St. Louis Federal Reserve President Musalem said another interest-rate increase will likely be needed soon, offering the first glimpse of Fed thinking after this week's decision to hold rates steady.

Westpac New Zealand cut one of its fixed-term home loan rates, joining a wider retreat in mortgage pricing among the country's major banks.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde will resign in February, nine months before her term ends, as the eurozone searches for its next monetary policy chief.

The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged this week, pointing to continued US economic growth despite earlier concerns about a slowdown. Policymakers signaled a cautious, data-dependent approach to any further moves.