Romania's retail sales declined for the ninth straight month in April. Retail sales fell by a working-day-adjusted 6.3 percent year-on-year in April, faster than the 3.8 percent decrease in March. Sales have been falling since August 2025. Sales of food products alone contracted 6.6 percent annually in April, and those of non-food products dropped 7.9 percent.
Ireland's economy shrank more deeply and faster than initially estimated in the first quarter. Gross domestic product fell a seasonally adjusted 12.1 percent sequentially in the first quarter, much faster than the 4.2 percent decline in the fourth quarter. The downturn was due to a 27.1 percent sharp contraction in the multinational-dominated sector of industry.
The UK construction sector shrank at the fastest pace in six years in May amid shrinking order books and rising economic uncertainty, survey data from S&P Global showed Thursday. The construction Purchasing Managers' Index unexpectedly fell to 38.2 in May from 39.7 in the previous month. The reading was seen at 40.4.
Switzerland's unemployment rate remained stable in May after rising to a 5-month high in the previous month. The unadjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.0 percent in May, the same as in April. In the corresponding month last year, the jobless rate was 2.7 percent. There were 140,275 unemployed people in May compared to 142,902 in the prior month.
Eurozone retail sales declined more than expected in April reflecting decreases in non-food and auto fuel sales, data from Eurostat showed Thursday. Retail sales fell 0.4 percent on a monthly basis in April, in contrast to the 0.8 percent rise in March. Sales were expected to drop 0.3 percent.
Germany's construction activity continued to contract sharply in May with firms recording a sustained fall in activity alongside soaring input costs, survey data from S&P Global showed Thursday. The construction Purchasing Managers' Index posted 42.4 in May, up from April's 13-month low of 42.1.
The Czech Republic's consumer price inflation moderated in May from a 6-month high in the previous month. Consumer prices climbed 2.1 percent year-over-year in May, slower than the 2.5 percent increase in April. Economists had expected the inflation to ease to 2.3 percent. Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages declined at a faster pace of 1.9 percent, while energy costs grew 1.8 percent.
Spain's industrial production increased for the second straight month in April, data from the statistical office INE showed Thursday. Industrial output grew by calendar-adjusted 2.0 percent on a yearly basis, slightly faster than the 1.9 percent rise in March. This was the second consecutive rise...
Switzerland's consumer price inflation held steady in May after rising to a 16-month high in the previous month. The consumer price index climbed 0.6 percent yearly in May, the same as in the previous month. Costs for housing and energy were 1.5 percent higher compared to last year, while those for food and non-alcoholic beverages continued to decline by 1.2 percent.
Sweden's consumer price inflation increased more-than-expected in May to the highest level in seven months. The consumer price index, or CPI, rose 0.8 percent year-over-year in May, reversing April's renewed fall of 0.1 percent. The upward trend in inflation was mainly driven by higher energy and services prices. On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased 1.0 percent, flash data said.
Estonia's industrial production declined for the third straight month in April, and at the fastest pace in more than one-and-a-half years. The volume of industrial production contracted 3.8 percent year-on-year in April, following a 2.9 percent decrease in March. Among sectors, energy production plunged 14.9 percent from last year, and a 3.2 percent decline was seen in manufacturing output.
Retail sales from the euro area and construction purchasing managers' survey results from Germany are the top economic news due on Thursday. At 2.30 am ET, consumer price data is due from Switzerland. Inflation is forecast to accelerate to 0.8 percent in May from 0.6 percent in April.
Australia's trade balance rebounded in April as exports logged notable growth, the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday. The trade balance posted a surplus of A$1.79 billion in April, reversing a shortfall of A$1.02 billion in March, which was the first deficit since 2017. In April 2025,...
Australia will on Thursday release April numbers for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In March, imports were up 14.1 percent on month and exports slipped an annual 2.7 percent for a trade deficit of A$1.841 billion.
A report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday showed a substantial increase in new orders for U.S. manufactured goods in the month of April. The Commerce Department said factory orders soared by 4.8 percent in April after jumping by an upwardly revised 1.8 percent in March. Economists...
May 22, 2026 14:46 ET Minutes of the latest Fed policy session was the highlight of the week along with survey data on the U.S. housing market. In Europe, survey data signaled the trends in the euro area private sector. Further, consumer price inflation data from the U.K. was in focus. In Asia, various economic indicators from China drew attention to the health of the economy.