When the Bank of England announced a 150 billion pound increase in stimulus last month, it probably didn't anticipate acting again soon.

Britain is likely to leave the European Union without a trade deal in just under three weeks' time, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

French Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot pledged an extra 35 million euros ($42 million) on Friday to bail out museums, cinemas and theatres left "stunned" by the extension of COVID-19 restrictions for at least three more weeks.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that it was very likely that trade talks with the European Union would fail and that the United Kingdom would leave the bloc at the end of year without a deal.

World shares slipped and sterling skidded to its lowest in nearly a month on Friday as markets confronted the risk of Britain leaving the European Union without a trade deal, with doubts over U.S. stimulus also nagging.

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices eased on Friday, but were set for a sixth week of gains as progress towards novel coronavirus vaccination programmes fed hopes that demand for fuel would rebound next year.

U.S. stock index futures fell 1% on Friday as delays over a new fiscal stimulus package and surging coronavirus infections dented sentiment even as regulators moved toward emergency use authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Chinese toy maker Pop Mart International Group made a stellar debut on the Hong Kong stock market on Friday, closing nearly 80% higher than its issue price to end the day with a market capitalisation of $12.5 billion.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday there was "a strong possibility" Britain and the EU would fail to strike a new trade deal, but vowed to do whatever he could to avoid a tumultuous split in three weeks.

Trucks heading towards the English port of Dover were stacked up for miles on Thursday, just three weeks before Britain exits the European Union's orbit in a potentially tumultuous finale to the five-year divorce, a Reuters photographer said.