US President Barack Obama returned to Washington late Friday after taking part in a G20 economic summit in Cannes, France.

The presidential helicopter touched down at a White House lawn at 10:42 pm (0242 GMT Saturday), officials said.

At the summit, leaders of the world's top economic powers pushed Europe into acting to stop Italy following Greece into a debt crisis, but failed to come up with new funds to boost the IMF war chest.

While the G20 summit agreed in principle to increase IMF funding, the leaders did not settle on any precise figure or timetable.