The U.S. dollar exhibited weakness against most major currencies on Monday as traders looked for further developments on the trade front.
The UK economy avoided a recession in the third quarter, helped by services and construction, but the pace of overall expansion was weaker than expected, data from the Office for National Statistics showed Monday. Gross domestic product grew 0.3 percent sequentially in the third quarter after contracting 0.2 percent in the previous three months.
Quarterly national accounts data from the UK is due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, Statistics Norway is slated to release consumer and producer prices for October. Inflation is expected to rise to 1.8 percent from 1.5 percent in September. At 3.00 am ET, inflation from the Czech Republic and foreign trade from Hungary are due.
Japan core machinery orders declined unexpectedly in September, data from the Cabinet Office showed Monday. Core machinery orders, a leading indicator of private capital investment, declined 2.9 percent month-on-month, following a 2.4 percent drop in August. This was the third consecutive fall in orders. Orders were forecast to expand 0.9 percent.
The U.S. dollar stayed firm right through the session on Friday and hit a three-week high as well in the process, amid renewed uncertainty about the much talked about rollback of existing tariffs by the U.S. and China.
Consumer sentiment in the U.S. has seen a slight improvement in the month of November, according to preliminary data released by the University of Michigan on Friday. The report said the consumer sentiment index inched up to 95.7 in November after rising to 95.5 in October. Economists had expected to index to tick up to 95.9.
Reflecting a notable decrease in inventories of non-durable goods, the Commerce Department released a report on Friday showing U.S. wholesale inventories fell by slightly more than anticipated in the month of September. The Commerce Department said wholesale inventories slid by 0.4 percent in September after inching up by a downwardly revised 0.1 percent in August.
Malaysia's central bank lowered its statutory reserve requirement ratio in an unexpected move on Friday, to improve liquidity in the domestic financial market. Bank Negara Malaysia decided to reduce the SRR to 3.00 percent from 3.50 percent, effective from November 16.
Moody's Investors Service downgraded India's rating outlook to 'negative' from 'stable', citing rising risks that economic growth would be materially lower than in the past as the government struggles to rein in the fiscal deficit. The country's sovereign ratings were affirmed at 'Baa2', the second lowest investment grade.
Germany's exports rebounded at a faster-than-expected pace in September, despite signs of mild recession, data from Destatis revealed Friday. Exports grew 1.5 percent month-on-month, in contrast to August's 0.9 percent fall. Shipments were forecast to grow only 0.3 percent. At the same time, imports growth accelerated to 1.3 percent from 0.1 percent a month ago.
Australia's central bank signaled further easing as wage growth is not expected to pick up and inflation set to remain below the target band. In its quarterly statement on monetary policy, released on Friday, the Reserve Bank of Australia said wage growth is no longer expected to pick up but the labor market and inflation forecasts were little changed from August.
China's exports fell less than expected in October and imports declined for the sixth month in a row, official data showed Friday. In dollar terms, exports decreased 0.9 percent year-on-year in October, data from the General Administration of Customs reported. Economists had forecast shipments to fall at a faster pace of 3.9 percent after September's 3.2 percent decrease. Exports to the US decl
Foreign trade from Germany and industrial production from France are due on Friday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 1.00 am ET, September industrial output and orders from Statistics Finland is due. At 1.45 am ET, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs is set to issue Swiss unemployment data. The jobless rate is forecast to remain unchanged at 2.3 percent.
The pound slipped against its key counterparts in the European session on Thursday, after the Bank of England kept the benchmark rate unchanged and indicated willingness to cut rates in future against the backdrop of rising challenges from Brexit and weaker global economy.
At the rate-setting meeting,...
First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits fell by more than expected in the week ended November 2nd, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The report said initial jobless claims slid to 211,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week's revised level of 219,000.