The new capital raising move of Barclays and the rate cut of Japan Central Bank

Earlier this month, Barclays said it wanted to raise capital but would raise it privately rather than take UK government cash, as rivals Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and HBOS are.

"There has been a significant shift in the availability of capital and economic power in the world over the last five years and we're ensuring we're aligned with those changes," said John Varley, Barclays' chief executive.

The Bank of Japan's move followed a rate cut from the U.S. Federal Reserve earlier in the week and likely presaged the same from the European Central Bank and Bank of England next week.

The Bank of Japan cut its benchmark overnight call rate to 0.30 percent from 0.50 percent, a slightly smaller reduction that the quarter point many had expected.

Inflation in the euro zone fell to 3.2 percent year-on-year in October, the European Union's statistics office said, data likely to ease any concerns at the ECB about rising prices.