TOKYO (Reuters) -The Bank of Japan (BOJ) will not introduce a digital yen as a means to achieve negative interest rates, an idea sometimes discussed in academic circles, a senior central bank official said on Wednesday.

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's imports unexpectedly fell in March as COVID-19 curbs across large parts of the country hampered freight arrivals and weakened demand, while export growth slowed slightly and analysts expected trade to worsen in the second quarter.

European shares retreated for a third straight session on Wednesday as anxiety about elevated inflation and its potential impact on upcoming earnings season dampened risk appetite.

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's overall trade with Russia rose by more than 12% in March from a year earlier in dollar terms, in sync with previous gains, even as Beijing criticised Western sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

ZURICH (Reuters) -Swiss judges on Wednesday sentenced former Raiffeisen Switzerland Chief Executive Pierin Vincenz to three and three-quarters years in prison as it found him guilty of fraud and other counts in a trial that has gripped the nation with allegations of fraudulent deals and huge strip club bills.

The euro was pinned to a five-week low on Wednesday as prospects for peace in Ukraine seemed to darken, while the kiwi was whipsawed after New Zealand's central bank announced its sharpest rate hike in two decades to curb inflation.