The Democratic-led U.S. Senate forged ahead on Thursday with a bipartisan stopgap funding bill aimed at averting a fourth partial government shutdown in a decade, while the House began voting on partisan Republican spending bills with no chance of becoming law.

 Asian shares eased away from their lowest levels in 10 months but were on course to clock their worst quarterly performance in a year as worries over elevated interest rates dragged on sentiment, while the dollar held strong.

Thomas Barkin, the Richmond Federal Reserve Chief, addressed uncertainties surrounding inflation and labor market trends during an event hosted by the Money Marketeers of New York University on Thursday. Barkin emphasized that policymakers still have time to determine if additional measures are needed to control inflation.

The dollar held off a 10-month high on Friday as markets headed into the end of the quarter, giving the yen slightly more breathing room at the end of the week amid intervention concerns.

British business confidence declined in September as optimism about the economic outlook faded, a survey showed on Friday, adding to signs of a slowdown in the economy.

British households are on course to spend 3,500 pounds ($4,270) more a year in tax than they would have without the big tax increases introduced over the current parliament, a leading think tank said on Friday.