Russian aluminium giant Rusal, whose global operations have been hobbled by the war in Ukraine, has exported its first bauxite shipment from its mines in Guinea in nearly a month, an analysis of shipping data showed on Wednesday.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Growth rates in the euro zone could dip into negative territory this year and European Central Bank policy tightening to bring down high inflation in the near term risks crashing the economy, ECB board member Fabio Panetta said on Wednesday.

China's top European business group warned on Wednesday that its "zero-COVID" strategy was harming the attractiveness of Shanghai as a financial hub, echoing analysts voicing caution over the mounting economic toll of the country's coronavirus curbs.

(Reuters) -European shares fell from over six-week highs on Wednesday, as investors grappled with the twin worries of aggressive U.S. interest rate hikes potentially hurting growth and more Western sanctions on Russia further stoking inflation.

European buyers are increasing shipments of coal from across the globe against a backdrop of a proposed European Union ban on Russian imports and the scramble to relieve tight gas supplies, according to data and shipping sources.

European shares retreated from over six-week highs on Wednesday as the United States and its allies were likely to futher economically isolate Russia by imposing more sanctions, bolstering global inflation.