Europe took a key step towards tighter regulation of financial markets late Tuesday when the European Parliament and negotiators for the 28 member states agreed a deal in principle after two years of talks.

The new rules for markets in financial instruments, known as MiFID II, aim to close loopholes in existing legislation to curb speculative trading in commodities and regulate high-frequency trading so as better to protect investors and make markets safer.

The German economy, Europe's biggest, saw growth nearly halved last year as the sluggish global economy and recession in its European neighbors weighed on activity, official data showed on Wednesday.

German gross domestic product (GDP) grew by just 0.4 percent in 2013, down from 0.7 percent a year earlier, the federal statistics office Destatis calculated in preliminary data.

The world's biggest mobile network is ready to offer Apple's iPhone, but while the U.S. technology giant has declared China its biggest future market, it faces an uphill battle to unseat Samsung and homegrown competitors.

Majority state-owned China Mobile has more than 760 million customers but for years it has declined to provide the iPhone as the two companies argued over commercial terms.

Japan Airlines has grounded another one of its Dreamliner jets after "white smoke" was seen outside the cockpit window during maintenance, a year after the aircraft suffered a months-long global grounding over battery problems.

The carrier said that a technician at Tokyo's Narita airport, who was working on the parked plane before its departure to Bangkok Tuesday afternoon, first noticed what appeared to be smoke outside the cockpit window and then a battery system warning.

Negotiators from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives unveiled a $1 trillion spending bill late Monday, eliminating the threat of another government shutdown, at least until October.

The high-stakes omnibus spending bill sets discretionary spending limits line by line for each federal agency until September 30, when the 2014 fiscal year ends.

Google on Monday announced that it is buying smart thermostat start-up Nest in a deal valued at $3.2 billion.

"They're already delivering amazing products you can buy right now -- thermostats that save energy and smoke/CO alarms that can help keep your family safe," Google chief executive Larry Page said in a press release.

Japanese engineering giant JGC Corp. said Tuesday it has won a contract to help build a Canadian liquefied natural gas plant in a deal reportedly worth $9.4 billion.

JGC said its joint venture with U.S.-based Fluor Corp. was awarded the tender by Chevron Canada to design and build the Kitimat LNG plant in the western province of British Columbia.

Oil prices were mixed in Asian trade Tuesday, weighed by the prospect of a return of Iranian supplies after a landmark deal to curb Tehran's disputed nuclear program takes effect January 20.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for February delivery, was up one cent at $91.81 in mid-morning trade, while Brent North Sea crude for February eased seven cents at $106.68.

The European Central Bank revealed on Monday the new 10-euro banknotes including a portrait of the Greek mythological figure of Europa that will come into circulation from late September.

"The new 10-euro banknote of the Europa series will start circulating on September 23," the ECB said in a statement.

European aircraft maker Airbus beat U.S. rival Boeing with record sales and orders last year but came second in terms of finished airliners delivered, figures from the company showed on Monday.

Airbus said that in 2013 it took 1,503 net orders, allowing for cancellations. This compares with 1,355 orders taken by Boeing. Total orders taken by Airbus is a record for the whole industry.