INTERNATIONAL: The CSX Index is currently at 498.76 Points up 0.55 Points or 0.11%

The Daily Exchange Rate: is 4,065 KHR to the USD$

SINGAPORE, June 17 - World stocks are headed for their worst week since the markets' pandemic meltdown in March 2020, as interest rate hikes in the United States and Britain and a surprise one in Switzerland set investors on edge about future economic growth.

The yen was down more than 1% to 133.88 per dollar in volatile trade. U.S. futures attempted a bounce and Chinese stocks gained, but that was set against a week of losses and worry that rate hikes are going to smother growth for years.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) fell to a five-week low, dragged by selling in Australia where the ASX 200 (.AXJO) dropped 1.8%. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) fell 1.7% and headed for a weekly drop of almost 7%.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.8% and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 1% but they are well underwater on the week.

EuroSTOXX 50 futures rose 1% and FTSE futures rose 0.5%.

Growth fears took oil on a brief trip lower before prices steadied. Brent crude futures were last at $119.70 a barrel. Gold held at $1,844 an ounce and bitcoin was kept under pressure at $20,700.

Bitcoin falls 7.03% to $20,969.32

Bitcoin dropped 7.03% to $20,969.32 at 20:04 GMT on Thursday, losing $1,585.95 from its previous close.

Bitcoin, the world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, was down 56.5% from this year's high of $48,234 on March 28.

Ether, the coin linked to the ethereum blockchain network, dropped 10.71% to $1,104.76 on Thursday, losing $132.47 from its previous close.