The German economy logged an unexpected faster growth in the first quarter, despite challenges posed by the war in the Middle East. Gross domestic product grew 0.3 percent sequentially in the first quarter, slightly faster than the revised 0.2 percent expansion seen in the fourth quarter of 2025, preliminary estimate from Destatis revealed Thursday.
France's economy remained flat in the first quarter due to sluggish domestic demand and weaker exports and consumer price inflation hit the highest since mid-2024, driven by surging energy prices, official data showed Thursday. Gross domestic product stalled in the first quarter after expanding 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter, according to the first estimate from the statistical office INSEE.
The Czech Republic's economy grew at a slower pace in the first quarter of 2026 amid an unfavorable trade balance. Gross domestic product rose 0.2 percent sequentially, though slower than the 0.7 percent expansion in the fourth quarter. he overall economic growth was driven by an increasing gross capital formation, while the international trade balance had a negative influence.
Finland's economy grew at an accelerated pace in the first quarter of 2026. Gross domestic product rose a seasonally and working-day-adjusted 0.9 percent sequentially in the March quarter, after a 0.3 percent expansion in the previous quarter. Moreover, this was the strongest growth since the third quarter of 2021. On a yearly basis, GDP advanced 1.3 percent.
Germany's retail sales declined more than expected in March, driven by declines in both food and non-food categories, Destatis reported Thursday. Real retail sales fell 2.0 percent year-on-year in March, sharper than the 0.3 percent fall in February. Sales were forecast to drop moderately by 0.3 percent. Retail...
Dutch consumer price inflation increased slightly in April to the highest level in four months amid higher energy costs. Consumer prices logged an annual increase of 2.8 percent in April, faster than the 2.7 percent rise in March. A 7.8 percent surge in energy costs, including motor fuels, primarily drove the upward trend in inflation. On a monthly basis, consumer prices moved up 1.1 percent.
Japan's consumer sentiment weakened further in April to the lowest level in one year. The seasonally adjusted consumer confidence index dropped to 32.2 in April from 33.3 in March. The sub-index for the overall livelihood continued to decline by 1.5 points to 28.2 in April. Similarly, the index for the willingness to buy durable goods worsened to 23.2 from 26.0.
China's manufacturing activity expanded at a stronger-than-expected pace in April, survey data from S&P Global showed Thursday. The RatingDog factory Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 52.2 from 50.8 in the previous month. Economists had forecast the index to rise marginally to 50.9. The score...
Industrial production in South Korea was up a seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent on month in March, Statistics Korea said on Thursday. That exceeded expectations for an increase of 0.2 percent following the downwardly revised 5.3 percent increase in February (originally 5.4 percent). On a yearly basis,...
Japan is scheduled to release a raft of data on Thursday, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are March figures for industrial production, retail sales, construction orders and housing starts, as well as April results for its consumer confidence index. In February, industrial...
For the third consecutive meeting, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced its widely expected decision to leave rates unchanged, although the vote was unusually divided. The Fed said it decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50 to 3.75 percent, citing its dual goals of maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run.
Consumer price inflation in Iceland moderated for the first time in five months in April. The consumer price index rose 5.2 percent year-on-year in April, slightly slower than the 5.4 percent rise in March. Inflation based on housing and utilities moderated to 6.7 percent from 6.9 percent. On a monthly basis, consumer prices climbed 0.8 percent.
After reporting an unexpected increase by U.S. crude oil inventories in the previous week, the Energy Information Administration released a report on Wednesday showing a sharp pullback by crude oil inventories in the week ended April 24th. The EIA said crude oil inventories plunged by 6.2 million...
Citing ongoing uncertainty, the Bank of Canada on Wednesday announced its widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged for the fourth consecutive meeting. The Bank of Canada said it decided to maintain its target for the overnight rate at 2.25 percent, with the Bank Rate at 2.5 percent and the deposit rate at 2.20 percent.
New orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods rebounded by more than expected in the month of March, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday. The Commerce Department said durable goods orders climbed by 0.8 percent in March after tumbling by a revised 1.2 percent in February.
April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.