The monetary base in Japan was down 11.3 percent on year in April, the Bank of Japan said on Thursday - coming in at 570.787 trillion yen. That missed expectations for a decline of 10.5 percent following the 10.6 percent drop in March. Banknotes in circulation were down 1.8 percent, while coins...
Australia will on Thursday release March figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In February, imports were down 3.2 percent on month and exports rose 4.9 percent for a trade surplus of A$5.686 billion. The Bank of Japan will release...
A report released by the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday showed crude oil inventories in the U.S. decreased by slightly less than expected in the week ended May 1st. The EIA said crude oil inventories fell by 2.3 million barrels last week after tumbling by 6.2 million barrels in the...
The Treasury Department on Wednesday revealed the details of this month's auctions of three-year and ten-year notes and thirty-year bonds. The Treasury announced plans to sell $58 billion worth of three-year notes, $42 billion worth of ten-year notes and $25 billion worth of thirty-year bonds. The...
Payroll processor ADP released a report on Wednesday showing private sector employment in the U.S. jumped by more than expected in the month of April. The report said private sector employment shot up by 109,000 jobs in April after climbing by a downwardly revised 61,000 jobs in March. Economists had expected private sector employment to grow by 85,000 jobs.
Consumer price inflation in Luxembourg accelerated further in April to the highest level in four months. The consumer price index rose 3.1 percent year-on-year in April, faster than the 2.4 percent increase in March. Energy prices surged by 17.7 percent annually as the repercussions of the war in Iran continue to exert significant pressure on costs.
Hong Kong's retail sales growth moderated in March after accelerating in the previous month. The value of retail sales grew 12.8 percent year-on-year in March, slower than the 19.3 percent surge in February, which was the strongest growth since June 2023. Moreover, this was the fastest growth since June 2023, when sales grew 19.5 percent.
The UK service sector growth accelerated in April despite headwinds arising from the Middle East conflict, final survey data from S&P Global showed Wednesday. The services Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 52.7 in April from March's 11-month low of 50.5. The flash reading was 52.0. The index has...
Payroll processor ADP released a report on Wednesday showing private sector employment in the U.S. jumped by more than expected in the month of April. ADP said private sector employment shot up by 109,000 jobs in April after climbing by a downwardly revised 61,000 jobs in March. Economists had...
Eurozone producer prices increased in March due to a strong rebound in energy prices, Eurostat said Wednesday. Producer prices grew 3.4 percent on a monthly basis, reversing a 0.6 percent fall in the prior month. The rate exceeded economists' expectations of 3.3 percent. Excluding energy, producer...
Hungary's industrial production expanded at the fastest pace in three-and-a-half years. The volume of industrial production surged an unadjusted 6.7 percent annually in March, reversing a 0.9 percent decrease in February. Moreover, this was the quickest growth since September 2022, when production jumped 12.3 percent.
Euro area private sector contracted for the first time in nearly one-and-a--half years as the ongoing war in the Middle East acted as a drag on services activity, final results of the purchasing managers' survey by S&P Global showed on Wednesday. The composite output index fell to 48.8 in April from 50.7 in the previous month. The reading was moderately above the flash estimate of 48.6.
The Czech Republic's consumer price inflation accelerated as expected in April to the highest level in six months. Consumer prices climbed 2.5 percent year-over-year in April, faster than the 1.9 percent increase in March. Moreover, a similar inflation rate was last seen in October 2025. Energy prices rose 1.5 percent annually in April versus a 1.7 percent fall a month ago.
Sweden's service activity expanded at a slower pace in April amid inflationary pressures caused by the Middle East war along with uncertain global environment. The purchasing managers' index, or PMI, for the services sector dropped to 52.5 in April from 55.9 in March. The sub-index for new orders accounted for the largest negative contribution to the decline in the PMI services.
France's industrial production rebounded at a stronger-than-expected pace in March, data from the statistical office INSEE showed Wednesday. Industrial output grew 1.0 percent on a monthly basis in March, reversing a 0.9 percent drop in February. Production was expected to grow 0.5 percent. Similarly,...
May 01, 2026 15:54 ET Central banks dominated the economics news flow this week with almost all major ones announcing their latest policy decisions and many boosted expectations for a rate hike in June. In other news, several countries released the preliminary data for first quarter economic growth. In the U.S., comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell were also in focus as his term ends this month.