a turnaround plan unveiled in response to an embarrassing profit-padding scandal.

On Monday Toshiba rolled out a wide-ranging restructuring which included thousands of job cuts, as it warned it would book a record $4.5 billion annual loss.

Consumer confidence in Germany is rising, apparently unaffected for the time being by the November 13 terror attacks in France, a poll found on Tuesday.

"The terror attacks in Paris in mid-November and the increased dangers of terrorist attacks in Germany don't seem to be leaving much of an impression on German consumers," market research company GfK said in a statement. 

Toshiba shares plunged to their lowest level in nearly seven years on Tuesday after it warned of a $4.5 billion annual loss and layoffs tied to an embarrassing profit-padding scandal, dragging Tokyo's benchmark stock index lower.

The Nikkei 225 at the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 0.16 percent, or 29.32 points, to close at 18,886.70. The broader Topix index of all first-section shares ticked up 0.15 percent, or 2.32 points, to 1,533.60.

French oil giant Total will halt preliminary oil survey work off disputed Western Sahara, a region controlled by Morocco, due to disappointing results, a source said Monday.

"Total has informed the Moroccan authorities that it would not request a new extension of its reconnaissance authorisation in the Anzarane block," said the source.

Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson has reached a global licensing agreement with Apple that settles several earlier patent disputes between the two companies, Ericsson announced on Monday. 

The terms of the agreement are confidential, according to the Ericsson statement, but it "includes a cross license covering the patents on essential standards of the two companies (including GSM, UMTS and LTE standards) and provides certain other patent rights.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday named Google executive Michelle Guthrie as its new managing director, the first woman to hold the top post at the public broadcaster.

The former media and technology lawyer, who has held senior roles at Foxtel and BSkyB in Britain as well as Star TV in Asia, is charged with leading the ABC into the digital era after a stormy period of cuts and government criticism.

Portugal has sold the troubled small bank Banif to the local unit of Spain's Santander, the Bank of Portugal announced Sunday, for 150 million euros ($163 million) but with an injection of 2.3 billion euros in public funds.

"The deal will involve government assistance of 2.3 billion euros to cover future contingencies," the central bank said in a statement. 

Oil prices extended losses Monday with Brent hitting an 11-year low, fueling fears about the global economy, but most Asian stock markets recovered from early losses to rally in the afternoon.

However, with Wednesday's U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate rise now in the past, analysts said concerns about the global economy continue to keep traders cautious.