UK mortgage approvals rose unexpectedly in March, reaching a four-month high, while consumer credit logged its fastest growth since early 2024, official data showed Friday. The number of mortgages approved in March rose to 63,531 from 62,708 in the previous month, the Bank of England reported. Approvals were forecast to fall to 60,000.
The UK manufacturing activity growth reached a near four-year high in April, driven by improvements in production, orders and employment, survey data from S&P Global showed Friday. The final manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to a 47-month high of 53.7 in April from 51.0 in the previous month. The flash score was 53.6.
UK house prices logged a faster growth in April despite geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and rising energy prices, data published by Nationwide Building Society showed Friday. House prices grew by more-than-expected 3.0 percent on a yearly basis in April, following an increase of 2.2 percent in March. Prices were expected to rise again by 2.2 percent.
Ireland's manufacturing activity grew at the fastest pace since May 2022, underpinned by increased output, new business and employment gains, survey data from S&P Global showed Friday. The AIB manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 54.9 in April from 53.7 in the previous month. The expansion...
Mortgage approvals and final manufacturing Purchasing Managers' survey results from the UK are due on Friday. At 2.00 am ET, UK Nationwide house price data is due. House prices are forecast to grow 2.2 percent on a yearly basis in April, the same rate of growth as seen in March.
The manufacturing sector in Japan continued to expand in April, and at a faster pace, the latest survey from Jibun Bank revealed on Friday with a manufacturing PMI score of 55.1. That's up from 51.6 in March and it moves further above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. April...
South Korea posted a merchandise trade surplus of $23.77 billion in April, the Customs Office said on Friday. That exceeded expectations for a surplus of $23.00 billion following the $26.24 billion surplus in March. Exports surged 48.0 percent on year, again topping forecasts for an increase of...
The manufacturing sector in Australia continued to expand in April, and at a faster pace, the latest survey from S&P Global revealed on Friday with a manufacturing PMI score of 51.3. That's up from 51.0 in March and it moves further above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. The...
The total number of building permits issued in New Zealand was down a seasonally adjusted 1.3 percent on month in March, Statistics New Zealand said on Friday - coming in at 3,677. That follows the upwardly revised 2.8 percent increase in February (originally 2.7 percent). Individually, permits...
Australia will on Friday release Q1 numbers for producer prices, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In the previous quarter, producer prices were up 0.8 percent on quarter and 3.5 percent on year. South Korea will provide April data for imports, exports and trade balance....
Hungary's economy expanded at a faster pace in the first quarter of 2026. On an unadjusted basis, gross domestic product rose 1.7 percent annually in the March quarter, following a 0.8 percent expansion in the fourth quarter. The main contributor to the annual GDP growth was services, and performance of industry also positively contributed after a long period of time.
The Conference Board released a report on Thursday showing a pullback by its reading on leading U.S. economic indicators in the month of March. The report said the leading economic index slid by 0.6 percent in March, more than reversing the 0.3 percent increase in February.
MNI Indicators released a report on Thursday showing is reading on Chicago-area business activity unexpectedly slid into contractionary territory in the month of April. The report said the Chicago business barometer fell to 49.2 in April from 52.8 in March, with a reading below 50 indicating contraction. Economists had expected the business barometer to rise to 55.3.
Portugal's economy expanded at a faster pace in the first quarter, while consumer price inflation rose to the highest level in more than two-and-a-half years. Gross domestic product, or GDP, advanced 2.3 percent yearly in the March quarter, faster than the 1.9 percent rise in the fourth quarter. Consumer price inflation climbed to 3.4 percent in April from 2.7 percent in March
Consumer prices in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of March, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Thursday. The Commerce Department said its personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index climbed by 0.7 percent in March after rising by 0.4 in February. Economists had expected prices to increase by 0.7 percent.
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.