The U.S. dollar remained broadly resilient during the week ended December 19 amidst a mixed update from the labor market and soft inflation readings from the U.S.
The UK economy registered a meager growth as initially estimated in the third quarter, the Office for National Statistics said on Monday. Gross domestic product grew by unrevised 0.1 percent sequentially, following the second quarter's 0.2 percent expansion. The growth was driven by increases in services and construction, while industrial output contracted.
The British pound strengthened against other major currencies in the European session on Monday, following the release of the U.K. GDP figures in the third quarter of 2025. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the U.K. Gross domestic product grew by unrevised 0.1 percent sequentially,...
The Australian dollar strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Monday, after China maintained its benchmark interest rates for the seventh straight month, as widely expected. The People's Bank of China left its one-year loan prime rate unchanged at 3.0 percent on Monday....
Revised GDP from the UK is the top economic news due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK GDP data for the third quarter. The initial estimate showed that the economy grew 0.1 percent sequentially, following the prior quarter's 0.3 percent expansion.
China maintained its benchmark interest rates for the seventh straight month, as widely expected, on Monday. The People's Bank of China left its one-year loan prime rate unchanged at 3.0 percent on Monday. Likewise, the five-year LPR, the benchmark for mortgage rates, was retained at 3.50 percent. The bank had reduced its both LPRs by quarter points in October 2024.
Consumer sentiment in the U.S. rebounded by less than previously estimates in the month of December, according to revised data released by the University of Michigan on Friday. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index for December was downwardly revised to 52.9 from a preliminary reading of 53.3. Economists had expected the index to be upwardly revised to 53.4.
Existing home sales in the U.S. saw a modest increase in the month of November, the National Association of Realtors revealed in a report released on Friday. NAR said existing home sales rose by 0.5 percent to an annual rate of 4.13 million in November after jumping by 1.5 percent to an upwardly revised rate of 4.10 million in October.
Russia's central bank cut its interest rate by 50 basis points on Friday but reiterated that it will maintain policy tight to bring inflation back to the target. The Board of Directors, led by Governor Elvira Nabiullina, decided to cut the key rate to 16.00 percent from 16.50 percent. The decision matched market expectations. The bank has lowered the interest rate by 400 basis points since Jun
The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark rate by a quarter-point to the highest level in three decades as inflation continued to remain above the target and hinted at further hikes. The policy board, headed by Ueda Kazuo decided, by a unanimous vote, to hike the uncollateralized overnight call rate to "around 0.75 percent" from "around 0.5 percent."
UK retail sales dropped unexpectedly in November as the Black Friday effect was slightly weaker than usual, data from the Office for National Statistics showed Friday. Retail sales dropped marginally by 0.1 percent in November from a month ago. The decline confounded expectations for an increase of 0.3 percent but this was slower than October's 0.9 percent decrease.
The Japanese yen weakened against other major currencies in the European session on Friday, after the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark rate by a quarter-point as inflation remains stubbornly above the target. The policy board decided to hike the uncollateralized overnight call rate to "around 0.75...
German consumer confidence is set to drop at the start of the year 2026 as rising inflation fears weigh on income expectations and purchase decisions, monthly survey data published jointly by NIQ/GfK and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions showed Friday. The forward-looking consumer confidence index fell to -26.9 in January from revised -23.4 in December.
Retail sales and public sector finance from the UK and consumer sentiment from Germany will be in the spotlight on Friday. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK retail sales and public sector finance data. Sales are forecast to grow 0.3 percent on a monthly basis in November, in contrast to the 1.1 percent drop in October.
The European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged for the fourth policy session in a row and raised the growth forecasts for the euro area citing support from domestic demand, but the bank also lifted the inflation projection for next year as policymakers expect services inflation to ease more slowly than expected earlier.
December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.