U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his team are working to expand and extend for a year a U.N.-brokered deal allowing Ukrainian Black Sea grain exports, which could expire in late November.

Markets drifted sideways on Friday, with investors waiting for U.S. non-farm payrolls figures before the opening bell on Wall Street, though holding out little hope they will alter the prospect of more hefty interest rate rises to come.

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. stocks dropped sharply in early trading Friday after data showed the economy was creating jobs at a strong pace, giving the Federal Reserve cover to continue with hefty interest rate hikes to quell inflation.

Stocks eased on Friday as Federal Reserve officials talked up the likelihood of more hefty U.S. interest rate hikes, though battered Credit Suisse Group rose after announcing a $3 billion bond buyback to steady investors nerves.

Stocks turned lower on Friday after figures showed the U.S. economy was creating jobs at a strong pace and give the Federal Reserve cover to continue with hefty interest rate hikes to quell inflation.

Hong Kong's official foreign currency reserve assets stood at $419.2 billion at end-September, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said on Friday, down 2.9 percent from $431.8 billion at end-August.