The euro jumped on Wednesday and was set for its third consecutive daily gains versus the dollar on Wednesday after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said peace talks with Ukraine were not easy but there was hope for compromise.

The United States and the United Kingdom have agreed to start talks next week to deepen trade and investment ties, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

(Reuters) -NortonLifeLock's $8.6 billion purchase of Avast hit a snag on Wednesday after Britain's anti-trust regulator said it would launch a deeper investigation into the proposed cybersecurity merger following competition concerns.

(Reuters) -U.S. cybersecurity firm NortonLifeLock Inc's $8.6 billion purchase of rival Avast Plc will face an in-depth probe by Britain if competition concerns are not addressed, the UK anti-trust regulator said on Wednesday.

TAIPEI/BEIJING (Reuters) -China is allowing Apple Inc supplier Foxconn's Shenzhen operations and construction sites in Shanghai to resume work on condition that their employees live and work in a bubble arrangement against COVID-19, offering some respite for firms.

The Australian dollar jumped on Wednesday after comments from a senior Chinese official boosted hopes for more stimulus, while the U.S. dollar traded near a five-year high against the yen with markets expecting the Federal Reserve to lift interest rates for the first time in three years.