British finance minister Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday that he was encouraged by news that Switzerland's central bank had offered liquidity to Credit Suisse after the bank's shares plunged on Wednesday amid a sell-off in financial shares.

"Obviously, I was following the situation. The governor of the Bank of England is following it very closely," Hunt told Sky News television.

"I think the news we've heard from the Swiss authorities this morning is encouraging, but I won't say any more than that." (Reporting by Muvija M Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Kate Holton)