More than half of Lebanon's migrant workers are in need of "urgent humanitarian assistance" to survive an economic crisis that has plunged most of the population into poverty, the U.N. warned Tuesday.

The country of six million is in the throes of a financial downturn branded by the World Bank as one of the worst since the mid-19th century, with the local currency losing more than 90 percent of its black market value.

China's anti-sanctions law will be implemented in some form in Hong Kong, the city's leader confirmed Tuesday, a move that will add fresh regulatory pressure on international companies in the finance hub.

Beijing's rubber-stamp legislature passed the law in June in response to Western penalties that were imposed following crackdowns in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

Tokyo stocks closed higher on Tuesday helped by a cheaper yen against the dollar as investors kept their focus on corporate earnings.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index ended up 0.24 percent, or 68.11 points, at 27,888.15, while the broader Topix index gained 0.36 percent, or 6.94 points, to 1,936.28.

Two separate brawls over scarce fuel in northern Lebanon have left three people dead, state media and security sources said, as shortages spark a wave of confrontations at gas stations.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil lamented Sunday that “every hour of power rationing by the power plants costs the dollar reserves 32% more,” seeing as the power supply deficit is being covered by privately-owned neighborhood generators.

Stock markets steadied and the dollar firmed Friday before the release of monthly U.S. jobs data that will highlight strength of recovery in the world's biggest economy.

Around midday, European equities were mirroring a sluggish end to the week for Asian stocks.

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei's second-quarter revenue plunged 38 percent, according to figures released Friday, with smartphone sales suffering from U.S. sanctions and the offloading of its budget brand Honor.

Huawei is at the center of an intense U.S.-China trade and tech rivalry after the government of former president Donald Trump voiced concern the company could be used for espionage.

A Lebanese judge on Thursday questioned central bank chief Riad Salameh over graft allegations as part of a probe into financial misconduct, a judicial source said.

Salameh, one of world's longest-serving central bank governors, is facing a spate of allegations, including in Switzerland and France, over suspicions of money laundering and embezzlement.

The Bank of England Thursday predicted the UK annual inflation rate to continue surging this year as pandemic-hit economies reopen, but kept its record-low interest rate and emergency stimulus intact.

The BoE forecast inflation reaching four percent from 2.5 percent currently, adding to fears that a spike in prices worldwide will force central banks to hike interest rates sooner than expected, in turn hindering economic recovery.

German sportswear brand Adidas on Thursday bumped up its earnings outlook for the year, as it expects the Olympics and the upcoming European and American football seasons to boost its sales.

The Bavaria-based group recorded a net profit of 397 million euros ($470 million) between April and June, as pandemic restrictions eased and the football European Championships got going.