Euro zone business activity took a surprise turn for the worse this month as demand fell in a broad-based downturn across the region, a survey showed, entering the fourth quarter on the wrong foot and suggesting the bloc may slip into recession.

A key measure of Japan's trend inflation accelerated to 2% in September, hitting a record and matching the central bank's target, data showed on Tuesday, heightening the case for dialling back its massive monetary stimulus.

Japan's government is considering spending around $33 billion for payouts to low-income households and an income tax cut in a package of measures to cushion the blow to households from rising living costs, three government officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

China's fiscal revenue grew 8.9% in the first nine months, decelerating from a 10% gain in January-August, official data showed, as its economic recovery remained on shaky ground.

China is set to unleash fresh fiscal stimulus to shore up its economic recovery, drawing on a well-used playbook that relies heavily on debt and state spending but falls short on the deeper reforms called for by a growing number of analysts.

U.S. business activity ticked higher in October while output in the euro zone took a surprise turn for the worse, surveys showed on Tuesday, underscoring the diverging path for central bankers in the two regions and fanning fears the bloc may slip into recession.