Economy And The Numbers

MNI Indicators released a report on Friday showing its reading on Chicago-area business activity unexpectedly increased in the month of March. The report said the Chicago business barometer inched up to 43.8 in March from 43.6 in February, although a reading below 50 still indicates a contraction. Economists had expected the index to edge down to 43.4.

Revised data released by the University of Michigan on Friday showed U.S. consumer sentiment deteriorated by more than previously estimated in the month of March. The report said the consumer sentiment index for March was downwardly revised to 62.0 from the preliminary estimate of 63.4. Economists had expected the index to be downwardly revised to 63.2.

Portugal's consumer prices rose at a slower rate in March amid a fall in costs for energy products, preliminary data from Statistics Portugal showed on Friday. Consumer price inflation eased to 7.4 percent in March from 8.2 percent in the previous month. The core inflation, which excludes energy...

Italy's industrial turnover declined for the first time in three months in January, data from the statistical office Istat showed on Friday. Industrial sales dropped a seasonally adjusted 1.1 percent month-over-month in January, in contrast to a 0.7 percent increase in the previous month. Domestic...

France's producer price inflation eased further in February, though it remained strong overall amid higher prices of extractive industry products, energy, and water, data from the statistical office Insee showed on Friday. Industrial producer price inflation in the home market dropped to 15.7 percent...

Core consumer price growth in the U.S. unexpectedly slowed in the month of February, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Friday. The report said core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy prices, jumped 4.6 percent year-over-year in February.

Germany's unemployment unexpectedly increased in March and retail sales logged a surprise fall, adding evidence to the view that the biggest euro area economy landed in a technical recession in the first quarter. The Federal Employment Agency reported Friday that the jobless rate rose to 5.6 percent in March. The rate was forecast to remain unchanged at 5.5 percent.

The Netherlands' consumer price inflation eased to the lowest level in one-and-a-half years amid cheaper energy costs, the flash estimate from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed Friday. The consumer price index rose 4.4 percent year-over-year in March, much slower than the 8.0 percent increase...

Core consumer price growth in the U.S. unexpectedly slowed in the month of February, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Friday. The report said core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy prices, jumped 4.6 percent year-over-year in February.

Eurozone inflation eased more than expected to the lowest level in more than a year in March driven by the fall in energy prices but the core figure edged up to a new record to keep the pressure on the European Central Bank to tighten its policy further. Consumer prices advanced 6.9 percent on a yearly basis in March, slower than the 8.5 percent rise in February, flash estimate published by Eur

Austria's consumer price inflation continued to slow in March to reach the lowest level since June 2022 on lower fuel and heating oil prices, preliminary estimates from Statistics Austria showed on Friday. Consumer price inflation eased to 9.1 percent in March from 10.9 percent in February. "The...

Hong Kong's retail sales value grew at the fastest pace in thirteen years in February, underpinned by continued improvement in consumer sentiment and a sharp rebound in visitor arrivals, preliminary data from the Census and Statistics Department showed Friday. The value of retail sales surged 31.3...

Italy's consumer price inflation eased more-than-expected in March to the lowest level in ten months amid falling energy prices, preliminary figures from the statistical office ISTAT showed Friday. The consumer price index climbed 7.7 percent year-over-year in March, slower than the 9.1 percent rise...

The euro area unemployment rate remained unchanged in February, figures from Eurostat showed on Friday. The jobless rate came in at seasonally adjusted 6.6 percent in February, the same as in January. In the same period last year, the rate was 6.8 percent. The rate for January was revised down...

UK house prices declined at the fastest pace since mid-2009 amid rising interest rates and high inflation dampening housing affordability, the Nationwide Building Society reported Friday. The annual fall in house prices deepened to 3.1 percent in March from 1.1 percent in February. This was the biggest annual decline since July 2009. Prices were forecast to drop 2.2 percent.