http://www.rttnews.comGlobal financial news, market analysis, economics and forex newsen-usTue, 18 Jun 2013 04:45:03 GMTA leading indicator of Chinese economic activity rose marginally in May and at a slower pace than a month earlier, suggesting more sluggish growth for the overall economy in the months ahead. The Conference Board said that its leading economic indicator rose 0.3 percent month-on-month in May, slower than a 1.5 percent increase in April. Only three of the six components contributed positively.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2137281Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:47:44 GMTProducer prices in South Korea were down 0.4 percent on month in May, the Bank of Korea said on Tuesday - accelerating from the 0.3 percent decline in April.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2137179Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:13:55 GMTJapan is on Tuesday scheduled to release final May numbers for industrial production, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2137178Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:05:02 GMTHomebuilder confidence in the U.S. jumped much more than expected in the month of June, according to a report released by the National Association of Home Builders on Monday, with the group's homebuilder confidence index surging up to a seven-year high. The report said the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index soared to 52 in June from 44 in May.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136977Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:35:50 GMTHomebuilder confidence in the U.S. jumped much more than expected in the month of June, according to a report released by the National Association of Home Builders on Monday, with the group's homebuilder confidence index surging up to a seven-year high.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136959Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:13:12 GMTConditions for New York manufacturers improved modestly in the month of June, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday, with the index of activity in the sector climbing into positive territory. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index rose to a positive 7.8 in June from a negative 1.4 in May.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136910Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:13:08 GMTConditions for New York manufacturers improved modestly in the month of June, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday, with the index of activity in the sector climbing into positive territory.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136847Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:38:19 GMTIndia's central bank decided to keep its key interest rates steady as a weak currency and the huge current account deficit limited room for another rate cut. At the mid-quarter review on Monday, the Reserve Bank of India, led by Governor Duvvuri Subbarao, maintained the repo rate at 7.25 percent and the reverse repo rate at 6.25 percent.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136650Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:13:10 GMTSingapore's non-oil exports declined more than expected in May, due to a drop in electronic shipments, the latest data from International Enterprise (IE) Singapore showed Monday. The non-oil domestic exports (NODX) fell 4.6 percent year-on-year in May, following a 1 percent decrease in April. Economists had forecast a 1 percent decline in exports.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136507Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:29:37 GMTAsking price for a property in the UK rose to a fresh record high in June, lifted by a jump in prices in the South East and London, a survey by Rightmove revealed Monday. The average property asking price was GBP 252,798 in June compared with GBP 249,841 in May. Prices increased 1.2 percent month-on-month in June, posting the sixth consecutive monthly rise. London set another record in May.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136503Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:10:14 GMTAn index measuring tertiary industry activity in Japan was flat on month in April, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Monday, standing at a seasonally adjusted 99.7.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136452Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:45:53 GMTAn index measuring the strength of the services sectors in New Zealand continued to show expansion in May, BusinessNZ said on Monday, posting a score of 56.2.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136448Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:15:54 GMTThe average asking price for a house in the United Kingdom was up 1.2 percent on month in June, property tracking website Rightmove said on Monday - after rising 2.1 percent in May.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136447Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:45:54 GMTAn index measuring consumer confidence in New Zealand came in with a score of 116.6 in the second quarter of 2013, a survey from Westpac Bank revealed on Monday.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136445Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:15:53 GMTSingapore will on Monday release May figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In April, imports were worth SGD39.65 billion and exports were at SGD43.83 billion for a trade surplus of SGD4.21 billion.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136415Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:00:54 GMTConsumer sentiment in the U.S. has unexpectedly deteriorated in the month of June, according to a report released by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan on Friday, with the consumer sentiment index pulling back off a nearly six-year high. The report showed that the preliminary reading on the consumer sentiment index for June came in at 82.7, down from the final May reading of 84.5.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136185Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:44:35 GMTWith a sharp drop in utilities output offsetting increases in mining and manufacturing output, the Federal Reserve released a report on Friday showing that U.S. industrial production unexpectedly came in unchanged in the month of May. The report said industrial production came in flat in May following a revised 0.4 percent decrease in April.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136146Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:01:13 GMTWith a sharp drop in utilities output offsetting increases in manufacturing and mining output, the Federal Reserve released a report on Friday showing that U.S. industrial production unexpectedly came in unchanged in May.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136117Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:31:36 GMTProducer prices in the U.S. rose by more than anticipated in the month of May, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Friday, with the price growth largely due to a notable rebound by energy prices. The Labor Department said its producer price index rose by 0.5 percent in May following a 0.7 percent decrease in April.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136111Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:25:46 GMTProducer prices in the U.S. rose by more than anticipated in the month of May, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Friday, with the price growth largely due to a notable rebound by energy prices.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2136064Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:42:04 GMTBank of England Deputy Governor Paul Tucker on Friday announced his plan to leave the bank.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135970Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:46:55 GMTAnnual inflation in India continued to ease in May, with wholesale prices rising at the weakest pace in three-and-a-half-years. However, a rate cut is highly unlikely on Monday as the extreme weakness of the rupee could lift import costs of the nation, which relies heavily on overseas crude oil. Inflation based on the wholesale price index eased to 4.7 percent, a 43-month low.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135920Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:42:32 GMTThe members of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy board said that the Japanese economy had finally started to move to the upside, minutes from the board's meeting on May 21 and 22 revealed on Friday. On the matter of ending the deflation that has plagued Japan for more than 15 years, some of the board members admitted that it could be difficult to attain the bank's new CPI target of 2 percent.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135759Fri, 14 Jun 2013 01:15:25 GMTFood prices in New Zealand were up a seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent on month in May, Statistics New Zealand said on Fridayhttp://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135730Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:53:07 GMTThe Bank of Japan will on Friday release the minutes from its monetary policy meeting on May 21 and 22, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135705Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:04:37 GMTBusiness inventories in the U.S. rose in line with economist estimates in the month of April, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Thursday. The report said business inventories increased by 0.3 percent in April compared to a revised 0.1 percent decrease in March. The modest rebound matched the expectations of economists.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135509Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:01:48 GMTWith prices for fuel imports seeing a significant decrease, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing an unexpected drop in U.S import prices in the month of May. The report said import prices fell by 0.6 percent in May following a revised 0.7 percent decrease in April. Economists had been expecting import prices to come in unchanged.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135501Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:34:36 GMTIn a positive sign for the U.S. jobs market, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing that first-time claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly decreased in the week ended June 8th. The Labor Department said initial jobless claims fell to 334,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 346,000.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135454Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:39:54 GMTRetail sales in the U.S. rose by slightly more than expected in the month of May, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Thursday, with auto sales showing a notable increase. The report said retail sales increased by 0.6 percent in May after edging up by 0.1 percent in April. The sales growth came in just above economist estimates for a 0.5 percent increase.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135441Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:28:55 GMTWith prices for fuel imports seeing a significant decrease, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing an unexpected drop in U.S imports prices in the month of May.http://www.rttnews.com/story.aspx?Id=2135399Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:49:28 GMT