Spanish banking giant Santander announced record annual profits for a third consecutive year on Wednesday as a strong commercial performance offset the impact of falling interest rates.
Stock markets mostly fell, the dollar slid and and gold hit a record high Wednesday over fears about a trade war between superpowers China and the United States.
Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are to disconnect from the Russian power grid on Saturday, a politically-charged move that severs their Soviet-era energy ties with Moscow.