March was expected to be a busy window for Europe's stock market listings, but a potential conflict between Russia and Ukraine and market uncertainty are prompting companies to put their plans to go public on ice.

HSBC aims to cut emissions associated with loans made to its oil and gas clients by 34% this decade, the bank's sustainability chief told Reuters, marking the first time that Britain's biggest lender has committed to such a target.

Japan's Toshiba Corp said on Tuesday that a major shareholder, 3D Investment Partners, had withdrawn part of its shareholder proposal.

The Bank of Korea will leave rates on hold on Thursday after back-to-back hikes at the previous two meetings, according to economists in a Reuters poll who said elevated inflation would lead it to resume raising borrowing costs next quarter.

BEIJING (Reuters) -China will unveil bigger tax and fee cuts this year and step up payments to local governments to offset their hit to revenues, Finance Minister Liu Kun said on Tuesday, amid efforts to support a slowing economy.

Women now make up nearly 40% of the boards of Britain's biggest 100 companies, compared with just 12.5% a decade ago, with recommendations in place to enable more female representation in top management, a government-backed report said on Tuesday.