The UK unemployment rate dropped in the three months to April and wages grew more than expected, official data revealed Thursday. The jobless rate fell to 4.9 percent in the three months to April from 5.0 percent in the three months to March, the Office for National Statistics said. The rate was expected to remain unchanged at 5.0 percent.
The Netherlands' unemployment held steady in May after falling to an 8-month low in April. The seasonally adjusted ILO jobless rate stood at 3.9 percent in May, the same as in the previous month. There were 399,000 unemployed people in May compared to 397,000 in the previous month. A year ago, it was 385,000.
The Bank of England and Swiss National Bank announce monetary policy decisions on Thursday, headlining a hectic day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK unemployment data. The jobless rate is seen unchanged at 5.0 percent in the three months to April.
New Zealand's economy logged a faster growth in the first quarter, primarily driven by manufacturing expansion, official data revealed Thursday. Gross domestic product advanced 0.8 percent in the March quarter after expanding by revised 0.5 percent in the preceding period, figures released by Stats...
New Zealand will on Thursday release Q1 numbers for gross domestic product, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In the previous three months, GDP was up 0.2 percent on quarter and 1.3 percent on year. The central bank in Indonesia will wrap up its monetary policy meeting...
Following Kevin Warsh's first monetary policy meeting as Federal Reserve chairman, the central bank on Wednesday announced its widely expected decision to leave interest rates unchanged. 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.
Business inventories in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of April, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday. The Commerce Department business inventories climbed by 0.5 percent in April after jumping by an upwardly revised 1.0 percent in March.
A report released by the National Association of Realtors on Wednesday showed a substantial increase in pending home sales in the U.S. in the month of May. NAR said its pending home sales spiked by 3.8 percent to 76.8 in May after rising by 0.3 percent to a downwardly revised 74.0 in April. Economists had expected pending home sales to advance by 0.9 percent.
A report released by the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday showed crude oil inventories in the U.S. tumbled by much more than expected in the week ended June 12th. The EIA said crude oil inventories plunged by 8.3 million barrels last week after slumping by 7.2 million barrels in the...
Malta's EU measure of inflation moderated in May to the lowest level in more than a year. The harmonized index of consumer prices, or HICP, climbed 2.1 percent year-on-year in May, slower than the 2.5 percent increase in the previous month. The annual price growth in food and non-alcoholic beverages eased to 2.0 percent in May from 3.8 percent in April.
Retail sales in the U.S. increased by much more than expected in the month of May, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday. The Commerce Department said retail sales grew by 0.9 percent in May after rising by a downwardly revised 0.4 percent in April. Economists had expected retail sales to climb by 0.5 percent.
Retail sales in the U.S. increased by much more than expected in the month of May, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday. The Commerce Department said retail sales grew by 0.9 percent in May after rising by a downwardly revised 0.4 percent in April. Economists had...
Sweden's central bank left its interest rate unchanged on Wednesday but the bank hinted at raising the rate later this year. The Executive Board of Riksbank decided to hold the policy rate at 1.75 percent. "… it is well-balanced to leave the policy rate unchanged at 1.75 percent now, but the...
South Africa's retail sales growth moderated to the lowest level in just over one and a half years. Retail sales registered an annual increase of 1.3 percent in April, slower than the 2.5 percent rise in March. The slowdown in growth was largely due to a 0.7 percent fall in sales of textiles, clothing, and footwear and leather goods.
Ireland's foreign trade surplus decreased in May from a year ago as exports plunged amid a surge in imports. On an unadjusted basis, the trade surplus declined to EUR 5.3 billion in May from EUR 10.5 billion in the corresponding month last year. Exports logged an annual fall of 13.2 percent in May, while imports jumped by 22.0 percent. Exports to the US declined 45.1 percent.
June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.