Politicians in Switzerland called Monday for an investigation into HSBC's Swiss unit, at the centre of a vast scandal over clients' tax evasion, money laundering and financing of terrorist groups.

Opening an investigation "would be the least that could be done," former Swiss foreign minister Micheline Calmy-Rey told the RTS public broadcaster.

New Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Sunday Athens did not want an extension of its bailout but insisted on the need for a "bridge program" which would buy the country time to negotiate a new deal.

"The new government is not justified in asking for an extension of the bailout. The Greek people gave us a mandate to cancel the disastrous austerity program," he said in a key policy speech to parliament.

Turkey and Russia on Sunday tentatively agreed on the route for their planned Turkish Stream gas pipeline which Moscow hopes will replace its now scrapped South Stream project.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz and Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miiller surveyed the route over the Black Sea during a four-hour ride by helicopter from Istanbul.

The United States and five of its European allies on Saturday warned that Libya could face bankruptcy if its oil output and prices on international markets continue to fall.

Voicing alarm at the deteriorating security situation in the North African state, the allies said Libya was on the brink of economic implosion because of a collapse in its production and the sliding value of crude.

U.S. employers kept their doors wide open for new hires in January, capping a three-month surge that saw a stunning one million jobs created across the country.

A better-than-expected January total of 257,000 net new jobs made for the best hiring over three months since 1997, with a broad range of industries expanding payrolls despite the mid-winter economic slowdown.

Greece's hard-left government was set to meet Saturday, after sparking fresh fears of a default by demanding temporary funding from its European creditors before renegotiating its foreign loans.

The meetings comes after Athens put itself back on a collision course with the European Union by announcing it wanted to talk "without pressure and blackmail", days before an extraordinary meeting of eurozone ministers in Brussels.

Greece must cooperate with Europe and the IMF to draw up a plan of reforms consistent with the country's international obligations, the U.S. ambassador to Athens said Friday.

"The United States believes that it is very important for the Greek government to work cooperatively with its European colleagues, as well as with the IMF," US Ambassador David Pearce said after two days of talks with new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and other Greek officials.

Whoever wins Nigeria's February 14 election will take charge of an economy battered by falling oil prices, leaving the new administration with fewer options to tackle the twin crises of poverty and unemployment, analysts said. 

President Goodluck Jonathan's government has over the last four years sought to paint a picture of Nigeria's prosperity rising. 

The ousted chief executive of a Turkish bank linked to the top foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said the deposed leadership was appealing the "illegal" decision in court.

Turkey's state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) late Tuesday seized control of Bank Asya, which is linked to Erdogan's former ally turned enemy, the U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Australia's central bank Friday cut its forecasts for economic growth and inflation this year and warned unemployment would likely rise as the economy transitions away from a mining investment boom.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said gross domestic product would expand 2.25-3.25 percent in 2015, compared with a November estimate of 2.50-3.50 percent.