Global airline carriers have canceled more than 2,000 flights on Friday so far, the Flightaware website said, in an indication of how COVID-19 is affecting holiday travel.

China's commerce ministry said on Friday it expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to a U.S. ban on imports from Xinjiang region.

A Moscow court on Friday said it was fining Alphabet's Google 7.2 billion roubles ($98 million) for what it said was a repeated failure to delete content Russia deems illegal, the first revenue-based fine of its kind in Russia.

Initial public offerings (IPOs) around the world raised a record $594 billion in 2021, riding the coattails of stock market rallies, yet often disappointing investors with their subsequent stock performance.

Stock markets in Europe and Asia cemented gains in light holiday trade on Friday, while the safe-haven dollar eased on signs the Omicron variant would not significantly derail global economic growth.

Most Asian share markets edged higher on Friday and the safe-haven dollar was on the back foot, on signs the Omicron variant would not significantly derail global economic growth.