• An Afghan labourer works at a plastic recycle factory in Herat, Afghanistan. Afghanistan's economy has improved, with the help of international aid, after suffering decades of fighting. JALIL REZAYEE / EPA
    An Afghan labourer works at a plastic recycle factory in Herat, Afghanistan. Afghanistan's economy has improved, with the help of international aid, after suffering decades of fighting. JALIL REZAYEE / EPA
  • A man wearing a Christmas hat works at a factory producing Christmas decorations in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. China Daily / Reuters
    A man wearing a Christmas hat works at a factory producing Christmas decorations in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. China Daily / Reuters
  • A view of salt ponds at the Maras mines in Cuzco. Salt has been obtained in Maras since pre-Incan times by evaporating highly salty local subterranean stream water. The water is intricately channelled through constructions, flowing gradually down on to several hundred ancient terraced ponds. From each pond, a local member of the mine cooperative can produce 150 to 200 kilos per month which can be sold in the markets at $0.34 per kilogram, according to miners. Enrique Castro-Mendivil / Reuters
    A view of salt ponds at the Maras mines in Cuzco. Salt has been obtained in Maras since pre-Incan times by evaporating highly salty local subterranean stream water. The water is intricately channelled through constructions, flowing gradually down on to several hundred ancient terraced ponds. From each pond, a local member of the mine cooperative can produce 150 to 200 kilos per month which can be sold in the markets at $0.34 per kilogram, according to miners. Enrique Castro-Mendivil / Reuters
  • Russian Orthodox church crosses as reflected in a window of an exchange booth in Moscow, Russia. Russian president Vladimir Putin in his annual speech on Thursday announced measures to spur the flagging economy, saying that Russia's resurgent "geopolitical role" should be matched by a thriving economy. Ivan Sekretarev / AP Photo
    Russian Orthodox church crosses as reflected in a window of an exchange booth in Moscow, Russia. Russian president Vladimir Putin in his annual speech on Thursday announced measures to spur the flagging economy, saying that Russia's resurgent "geopolitical role" should be matched by a thriving economy. Ivan Sekretarev / AP Photo
  • Workers prepare an electricity transmission tower, also called an electricity pylon, in order to hang electricity transmission cables from it on December 4, 2014 near Luebben, Germany. Germany is expanding its electricity grid as part of its large-scale shift from conventional coal, gas and nuclear-based energy production to renewable sources, especially wind and solar. Sean Gallup / Getty Images
    Workers prepare an electricity transmission tower, also called an electricity pylon, in order to hang electricity transmission cables from it on December 4, 2014 near Luebben, Germany. Germany is expanding its electricity grid as part of its large-scale shift from conventional coal, gas and nuclear-based energy production to renewable sources, especially wind and solar. Sean Gallup / Getty Images
  • European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi addresses an ECB news conference, for the first time in the ECB's new 1.3 billion euro headquarters in Frankfurt. Mr Draghi said on Thursday the bank would reassess the impact of its monetary policy stimulus early next year and take further action if necessary. He also told a news conference the level of technical preparation for further measures - widely believed to include quantitative easing sovereign bond buying - has been stepped up. Ralph Orlowski / Reuters
    European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi addresses an ECB news conference, for the first time in the ECB's new 1.3 billion euro headquarters in Frankfurt. Mr Draghi said on Thursday the bank would reassess the impact of its monetary policy stimulus early next year and take further action if necessary. He also told a news conference the level of technical preparation for further measures - widely believed to include quantitative easing sovereign bond buying - has been stepped up. Ralph Orlowski / Reuters
  • Miners wait in lines to shower during a break near a coal mine in Heshun county, Shanxi province on December 5, 2014. Chinese coal spot prices are being raised in a domestic market struggling to recover from seven-year lows, desperate for an edge in annual negotiations to supply power plants, key buyers in the world's biggest consumer of coal, industry sources say. Reuters
    Miners wait in lines to shower during a break near a coal mine in Heshun county, Shanxi province on December 5, 2014. Chinese coal spot prices are being raised in a domestic market struggling to recover from seven-year lows, desperate for an edge in annual negotiations to supply power plants, key buyers in the world's biggest consumer of coal, industry sources say. Reuters
  • Cars drive past an illuminated logo of German travel and tourism giant TUI at the company's headquarters in Hanover, central Germany, on December 9, 2014. TUI presented its annual business report for 2013/14 on December 10, 2014. JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE / AFP
    Cars drive past an illuminated logo of German travel and tourism giant TUI at the company's headquarters in Hanover, central Germany, on December 9, 2014. TUI presented its annual business report for 2013/14 on December 10, 2014. JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE / AFP
  • Female delegates take "selfies" with Alibaba Group executive chairman Jack Ma as he arrives for the Fifth Conference of Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, December 6, 2014. Ma was awarded Honorary Chairman of Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce during the conference. Jason Lee / Reuters
    Female delegates take "selfies" with Alibaba Group executive chairman Jack Ma as he arrives for the Fifth Conference of Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, December 6, 2014. Ma was awarded Honorary Chairman of Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce during the conference. Jason Lee / Reuters
  • Ian Harebottle, chief executive of British precious stones miner Gemsfield, inspects a rare 40.23-carat rough ruby unearthed at its Montepuez deposit in Mozambique, during a rough ruby auction in Singapore on December 4, 2014. Edgar Su / Reuters
    Ian Harebottle, chief executive of British precious stones miner Gemsfield, inspects a rare 40.23-carat rough ruby unearthed at its Montepuez deposit in Mozambique, during a rough ruby auction in Singapore on December 4, 2014. Edgar Su / Reuters
  • A vendor prepares Korean "mandu" dumplings at a market in Seoul on December 11, 2014. South Korea's jobless rate inched down in November from a month earlier, with new jobs being created in a number of service and manufacturing industries, government data showed on December 10. Ed Jones / AFP
    A vendor prepares Korean "mandu" dumplings at a market in Seoul on December 11, 2014. South Korea's jobless rate inched down in November from a month earlier, with new jobs being created in a number of service and manufacturing industries, government data showed on December 10. Ed Jones / AFP
  • Protesters march through the streets demanding a raise on the minimum wage to $15 per hour on December 4, 2014 in New York, United States. The movement, driven largely by fast food workers, has risen in prominence in the past year; the protests were also joined by demonstrators angry at the Grand jury verdict to not indict the police officer who killed Eric Garner in July, 2014. Andrew Burton / Getty Images / AFP
    Protesters march through the streets demanding a raise on the minimum wage to $15 per hour on December 4, 2014 in New York, United States. The movement, driven largely by fast food workers, has risen in prominence in the past year; the protests were also joined by demonstrators angry at the Grand jury verdict to not indict the police officer who killed Eric Garner in July, 2014. Andrew Burton / Getty Images / AFP
  • Chinese migrant workers wait in a bus as they leave after their shift at a construction site on December 9, 2014 in Beijing, China. It is estimated that there are more than 40 million construction labourers in China, many of whom come from smaller centers to the country's larger cities to find work. Kevin Frayer / Getty Images
    Chinese migrant workers wait in a bus as they leave after their shift at a construction site on December 9, 2014 in Beijing, China. It is estimated that there are more than 40 million construction labourers in China, many of whom come from smaller centers to the country's larger cities to find work. Kevin Frayer / Getty Images

Business

Best business images of the week - in pictures

Liz Claus

December 11, 2014

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See some of our favourite pictures from the business world up until December 11.

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