WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
The Australian dollar is slightly lower after overnight falls in commodity prices put commodity currencies under pressure.
At 0630 AEDT on Friday, the local unit was trading at 91.08 US cents, down from 91.23 cents on Thursday.
And the Australian share market looks set to open flat following gains on European markets amid quiet trade with Wall Street closed for the Thanksgiving public holiday.
At 0645 AEDT on Friday, the December share price index futures contract was up two points at 5,354.
ELSEWHERE:
BRUSSELS - The 17-nation eurozone economy continues to make progress but there are signs of a slowdown over the past two months, a key survey shows.
FRANKFURT - Germany's unemployment rate was steady in November, but the country's much lauded "jobs miracle" could be running out of steam, analysts say.
PARIS - European banks will require 280 billion euros ($A421 billion) of extra capital in 2014 to meet reforms aimed at avoiding a repeat of the global financial crisis, according to a report.
NICOSIA - Cyprus' central bank says deposit outflows from the bailed-out country's banks have slowed to their lowest level in 10 months.
LONDON - The Bank of England has scaled back a loan program meant to spur economic recovery, amid fears that cheap mortgages could inflate a housing bubble.
LONDON - Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg says the British government will likely introduce plain packaging for cigarettes after reviewing how the policy impacted on smoking rates in Australia.
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has suspended imports of citrus fruits from South Africa - which accounts for about a third the EU's total - on concerns 'black spot' disease could infect local crops.
MILAN - Debt-laden Italian flag carrier Alitalia says it is confident it will raise enough cash by a December 8 deadline to avoid collapse, despite falling short of the desired-for capital increase.
LONDON - Shares in Britain's Thomas Cook have soared in trading on after the travel firm announced a large reduction in annual losses as a result of deep cost-cutting.
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